PRAYER FOR THE WEST OF THE CITY... & THE 4 CORNERS FESTIVAL PRAYER ROOMS

During the 4 Corners Festival  from February 5th to 9th there will be Prayer Rooms in each corner of the city... The West Belfast Room is in Clonard Monastery, 1 Clonard Gardens, Belfast BT13 2RL

PRAYER FOR THE WEST OF THE CITY

Lord, from City Hall

Lord we look west across this city
We see the Black Mountain in the distance
And then we see a wall meandering down towards us
Rather ironically called the peace line
When peace is but a wishful and prayerful thought.
Lord there is much pain, hurt, suspicion, and deep sense of injustice on either side of that wall.
We pray for those two distinct communities living so close together and yet so far apart,
We pray for the children growing up under their side's flag
And running to school on coloured kerb stones
Kicking their footballs against murals of hooded gun men.
Lord we aware that there is hundreds of years of bitterness and suspicion.
We pray that you would continue to bring healing
To speed the work of reconciliation.
We thank you for this moment of grace in our city
This time of historical negotiation.
Lord we pray for the Churches in this area
We give you thanks for the many who have taken risks for peace in Your name
We pray that you'd give Your people dreams and visions of how it could be,
That wall torn down
And two communities learning not only to live together
But that together they can go forward
For the benefit of both.
May your Churches begin and continue that process.
Lord may we see your Kingdom come
And your will being done in the west of this city as it is in heaven.

Amen