A prayer for Refugee Week

This Sunday begins Refugee Week (19-25 June), a celebration of the many positive contributions refugees make to the Australian community.

 

Thanks to Abi Benham-Bannon, a panel member of the Assembly's Working for Justice Circle for sharing this prayer to use in your worship across the week. This prayer leads us into reflection on the global context in which people are being displaced and the contexts and policies that impact them as they seek to find safety.

 

 

God of peace,

Bring light to the dark corners of hearts,

To the violent shadows of our world,

Whose power crushes down, inflicting suffering,

Pushing so many out of their lives and out of their homes.

 

God of welcome,

Bring warmth to the hearts of the homes to which they flee,
May they find safety and comfort,
In open arms.

God of liberation,
Bring freedom for all people locked up by cruel policies,
From the bars which bear down on their souls,
Freedom to walk the land, to live a life.
Freedom of spirit.

God of justice,
Open our eyes and give us the courage to call for change,
For a country that rejects cruelty and violence,
That puts down its fear,
And chooses welcome.