I dream of a world where no one has to flee just to live with dignity.
Deepening Our Engagement
A 1-minute version of the video is available on YouTube. Consider linking to it from your church website, e-newsletter, or social media.
Prayer
God of memory, King of kings,
You hear the cry of spilled blood,
You see the chains turned into laws,
You know the markets where humans were once sold.
We come to you with heavy hearts,
Not only to weep,
But to be delivered from slavery’s legacy,
And to demand justice—now, not in sleep.
For racism knows no border:
It takes new forms in banks and war orders,
In debt policies and imposed hunger,
In decisions made afar that burn land under.
No longer the chains on our wrists,
But a world order where our wealth is missed.
No longer the whip that tears,
But unequal treaties and famine’s glares.
And the church…
At times silent, at times complicit.
It blessed the ships and their missions,
It watched and stayed still amidst the oppressions.
Lord, break this silence—awaken convictions.
We pray for Africa rising,
Not as a beggar before the mighty,
But as a mother with arms wide and inviting,
Calling back her children, demanding dignity rightly.
Deliver us from racism in disguise,
That smiles yet denies.
That speaks progress with lofty flair,
Yet hides the will to silence us there.
Shine truth upon our fight,
Unmask deceit even in sacred light.
And may Christ, the Liberator,
Be the One who upends the oppressor’s order.
We shall overcome, Lord, we shall overcome,
Because your justice flows like rivers—not mirage or illusion.
Because your peace is for all—not for a chosen few,
But for every soul you formed and knew.
Congregational Responses
- For Luc, soccer is a unifying activity that brings people together across racial differences. What is a unifying activity that you and your church could do together ? Once you figure out what the activity is, could you invite people from the community, and particularly culturally diverse communities?
- Looking ahead to February, what might you plan around Black History Month that relates to anti-Black racism? Explore this website for ideas and stories. What could you do around worship in February and throughout the year?
Credits
- Prayer: Luc Noubissi
- Congregational responses: Adele Halliday
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