Prayer Vigil in Spirit and Solidarity with Standing Rock

Prayer Vigil
in Spirit and Solidarity with Standing Rock
Thurs, Nov 3, 12-12:30pm

 In a simple prayer vigil, we will join our voices with all those who are demanding attention to broken treaty rights, to fair treatment of those who practice civil disobedience, and acknowledgement of our complicity in sins of racism and injustice. We pray for healing, for safety, and for love and peace to prevail. Many Presbyterian religious leaders and clergy are attending a training on Wednesday, November 2, to stand in support of the Native American water protectors gathered on the Missouri River in Cannon Ball, ND with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe who oppose the current construction plans of the Dakota Access Pipeline. We cover them, our Native brothers and sisters, and those in law enforcement with our prayers. We pray for healing, for safety, and for love and peace to prevail. See recent PNS article. The service will be approximately 30 minutes in length.

For those who are praying in their own homes and churches across the country, pasted below is our simple order of worship that you can download and use as a template if you wish, for your own prayers. Peace be with all!

Prayer Vigil, November 3, 2016
In Spirit and Solidarity with Standing Rock
PC(USA) national offices

Why we gather

We gather in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and with those who stand with them in North Dakota, including over 300 clergy and religious leaders who will make a peaceful, prayerful, lawful, nonviolent witness on November 3 in response to a call from the Episcopal churches in Standing Rock. We gather in the name of Jesus who broke through the social divisions of his day to bring good news to the oppressed.

Welcome

Gathering Psalm                                              Psalm 42

Gathering Song

(Suggestions) O God the Creator; Many and Great, O God, Are Thy Works; The Earth Belongs to God Alone; Let All Things Now Living; Touch the Earth Lightly; God, You Spin the Whirling Planets

Scripture reading                                    John 13:12-17; 34
Jesus washes our feet to remind us that we are servants and called to follow in the hard places of life, and to work for peace and justice as God calls. Underneath all our work for justice is Jesus’ commandment to love one another.

Community Prayer
Adapted from prayer from The Rev. Sarah Henkel, The White Plains Presbyterian Church on Reformation Sunday, Oct 30, 2016.

God of all things, the breath filling our breath, the life source, Creator of all that nourishes and sustains: Soil, trees, fruit. Estuaries, rivers, water to drink. We pray with gratitude to you, our Creator. We join our prayers with all Water Protectors and Earth Defenders. We pray for:

Wisdom, courage, and strength for the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, for Chairman David Archambault and his family;

Strength and courage for the Water Protectors and their families;

Peace and unity at the camps;

The provision of food, water, and shelter and the meeting of other needs for the Water Protectors, particularly those who plan to witness in winter;

Wisdom and vision for the people working on the legal battles being fought to honor the sovereignty of Native peoples;

Patience and a willingness to rely on nonviolence for all involved;

God’s transformative love to call law enforcement officers and company employees—and all of us—away from violence and back to our common humanity;

Courage for government and elected officials to speak and stand with justice;

Courage for clergy and faith leaders answering the call to join the movement in Standing Rock this week;

The leaders of the Synod of Lakes & Prairies as they collect and discern where to use funds for the camps and the Water Protectors, and

All those across the PCUSA as members seek to support the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and to confess the church’s participation in the destruction of indigenous lives and land, to continue the work of reparations and reconciliation.

May we all see and honor God’s image in one another and may God help us to dismantle violent responses in systems of institutional injustice. Amen.

(petitions above provided in part by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness’
“Action Guide: Support the Standing Rock Sioux #NoDAPL”)

Lord’s Prayer (Translation: Hattie Enos- Nez Perce)
O Great Spirit, Creator of the universe, You are our Shepherd Chief in the most high place. Whose home is everywhere, even beyond the stars and the moon. Whatever you want done, let it, also be done everywhere. Give us your gift of bread day by day. Forgive us our wrongs as we forgive those who wrong us. Take us away from wrong doings. Free us from all evil. For everything belongs to you. Let your power and glory shine forever. Amen.

Invitation to prayer stations or silent prayer

• Prayer stations set up to the West (Black), North (Red), East (Yellow), South (White) and opportunity to draw or write prayer cards for people or places for whom we pray

Go in peace as you are ready, or feel free to stay and pray in silence.

For those unable to attend the service, the chapel will be set up until late afternoon, to receive prayer.

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The Synod of Lakes and Prairies has established a fund to support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the other Water Protectors. Contributions may be made to:

Synod of Lakes and Prairies
2115 Cliff Drive
Eagan, MN 55122

Make the check payable to: Synod of Lakes and Prairies
Note on check: Dakota Access Pipeline Acct #2087

The synod will send a confirmation to the donor that the funds were received and then information about where they were distributed. Please make sure to include your name and address on the check unless already printed on it.

 * * * * * *

Worship note: 4 prayer stations will be set with the description of the direction/color as well as a basket to receive prayer cards. The information comes from The Four Directions posted by Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center.

West (Black) is the direction of the setting sun, the end of each day. It signifies the end of life. The west is also the source of water: rain and rivers, streams, and lakes. The west is vital because without water there can be no life.

North (Red) brings winter’s cold, harsh winds. These cleansing winds cause leaves to fall and cover the earth under a blanket of snow. Animals or people who have the ability to face these winds, like the buffalo who faces its head into the storm, are said to have learned endurance and patience. The north generally stands for the discomfort and hardships people experience. It represents the cleansing people endure and the trials people undergo.

East (Yellow) is the direction from which the sun comes. Light dawns in the east in the morning to mark the beginning of a new day. Then the light spreads over the earth. Light helps people see things the way they really are and can be the beginning of understanding. East also represents the wisdom that helps people live good lives. Traditional people rise in the morning to pray facing the dawn, asking God for wisdom and understanding. Many churches were built with the front facing east.

South (White) is the color of the southern sky when the sun is at its highest. South stands for warmth and growing. From the south come warm, pleasant winds. When people pass into the spirit world, they travel the Milky Way’s path back to the south, returning from where they came.