Children's Sabbath Prayer Vigil
It's that time of year again! The annual Prayer for Children Prayer Vigil that takes us through to Children's Sabbath on October 21st. This does not mean we don't pray for children throughout the year! We just dedicate this time of year for intentional prayer and advocacy for children and their needs.
This time of prayer is a project that invites congregations to join in days of prayer for children. It begins approximately forty days prior to the observance of the National Children's Sabbaths (sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund, Washington, D.C.) During these Sabbath celebrations, held annually on the third weekend of October, thousands of congregations from a multitude of faith groups unite simultaneously in witness for children through prayer, education and worship.
The 2012 theme of both Children's Sabbath and the Light a Candle for Children Prayer Vigil is the need for justice in education reform. The Justice in Education Reform sense-of-the-assembly resolution was passed by the General Assembly meeting in Nashville, TN in July 2011. You can read this resolution in it's entirety here.
This congregation will participate in both the prayer vigil and the Sabbath celebration. A sign-up sheet for the prayer vigil can be found in the fellowship hall. Please endeavor to sign up to receive a candle and a date dedicated to say prayers for children. You may pray at home, at work, wherever your heart is so moved to encounter God. During the time of the prayer vigil the church sanctuary will be open to the public for prayer. Meditations will be available to guide your reflection time, or you may simply spend your time as you desire. Meditations are also available for download or subscription to an RSS feed here, or you can follow the daily meditations on Twitter here.
Our focus on children throughout this vigil leads us to act as citizens cognizant of the needs of children in our communities, compels us to become advocates even! As retired minister and Priscilla of this congregation, Rev. Kaye Edwards, wrote in last year's meditation guide…
If there was ever a time for boldness, it is now. Those of us who care about children and work on behalf of children do not have the luxury of discouragement. There are still too many children in North America and around the world who are suffering, their needs ignored and their gifts squandered. For the sake of children, what bold word will you speak this day? What bold action will you perform this day that joins your life with God’s healing actions in the world?
Our prayer life is the exercise our faith-muscles need to do the work of God in the world. It forms our understandings of who we are as Christians and that informs the decisions we make in life. Commitment to this prayer vigil and learning to advocate for children has the possibility to transform each of us individually, as well as our congregation as a whole, into people more attuned to the needs of the children in our lives as well as in our communities.
Join us beginning September 9th for 40 Days of Prayer for Children!
Blessings,
Tracy