Prayers Invited for U.N. Meetings on Women
Episcopal News Service. July 27, 1995 [95-1183]
(ENS) In order to express commitment to the United Nations World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing, China, September 4-15, and the Non-government Organizations Forum, held nearby, August 30-September 8, people of faith around the world have been invited to offer a "Noonday Prayer for Beijing."
Starting August 20 and continuing through September 15, people saying the prayer at noontime will be able to "express spiritual unity and a shared commitment to 'look at the world through women's eyes,"' a theme of the conference, said Ann Smith, director of the Episcopal Church's office of Women in Mission and Ministry (WIMM).
The text of the prayer, written by an interfaith group of women and circulated to women's associations of different denominations and faith groups, states:
O God, creator of the heavens and the earth, we pray for all who gather in Beijing. Bless them. Help them and us to see one another through the eyes enlightened by understanding and compassion. Release us from prejudice so we can receive the stories of our sisters with respect and attention. Open our ears to the cries of a suffering world and the healing melodies of peace. Empower us to be instruments in bringing about your justice and equality everywhere.
A new organization, The U.S. Ecumenical Women's Network: Beijing and Beyond, is coordinating use of the prayer as well as producing a videotape of the China events, Smith said. The group will continue working after the conferences to help implement strategies supporting women's rights and other issues.
The staff of Church Women United, an ecumenical women's organization, designed a logo and printed the prayer in the five official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish) on two-color postcards. The cards can be purchased by calling 800-298-5515. For information about the prayer, call the WIMM office at 800-334-7626, Extension 5353.
About 36,000 people are registered for the N.G.O. forum, including 5,000 people from the United States, the largest delegation, reported Smith. The largest group from any one church in the U.S. will be 20 women from St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Harlem, she said.
A service commissioning those attending will be held at Riverside Church in New York City at 11 a.m., August 20.
The Episcopal laywomen's organization Daughters of the King also is organizing prayer vigils for a concerted prayer effort during the conference, Smith said. "As Christians, our spiritual journeys lead us to believe that our lives become an offering lifted up to God like a prayer," she said. "There are times in our corporate lives when we are called upon to join others of all traditions and, together with a common voice, make a concerted prayer effort."
Groups and individuals can arrange to sign up to pray for the conferences at specific times during the event. Sign-up sheets showing names of the persons who will be praying, and names and addresses of any organizations involved, can be sent by August 15 to: Sue Schlanbusch, 36319 Park Place Drive, Sterling Heights, MI 48310-4218. For information about the vigil, call Schlanbusch at 810-939-1042.