Prayerful responses to the Royal Commission

By Uniting Church in Australia Assembly

Posted Dec 15, 2017 in Faith

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse handed its final report to the Government on Thursday 14 December.

Uniting Church President Stuart McMillan shared prayers and a pastoral statement in response. The following prayers can be used for during worship services or for personal prayer. Ministers are invited to use these prayers within their services on Sunday 17 December. The pastoral statement is available to read online here. A news item about the Royal Commission has also been published on New Times online here.

 

For those who have experienced abuse

Gracious and healing God,

we thank you for the many ways that you enrich our lives - giving us hope in the midst of despair; comfort and strength to live,

when we are at our most vulnerable.

Be with all those who continue to suffer - living with brokenness and pain.

We particularly think of people who were sexually abused as children.

May your Spirit be a comforting and healing presence in their lives.

May they find peace within relationships and communities of safety and trust.

Give us the wisdom to bring your healing and hope in our relationships, neighbourhoods and communities.

Give us courage, insight, power and passion that we might work with you for justice and liberation of all those who were abused and oppressed.

And help us to honour survivors’ stories by ensuring our Church is the safest place we can make it for children in our care.

Lord, hear us

Lord, hear our prayer

 

For the Royal Commission

God of wisdom, we pray for all those who have served the Royal Commission,

that their work will be received and acted upon by institutions.

We give thanks for Royal Commission staff and their dedication and pray that their work will make our country a safer place for all children.

We ask that this Final Report and its recommendations will lead to healing and peace for those who have survived sexual abuse in the past, and for them to feel that justice has been done and hope restored.

Lord, hear us.

Lord, hear our prayer

 

For the church

Holy God, through Jesus your Son, in the power of the Spirit,

you brought your church into being.

The revelations and stories of these past five years have challenged us to respond in Christ-like ways,

Give us the strength of character to courageously and honestly face the mistakes of the past.

Help us all to confront and confess our failures that we may continue with integrity to speak out for truth and justice in our nation

and boldly declare the salvation promised to all who repent and believe in the good news revealed in Jesus your Son.

Lord, hear us.

Lord, hear our prayer

 

---

Comments

Write comment