Skip to main content

Justice Prayers - January 15, 2025

January 15, 2025

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among others,

To make music in the heart.

- Howard Thurman


Congo

As of January 6th, 2025, the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 has seized the town of Masisi in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo; this is the second town M23 has captured in that region. M23 has overrun much of the DRC since 2021, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to leave their homes. Alexis Bahunga, a legislator from that region of North Kivu, commented on the area’s impending “serious humanitarian crisis.” The violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo hinges partly on ethnic conflicts and partly on the extraction of precious minerals such as gold, cobalt, and tantalum.

God, we offer you the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We pray that Congolese leaders would seek Your peace and govern with Your compassion. We pray that world and business leaders would compensate the Congolese fairly for their gold and other metals, and that you would bring peace to that region. In your name, Prince of Peace. Amen!


Gaza

As of January 2nd, 2025, more than 40 Palestinians have been killed in recent air strikes throughout the Gaza Strip. Among the recently-deceased are Mahmoud Salah, Gaza’s police chief, and Hussam Shahwan, his deputy. Israeli military officials have confirmed that one strike targeted Shahwan in particular, and condemned him as a “terrorist” who had aided Hamas’s military arm in its attacks on Israel’s armed forces. Since Hamas attacked an Israeli music festival in October 2023, the Israeli army has responded with lethal force, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and making refugees of many more.

Holy One, we contemplate the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and the Middle East. We grieve for all those killed in the recent air-strikes, we pray for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and we ask your special provision, so that the children of that region may experience peace, love, and security. Amen.


West Coast Fires

As of January 10th, 2025, four major wildfires in the Los Angeles area – Eaton, Hurst, Kenneth, and Palisades – continue to rage, despite first responders’ valiant efforts to contain them. At least ten people have died as a result of the fires; thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes, and thousands more lack power. The Eaton Fire in particular has consumed 14,000 acres of land, and damaged or destroyed thousands of buildings. The National Guard has offered support; at the same time, social and legacy media are littered with calls for individual and collective forms of aid.

Gracious God who gives us the water of life, shower Los Angeles County with your blessings. Help Angelenos to drink deeply from the cooling streams of your compassion, and help people around the globe to support each other in this intense and warming climate. We pray these things in the name of your Spirit who brooded over the waters. Amen.


Becoming (part of) the Answer to our Own Prayers

Resources for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday 2025

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is quickly approaching! Observed annually on the third Sunday of January, this day is dedicated to honoring the sanctity of life in all its stages. As CRC churches gather on January 19th to commemorate this special occasion, we encourage you to explore the following ideas, tips, and resources to help you plan meaningful activities.

Video Story: First Multicultural Cohort Wraps Up

In 2024, 13 CRC churches in Canada committed to meeting and working with one another for ten months to have conversations about how to be the best expressions of intercultural congregations they could be. Near the end of the year, representatives from all 13 churches that were part of this Multicultural Cohort joined together for a time of learning and reflection. Catch a glimpse of this celebration and hear from participants in this brief video story.  Watch »