Prayers for Racial Justice
Remembering Michael Brown 
on the First Anniversary of his Death
August 9, 2015

A Litany to Remember Victims of Gun Violence
Based on “An Urgent Call for the Prevention of Gun Violence”, a resolution passed in 2013 by the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, in response to the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT., and updated in 2014 in light of tragic acts of violence on unarmed people of color and systemic racism in our society. 

“An Urgent Call for the Prevention of Gun Violence” calls us as individuals and churches to encourage prayer and study of the human capacity to act violently;  to advocate for the health and well being of all people;  to advocate for the ban of high-capacity rapid-fire weapons and require universal background checks; to testify to our elected leaders; and to promote an annual day of remembrance and  witness against violence, where issues of gun violence and our call to work for peace are discussed openly and opportunities for advocacy are offered.

As Christians, we follow a Savior known as the Prince of Peace. 
We believe in the power of love and non-violence 
as the way to bring change. We are called to turn swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. (Isaiah 2)
May righteousness flourish and peace abound, 
until the moon is no more. (Psalm 72)

However, as people of faith we are aware that at times 
we are tragically far from what God wills for us. 
Jesus would lament our willingness to turn to violence.  (Luke 13) 
Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Luke 10)

We recognize the deep capacity in each of us to act violently, 
in ways that can be unpredictable and hard to understand. 
Violence has a seductive nature—
it pervades our movies.   It creeps into our speech and our actions. 
We call for repentance and change. 
We believe in the power of redemption and transformed lives. (II Cor. 5)
Welcome with meekness the implanted word 
that has the power to save your souls. (James 1)

We grieve with victims of violence--the families of Michael Brown, Aiyana Jones, Trayvon Martin, Yvette Smith, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, the Charleston Nine, and so many others.                

We continue to remember the families at Sandy Hook Elementary School. 
We grieve with the parents whose children have been killed in our land.  

We remember Ferguson, Cleveland, Charleston, Staten Island, New Orleans, Chicago, Jackson, Baltimore.  [invite people to add names of places]
As people of faith, we “Rejoice with those who rejoice, 
weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12) 

Prejudice and racism are embedded in our society.  
We confess our complicity.  We pray for the courage 
to have honest discussions and the steadfastness to work for change.
We pray for courage in the struggle for justice and peace.  (UCC Statement of Faith) 

Unlike Cain, we acknowledge that we are our brothers’ and our sisters’ keepers!  We lift our hands as we stand in solidarity today especially with the people of Ferguson and across this nation who in the words of Fannie Lou Hammer are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” (from “Lifted Hands:  An AME Litany” by Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould)
“I became convinced that noncooperation with evil 
is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.” (Dr. Martin Luther King) 

This is our urgent calling as people of faith. 
We will turn swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.  
We will seek to dismantle racism in all its forms.  
Until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness 
like an ever-flowing stream! (Amos 5)

Since the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, a collective of national UCC faith leaders have gathered on conference calls to reflect and pray and plan UCC responses. They have recommended Sunday, August 9, the actual anniversary of Mike Brown’s death, as a time for the UCC to pray together for racial justice and reconciliation, and have prepared a variety of prayers for use by congregations.  These prayers may be adapted and used not only on this day, but on other days and in other settings in which people gather to pray and witness to justice for all who suffer the violence of racial injustice.

A Litany to Remember Victims of Gun Violence was submitted and adapted by Rev. Karen Byrne of the Central Atlantic Conference (formerly of the Maine Conference). It was originally prepared by Revs. Steve Hastings, with Karen Byrne, Allison Smith, Diane Wendorf and Ron Serino of the Maine Conference. Copyright 2015 United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.