NAIDOC Week - Prayer

This weekend will be the beginning of NAIDOC Week – with Sunday the 6th of July being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday.

For over a thousand years, Indigenous Australians have nurtured our continent, known to them as Mother. There are over 500 different Indigenous communities in Australia and we are privileged to be upon Kaurna land today. We share the land of the Kaurna people as we pray and ask a blessing on all our endeavours.

We come with open hearts and minds to listen and learn from Indigenous wisdom, to maintain and preserve our land and all creatures.

NAIDOC Week Prayer

We acknowledge that God has been walking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, making His Presence known through a continuous living culture over many thousands of years. We pray in thanksgiving for these ancient peoples who have enriched and sustained our continent over all that time. We praise God for the people who nurtured the land here in our Parish that we call home

God of all wonder,

We pause in the busyness of our days to listen deeply to the wisdom of this land and those who belong to it.

May our minds be open to dialogue,

May our hearts be open to transformation and

May our hands do the work of reconciliation.

We ask that the Spirit accompany us on our journey of healing on these lands, seas and waterways;

Let us pray for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and especially for the Traditional Custodians of this land. That the peoples of this land will learn from their wisdom and work towards a sustainable future. Lord, hear us.

Let us pray for the youth of the world, especially for the young people amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: that they will always turn to the Lord for guidance, leadership and stability in their lives.  Lord, hear us.

Let us pray for the gift of forgiveness: that we will learn from the example of Jesus Christ and forgive each other as we walk together on the road to reconciliation. Lord, hear us.

God of all creation, as we journey together in this Great Southern Land,

We pray for healing, forgiveness, and unity,

Creating a path of good will, with justice and compassion.

Jesus, through the power of your love,

You have given us the courage, wisdom, and strength

To share our gifts and talents in humility.

In peace and understanding we reconcile with each other.

Creator Spirit, we come together in prayer and thanksgiving

For the many blessings we have received.

Allow your Spirit to wash over us and give us strength to walk together as one.

We ask this in your name, Amen.