Prayers for Yemen

Yemen is prayed for here mainly through war, hunger and a health system stretched past its limits, with cholera, water shortages and cuts to aid named plainly. Refugees living within its borders are remembered as well. These prayers return often to the concern that Yemen is slipping from the world's attention.

My Soul in Stillness Waits: An Advent Prayer for 117 Million Displaced People (December 5, 2024)

Attentive Nervous Thoughtful Incarnation Concerned Immanuel Preparing Awaiting Testify Expecting The season of Advent, literally “the coming,” holds special significance for many anticipating justice. The United Nations reports that 117.3 million people are currently displaced from their homes due to war, environmental disasters, and political instability. People from Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, […]

Here Am I, Send Me: A Prayer on 18 Billion Dollars, Election Spending and Global Inequality (November 7, 2024)

Great Mystery, In the first waking moments of the day, it feels like the world is soft, untrammeled, freshly made and yet soon it seems to twist and turn surprising us, horrifying us, challenging us, asking us “who are we listening to?” From Isaiah 6:8 these words: Then I heard the voice of the Lord […]

In the Way of Saint Francis: Prayers for the World’s Poorest Nations and 120 Million Displaced (October 3, 2024)

We center ourselves in prayer with you O Lord. The feast day of Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) is October 4. We pray on how he modelled humility, concern for poor people; practicing a vow of poverty, peace and nonviolence, and care for creation for generations to come. Born into a wealthy Italian merchant family, Francis […]

Co-Guardians of a Fragile Planet: A Prayer in the Season of Creation for Floods, Drought, and Hunger (September 26, 2024)

“Prayer is nothing else than a sense of God’s presence.” ~ Brother Laurence (lay brother, Paris, France 1614-1691) “Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God.” ~ Mother Theresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) “We have to pray with our eyes on God and not on the difficulties.” ~ Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) “I (Jesus) tell you, […]

Gather Us In: Prayers for Israel and Lebanon, Haiti’s Elections and Storm Boris (September 19, 2024)

“How do you choose which news to include in the prayers?” That’s a common question those of us who take turns writing the weekly prayers get asked. Sometimes, it’s more pointed: “Why did you mention this, but not that?” But there’s neither magic nor malice involved – we are all too human. We gather news, from a […]

Lord, Have Mercy: Prayers After the Southport Killings and for Sudan’s Refugees (August 1, 2024)

O God of all peoples. Hear these prayers as bits and pieces of the news this week are shared. You know all sorrows and joys. It seems like a heavy and fearful time right now. Shine your light on these times bringing clarity and justice, peace and recovery. Renew our hearts and minds. Bring your […]

Listen: A Prayer for 350 Million People Facing Extreme Hunger (May 23, 2024)

Listen, O Israel, the LORD is God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 LISTEN! The prophet Isaiah began this passage with the Hebrew word, “Shema”- LISTEN. So, why aren’t we listening, Divine One? […]

The Longest Night: A Solstice Prayer for Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, and Prague (December 21, 2023)

For those living in the northern hemisphere, December 21st or the Winter Solstice is the day with the least amount of daylight. In some churches this is recognized in worship with a “Longest Night” or “Blue Christmas” service. Ever Present God, On this night our siblings in the northern hemisphere experience the longest night of […]

A Prayer Is Not a News Bulletin: Praying for Peace in Gaza, Ukraine, Syria, and Yemen (November 16, 2023)

Dear God, A prayer is not a news bulletin, a donation request, telegram, text message, or a voice message. One could suppose that each could contain elements of a prayer, but they seem quite secular and every day. How do we ask you to bring your peace that passes all understanding among us in these […]

The Thinnest Silence: A Prayer About Listening for the Voice of God (September 28, 2023)

Holy One, Divine Creator, whom some name God, we pray every week for so many things: for those suffering from effects of climate change and the earthquakes, the hurricanes, the super droughts, super fires, and the super floods; for children and women abused and sold and trafficked even in our modern era of development; for […]