Responsive Reading

Reader One: 
We gather together aware of the violence around us: 
the physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect of children, 
including abuse by religious leaders; 
the murder and beatings of women by their partners; 
the forced prostitution of young women and men in the U.S. and Canada and other parts of the world; 

Reader Two: 
the sexual harassment of women in the workplace, including the church; 
the exploitation of women and children for profit and pornography; 
the rape of countless women within marriages and dating relationships; 

Reader Three: 
the further violence perpetrated against women in the court system; 
ritual abuse and mutilation of women and children; 
the atrocities suffered by the victims of war. 

One:   In naming these forms of evil, we feel grief and pain.

All:    Loving God, you are the one who desires that all people be brought into right relationship with one another and with you.  Show us the path to justice and fill us with your healing power.  May we experience your presence among us as comforter, sustainer and healer. 

(from The Sabbath of Domestic Peace, citing the “Family Violence Packet: A Congregational Resource by the National Ministries ABC/USA,” www.sabbathofdomesticpeace.org/resources/worship.htm)

Prayer of Confession

We grieve O God, when we see the violence in our community between the powerful and the defenseless, men and women, adults and children.  As your Church, and as your people, we acknowledge our guilt.  We confess that too often we have failed to be your Church.  We have felt paralyzed in moments that call for acts of courage and kindness.  Apathy and ignorance, prejudice and fear have kept us silent when we should have spoken with conviction and condemned domestic violence in our homes and in our worshipping community.  We have ignored and abandoned women, men and children in their pain and suffering.  By our silence, we have condoned domestic violence.  We confess that too often we have interpreted your Word in ways that justified and even encouraged domestic violence.  We confess that too often we have been the last hope for victims of domestic violence, and we have withheld hope.  They have come to us for compassion and received, instead, rejection.  We long to control our violence and to find new ways to love our neighbor as ourselves— to reach out in love and compassion to be your Church.  Forgive us for what is past and show us a new way to be your Church and your people.             
Amen.

(adapted from the Joint Churches’ Domestic Violence Prevention Project, www.users.bigpond.net.au/stpauls/dvweek.html)

Breaking the Cycles of Violence

Jesus, courageous and vulnerable, you broke the vicious circle.
May we break cycles of violence.
Jesus, bold and brave, you confronted the traditional customs.
May we confront patterns of hatred and prejudice.
Jesus, assertive and strong, you challenged the perpetrators.
May we challenge victimizers and abusers in our day.
Jesus, clear and direct, you drew a line in the sand.
May we refuse to accept injustice.
Jesus, amazing and powerful, you got them to drop their stones.
May we find ways to be in the world
that increase safety, establish fairness and promote peace.
Amen.

(from Mennonite Central Committee, “Worship Materials – Domestic Violence,” by Elsie Wiebe Klingler, www.mcc.org/abuse/worship/2003/october.html )