Racial Justice Prayers of Repentance
Prayers Based on Isaiah 1:16-17
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow.
God, for so long we have walked in the direction of oppression.
We know different steps you have given us to take, and yet we struggle to receive your help, as you seek liberation for every person and community made in your image.
Jesus, for so long we have walked in the direction of evil.
We know different steps you have given us to take, and yet we struggle to step into the shower of your cleansing grace that prepares us to do your good.
Holy Spirit, for so long we have walked in the direction of injustice.
We know different steps you have given us to take, seeking justice together with those who have been defenseless, those who are injured, and those who continue to be cast aside.
Teach us once again in this season to turn in a new direction.
Help us learn and live a true change of heart and mind…such that our feet are forever reestablished on a path that leads not only to an end to racism – but to new ways of building your beloved community, which you created us for from the very beginning.
Let it be so.
Rev. Anna Layman Knox
Community Pastor of Camp Hill UMC
GCORR Board Member
Camp Hill, PA
God of grace, we acknowledge our need for repentance. Every day, we see the effects of our evil, selfishness, and hatred manifesting in disastrous and harmful ways. As we hear the horrifying details of new tragedies of racism and hatred in the world that have taken lives and harmed your beloved community, we wonder when humanity will stop destroying itself.
What will it take, Holy One, for us to consider all life valuable and worth protecting? When will violence and evil not get the last word, God of peace? Inspire in us a posture of repentance to proclaim loud and clear that the non-creative use of force is a direct violation of human rights.
Gracious One, when we are tempted to suggest hatred only occurs within others, remind us in your gentle way that hatred, evil, and violence begin in our own hearts. God of understanding, forgive us for when we have not treated our neighbors and community with utmost respect and honor.
As we lay down our own hatred and stereotypes, teach us the age-old task of learning the names of our neighbors and community members that look, think, and vote differently than us. Let us learn their names. Let us hear their stories. Let us build bridges with a diverse group of people in our neighborhoods and overcome any bias we might have. In repenting of our own stereotypes, show us how to do good for all your beloved children, God of everyone.
Kristopher Sledge
Lead Pastor of The Journey Church
Harrisburg, PA
God of Justice that created all people, without exception in your image, liberate us from the Sin of Racism and Tribalism.
Strengthen our Faith to overcome the fear of racism and tribalism so we may gain understanding and realize the harmful impact racism and tribalism has on people.
Open our eyes to realize the dignity and worth of every human being.
Open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial and tribal discrimination and their lament for change.
Open our hearts to repent of hate filled attitudes, behaviors, and speech that demeans others.
Let us repent for not doing enough to speak up – to say, “No! That’s not right!”
In your mercy and compassion walk with us as we continue our journey of healing to create a future that is just and equitable. Lord, you are our hope. Without you, nothing will ever change. Provide us the courage and passion to exhibit Christ-like love. Equip us to speak and act in love for all people and work in every aspect of life to eliminate all racism and tribalism.
Thank You Lord for your mercy and grace. We lift this prayer for all ethnicities, tribes, and nations to live in peace. Amen.
Pamela Hammond McDavid, Ph.D.
Laity
Springfield, IL
Creator, we have offended you by our words and our actions. We have failed to live righteously. We have cast our personal judgment on others while ignoring your justice. Help us to do what is right, to seek justice for the oppressed, to care for the orphan, the widow, the prisoner, and those oppressed in other ways.
Help us to cease doing evil while we utter your Name. May we fully accept the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, that we may be cleansed, body, mind, soul, and spirit. It is in His name that we ask all these things. Amen.
Vince Gonzales
GCORR Board Member
UMC Council of Bishops Ecumenical Representative
Princeton, Texas
This series of prayers was originally part of our Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge which took place in summer 2022.
To learn more about the Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge and read the other prayers, click here.
We Are One Tribe, One Race
God, you created us in your own image and loved us regardless of our race and tribe. You said in 1 John 44:20, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.’”
We seek your forgiveness, dear God, because we have lied to our brothers and sisters, saying that we love them when, in fact, we have segregated. Dear Jesus, help us love one another regardless of race or tribe. Teach us to love unconditionally. Teach us to know that through Jesus Christ we are one tribe, one race, and one in Christ.
We thank you, Lord, that you loved us first. May your grace enable us to love one another. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. AMEN.
Juliet Nabukalu
Coordinator of Women’s Ministries
East Africa Annual Conference and Kireka United Methodist Church
Kampala, Uganda
God, I make space daily
To exercise my body,
To exercise my piety,
To exercise my mind.
I move.
I pray.
I read.
I eat lots of veggies.
I meditate.
I seek new experiences.
Because I want to be healthy and whole and smart.
But really, who is that work for? About?
Whose life is better for that?
Who am I serving
As I strive for self-improvement?
If I say that black lives matter
If I say brown lives matter
If I say the immigrant and the orphan matter
If I say that God is justice and grace and goodness…
Then I need to do the work.
Exercise the muscle.
Develop the discipline.
Every day
In every moment
I need to learn.
I need to do the work.
I need reps.
The practice.
The workout.
The sweat.
The labor.
Turning, growing, seeing
Serving, knowing, freeing
Help me to stop being a clanging cymbal.
Help me to stop being a resounding gong.
Help me instead
To be a learner and a doer
A lover and a fighter.
Turn me each day to
The awareness,
The witness,
The work.
The work
To seek justice.
To rescue the downtrodden.
To defend the orphan
And to plead for the widow.
God, please.
As I turn,
As I turn,
Turn me
Toward justice
Toward mercy
Toward reconciliation
Toward learning
Toward growth
Toward becoming
Toward you.
May it be so.
Amen.
Rev. Dr. Laura Norvell
Pastor at Faith UMC
Rockville, MD
God of grace and God of justice, I lift my eyes to you this day. There are so many examples of humanity failing to uphold your vision of the beloved community. Our world contains so many systems, organizations, and structures that separate your human creation. With all of these “big” things causing your beloved children to feel less than equal, that is not the repentance I come to you today seeking to proclaim. I come, O Creator, to repent of the ways I am complicit in furthering systems and structures of racism around me. I repent of the microaggressions and outright racism I portray in my daily interactions. God of all creation, I recognize and repent that it is not enough to say, “I am anti-racist,” but I must live a repentant life that embodies what my mouth professes.
God of love, forgive me in all the ways I have fallen short in the work of dismantling racism in my community and life. Give me your Spirit this day, that I might have the courage to not only repent to you, O God, but to those I have harmed in my actions and words. Help me to see how complacency and apathy have harmed my siblings who long to live in a world free of racism, and to declare my involvement in these actions. May this prayer of repentance be a continuous way of life for me from this day forward and may your creative vision for humanity drive me to be more engaged in the work of dismantling racism in my places of influence. In Christ’s sacrificial love I pray. Amen.
Rev. Zach Anderson
District Superintendent
GCORR Board Member
Great Plains Conference
Dodge City, KS
