SHUT DESO Action Day
Prayer Meeting
16th October 2006, 10am to 10.30am

Opening Prayer

Creator God, you sustain all that is whole. We gather to worship you in the midst of a broken world. Overshadowed by violence and war, poverty and injustice, fear and suspicion, we pray for guidance and courage so that we may be true peacemakers. Strengthen and inspire us in our work today as we show our opposition to the work and existence of the Defence Export Services Organisation.

‘Freedom’
Oh Freedom, Oh Freedom,
Oh Freedom, Freedom is coming
Oh yes, I know,
Oh yes, I know.

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus,
Oh Jesus, Jesus is coming
Oh yes, I know,
Oh yes, I know.

Reading: Psalm 46:9-11
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Confessional Prayer
God of Jesus, you have entrusted us with the care of each other. Forgive us that we profit from that which is likely to result in the oppression and injury of our sisters and brothers. Forgive us that we develop so readily the means of destruction at the expense of things that create community. Forgive us that when we are asked for bread we sell bombs and that the livelihood of so many have become dependent upon trading in death.

Enable the victims of the arms trade to forgive us. Enable us to give ourselves, in commitment to the eradication of this evil. Enable us to help those with power to work for justice and peace Lord, you have given us all we need; So now make us ready to give up the hurtful things that are not needed. God be with us in our work against the Defence Export Services Organisation. Be with us as we search for authentic ways of expressing your love for the world. Amen.

Intercession Prayer
Reader: Give us the courage, Lord, to stand up and be counted;
Response: Lord, you are our strength
Reader: Give us the courage to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves;
Response: Give us courage
Reader: Give us the courage to face the violence within ourselves;
Response: Give us courage
Reader: Give us the courage to fear nothing more than we fear you;
Response: Give us courage
Reader: Give us the courage, Lord, to love our enemies and believe in their capacity for change;
Response: Give us the courage
Reader: Let us seek no other peace but the peace which is yours, and make us its instruments, Opening our eyes and our ears and our hearts, so that we should know always what work of peace we may do for you.
Response: May your peace transform us and our world.

Symbolic readings

Reader: People of Central and Eastern Europe, anxious and tired of being anxious.
Response: God’s peace is for you.

Reader: People of Africa, ravaged and tired of being ravaged.
Response: God’s peace is for you.

Reader: People of Western Europe, privileged and tired of being privileged.
Response: God’s peace is for you.

Reader: People of South America, silenced and tired of being silenced.
Response: God’s peace is for you.

Reader: People of Ireland, divided and tired of being divided.
Response: God’s peace is for you.

Reader: People of Asia and the Middle East, abused and tired of being abused.
Response: God’s peace is for you.

All: May the God of all people and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace today and everyday. Amen.

Reader: Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

A time of silent reflection and open prayer

Litany for Forgiveness
‘The Arms Trade casts shadows
across the world’ (David Binns)

Reader One:
Across the shadow cast by the production of weapons
Let us shine the light of love,
That those who imagine ways to kill
May turn to Life for their creative vision.

Reader Two:
Across the shadow cast by the testing of weapons
Let us shine the light of mercy,
That the planet and all it sustains
May be cruelly violated no longer.

Reader One:
Across the shadow cast by the trading of weapons
Let us shine the light of protest,
That the wretched of the earth
May be exploited no further.

Reader Two:
Across the shadow cast by the dismantling of weapons
Let us shine the life of care-fullness
That soil, air, water and all life-resources
May be polluted and spoiled no more.

Reader One:
Across the shadow cast by our un-owned darkness
Let us shine the light of truth,
That we may befriend our fears
And stop projecting them onto others.

Reader Two:
God, forgive us
Our disconnection
From the wholeness and holiness
Of your creation.

Reader One:
God, forgive us
Our despoiling
Of so much that is still unfolding
From your vision for the earth.

Reader Two:
God, forgive us
Our violation
Of the poorest and the least
Whom you love the most.

Reader One:
God, forgive us
Our grasping
For power and profit
At the expense of our ‘little ones’.

Reader Two:
God, forgive us
Our brutalising
Of our hearts, souls and spirits:
Break us, and re-make us to reflect your love.

Together:
We join our hands with those
Whose hands burst through the chains of exploitation.

We join our hearts with those
Whose hearts overflow with indignation against injustice.

We join our spirits with those
Who offer spirited resistance to death-dealing forces.

Litany for Commitment
Leader: Loving God, free us to give ourselves fully to the eradication of the Defence Export Services Organisation and the global arms trade. Give us the courage to commit ourselves to peace with justice for all on this earth.
Response: God, teach us to trust you and live by your love

Leader: By your grace you have given us all that we need. Enable us to give up those things that we do not need – the idols of power, selfishness and greed
Response: God, teach us to trust you and live by your love

Leader: God, be with us in our work against DESO, both today and in the future; be with us as we search for authentic ways of expressing our love for the world.
Response: God, teach us to trust you and live by your love.

‘Healing of the Nations’
(Sung to the tune of Praise my Soul the King of Heaven)
For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord,
For a just and equal sharing
Of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action
Help us rise and pledge our word.

Lead us, Father, into freedom,
From despair your world release:
That, redeemed from war and hatred,
We may come and go in peace.
Show us how through care and goodness
Fear will die and hope increase.

All that kills abundant living,
Let it from the earth be banned;
Pride and status, race or schooling
Dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice
May we hallow life’s brief span.

You, Creator God, have written
Your great name on humankind:
For our growing in your likeness;
Bring the life of Christ in mind:
That by your response and service,
Earth its destiny may find.

This prayer meeting has been organised by Fellowship of Reconciliation, Pax Christi, SPEAK and the Campaign Against Arms Trade Christian Network as part of a Day of Action to Shut DESO.

www.for.org.uk
www.paxchristi.org.uk
www.speak.org.uk
www.caat.org.uk