justice and peace.

this week i led a full morning service and a service of ''prayers for justice and peace.''

thursday justice and peace:

circle of chairs around a candle in the middle of abbey church.

opening responsive prayer.

opening silence.

reading of first half of hosea 14.

introduction of fist-opening exercise (copyrighted lex cariello).

guided meditation on internal existence of coercion, violence, and manipulation.

invitation for the reading aloud of phrases written on slips of paper around the center candle:

We pray for women and men making decisions affected by a lack of reproductive choice options.

We pray for members of the military and their families who feel bound to military service due to economic constraints.

We pray for change in corporations whose coercive advertising promote the abuse of alcohol and other substances.

We pray for change in corporations whose coercive advertising further consumerism.

We pray for women and men forced or coerced into sex.

We pray for children whose opportunity for access to education is dictated by structures of systemic oppression.

We pray for those who are affected by policies and social stigmas that restrict the liberation of diverse sexuality.

We pray for those who remain in emotionally, physically, or verbally abusive relationships.

reading of second half of hosea 14.

closing silence.

(or something like that.)