Gracious God of mercy and compassion, this weekend, in the celebration of Juneteenth, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States where on June 19, 1865 the people of Texas received the information that had been proclaimed on January 1, 1863 and we congratulate our U.S. Senate and Congress for passing, yesterday, the legislation to make this a national holiday.
Merciful God, we ask Your continued presence with us as we strive to make real the promise of justice and liberation of all.
May we learn to celebrate freedom from oppression and full humanity of every person on Earth.
We are grateful for the resilience and contributions of Black Americans in every aspect of our society.
And on this weekend when we celebrate freedom, may we pledge to ensure by word and deed that we will no longer be complicit in violence, abuse, and discrimination perpetrated on people of color.
We cling to the hope that unity and liberation for all are within our grasp. We ask these in Your name.—AMEN.