Action for Children Sunday
Praise & Protest: Seeking justice
Rev Helen Cameron and Carolyn Godfrey, the newly inducted President and Vice-President of the Methodist Church in Britain, have chosen to focus their year of office on the existing Methodist strategy of being a Justice-seeking Church under the strapline ‘Praise and Protest’. This worship is divided into Praise, Protest, and then a reflection and prayer. Within that we also remember the work of Action for Children (https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk)
Songs and prayers of praise
Hymn: STF 705 – It is God who hold the nations in the hollow of his hand
It is God who hold the nations in the hollow of his hand;
It is God whose light is shining in the darkness of the land;
It is God who builds his City on the Rock and not on sand:
May the living God be praised!
It is God whose purpose summons us to use the present hour;
Who recalls us to our senses when a nation’s life turns sour;
In the discipline of freedom we shall know his saving power:
May the living God be praised!
When a thankful nation, looking back, has cause to celebrate
Those who win our admiration by their service to the state;
When self-giving is a measure of the greatness of the great:
May the living God be praised!
God reminds us every sunrise that the world is ours on lease –
For the sake of life tomorrow, may our love for it increase;
May all races live together, share its riches, be at peace:
May the living God be praised!
F Pratt Green
Opening prayers based on Psalm 48 (NIV)
vv1-3
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
Beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
the city of the Great King.
God is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress.
When we look upon your holiness, how can we fail to be awed?
When we look to your dwelling place, how can we fail to wonder at your majesty?
You are the king of heaven, above all forms of earthly kingship.
We adore you, not with gold and jewels or the symbols of earthly rulers,
but with hearts and minds open to the love and wisdom of your divine leadership.
vv9-11
Within your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love.
Like your name, O God,
your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with righteousness.
Mount Zion rejoices,
the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments.
We praise you for your steadfast love,
Your presence with us through times of trial,
Your sure-footing when things look difficult ahead.
We praise you for being a God of justice and righteousness:
Justice that demands mercy,
Mercy that demands grace,
Grace that loves beyond measure.
vv12-14
Walk about Zion, go around her,
count her towers,
consider well her ramparts,
view her citadels,
that you may tell of them
to the next generation.
For this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.
You are our strength and refuge,
protection against those things that battle within and against us.
You are the fortress that will defend us against the enemy.
You are our God:
Worthy of all honour and worship and praise,
To be spoken of to our children, and their children, and generations to come.
You alone are God eternal, throughout earth and heaven above.
v1
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.
Amen
Hymn: STF 50 – Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise,
the city of our God, the holy place,
the joy of the whole Earth.
Great is the Lord in whom we have the victory,
he aids us against the enemy,
we bow down on our knees.
And Lord, we want to lift your name on high,
and Lord, we want to thank you,
for the works you’ve done in our lives;
and Lord, we trust in your unfailing love,
for you alone are God eternal,
throughout Earth and Heaven above.
Songs and prayers of protest
By happy coincidence, the verse chosen by Action for Children this year for their worship service is the same as that chosen by our new President and Vice-President of Conference for their presidential year.
Isaiah 1.17 (NRSV)
Learn to do good; seek justice.
Rescue the oppressed.
Defend the orphan;
plead for the widow.
Read it again, noting the ‘doing’ words (verbs!)
Now, read it aloud and add in some simple actions:
Learn to do good – point to your head
Seek justice – make round circles with your hands around your eyes, like binoculars
Rescue the oppressed – reach out a hand in front of you
Defend the orphan – cross your arms in front of your body in an X shape
Plead for the widow – clasp your hands together in front of your chest
Verbs are doing words. They are actions.
This verse is not passive, to be listened to and nodded at. It is a call to action. It is what we, as Christians, are called to do.
Prayer of confession
Forgive us, Lord, that too often we hear your words but fail to act.
As we bring to mind those times when we have forgotten what is good,
when we have failed to call out injustice,
when we have not stood up for those who are marginalised,
when we have not fought for the rights of the children,
nor battled on the side of those entrapped by poverty and personal circumstance…
we seek your forgiveness.
Bring us, once more, to the foot of the cross: that we may weep with the women, and take upon ourselves the love for others as shown by your disciple John and your mother Mary.
“My grace is sufficient for you,” says the Lord, “for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Strengthened, restored, renewed, empowered, we thank you, Gracious God,
that you work even in our weakness.
Hear, then, the words of grace: Our sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Hymn: STF 699 – God of Justice
God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served
Jesus, You have called us
Freely we’ve received
Now freely we will give
We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go
To act justly every day
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You God
You have shown us, what You require
Freely we’ve received
Now freely we will give
Chorus
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord (x4)
Reflection:
Now, more than ever, justice is needed across the world: in our cities, towns and villages; in our schools and on our streets. Being treated fairly is essential for everyone regardless of class, income, race, age, educational background or other socio-economic factors. Injustice affects so many people of all ages. Today, on Action for Children Sunday, let me share some of the statistics that relate particularly to children in our own country.
Research findings from The Children’s Society in 2023 estimates that:
- 1 in 4 children in the UK live in poverty
- 1 in 5 children are worried about how much money their family has; and
- 4 million are thought to have a mental disorder.
Action for Children – together with The Children’s Society, Barnardo’s and NSPCC – have joined together in a campaign to ‘put children at the table’: to ensure their voice is heard at a governmental or policy-making level, and that their needs are prioritised in future decision-making (https://childrenatthetable.org.uk). The Methodist Church actively does this with its reports at Conference from 3Generate and the Young People/Youth of the church.
Furthermore, it is what Isaiah calls us to do: defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Seek justice, for those who are most vulnerable in our society. Sir Ed Davey has shown us during the election campaign how difficult it is to be a carer 24/7 for a child with severe needs. The poverty statistics show us how tough it is for a single parent to bring up children – to give the child the attention they need and deserve while holding down a job (or often multiple jobs) to provide income, particularly while there is significant inflation in the basics of food, utilities and housing.
It is our calling – our mission – our imperative need – to fight for those with less than us… for those who are facing injustice while we live in comfort.
The cry for justice is heard throughout the bible – from the sibling rivalry of Cain and Abel through the patriarchs, the 10 Commandments, the judges, kings and prophets, and in the poetry of psalms; and into the New Testament with the stories and teaching of Jesus as he doesn’t throw stones at the woman caught in adultery, nor only heal the one who says thank you, nor turn his back on the prostitute pouring oil over him and washing his feet with her tears. Paul saves a slave girl, goes to Gentiles as well as Jews; Peter sees in a vision that he can eat all types of food. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus…” [Gal 3.28]
All are created equal in God’s sight. The remedy for injustice isn’t a set of laws, but the heart of Jesus. We are called to live as a people of welcome, care and compassion who are willing to stand with those who face injustice in any form. Praise and protest: equal partners in the outworking of our faith. We need to praise and worship God – to keep the body of the church alive in spiritual connection with our maker. We also need to protest – to stand alongside the vulnerable and weak, to show that there is another way… God’s way…
No-one says this is easy. Following the call of Jesus risks rejection and ridicule, wherever you might be. Mission is hard work!
Let me misquote from a recent speech.
‘We need to move forward together…’
‘Service is merely a pre-condition for hope.’
‘[One united church] standing together again, facing down, as we have so often in the past, the challenges of an insecure world… committed – to a calm and patient rebuilding. So with respect and humility I invite you all to join this … service in the mission of [spiritual] renewal. Our work is urgent, and we begin it today.’
[It is perhaps no surprise that the scriptwriter for our new Prime Minister used to write for the Archbishop of Canterbury until a few months ago!]
Our work is urgent: injustice cannot wait. We cannot be thinking that we’ll do tomorrow what we can’t quite face doing today. People are suffering, often needlessly, and the church needs to be a clear voice in the wilderness, a place of stillness and calm in the storms of life. It needs to be a voice of protest in the face of gross injustice and division, bringing healing, unity and faith.
Our mission is to reach out to those in our community and neighbourhoods and share the good news of the gospel. The focus is on Jesus. Anything else will fall flat on its face – however beautiful the project, however grand the re-building, however well-intentioned the care. We are to be a justice-seeking church, a people that fight for the oppressed and vulnerable, a church with the gospel at its heart and a passion for worshiping the one true God.
Praise and protest: let it begin today.
Questions to consider:
- What helps you to praise God?
- Where do you see injustice around you? Have you considered writing to your (new!) MP about it?
- Can you commit to praying for the children and young people in our church(es)?
Prayers of intercession:
Learn to do good:
We pray for all those who have to make decisions that affect others, that they may be made with compassion and care for the most vulnerable in society.
We pray for those facing storms in their personal lives,
those who have been devastated by the actions of others,
and those who regret their own actions
and the impact they have had on those around them.
Seek justice:
We pray for those newly elected to Parliament
and for our new Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
May he and all who will serve as MPs use their strengths well,
be mindful of their weaknesses,
and be blessed with the gifts of courage, wisdom and integrity.
Rescue the oppressed:
We pray for all leaders in our churches and communities,
for the leaders in industry
and for leaders in countries around the world –
particularly where the acquisition of power has corrupted
and the pursuit of more power has led to injustice, suppression and war…
May all who lead and all in power be held accountable for their actions and be blessed with the gifts of humility, empathy and truthfulness.
Defend the orphan:
We pray for the work of organisations like Action for Children, who advocate for children’s rights and to bring their voice to the table.
We hold before you all those who are in foster care or children’s homes, those who have been removed from their parents and face uncertain futures.
We also pray for the children and young people of the Methodist Church in Britain. We hear the voice of 3Generate whose resolutions to Conference last week showed great concern for those with mental and physical disabilities, calling for an accessibility audit for all our buildings; and for us to celebrate, support or establish local uniformed organisations.
Plead for the widow:
We pray for all who are marginalised in society, whose misfortune in life has resulted in unjust treatment and for those whose long-term situations have left them with little energy and little hope.
We particularly pray for those who have lost their husband, wife or life partner.
We pray for all those we know who are ill, grieving or in pain – those close to us, and those far away.
We offer all these prayers in the name of Jesus, servant, shepherd, king
who died and rose again, for the good of all
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed by your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
On earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn: STF 407 – Hear the call of the kingdom
Hear the call of the kingdom,
lift your eyes to the King.
Let his song rise within you
as a fragrant offering
of how God rich in mercy
came in Christ to redeem
all who trust in his unfailing grace
Hear the call of the Kingdom
to be children of light
with the mercy of Heaven,
the humility of Christ,
walking justly before him,
loving all that is right
that the life of Christ may shine through us.
King of Heaven we will answer the call;
we will follow bringing hope to the world,
filled with passion, filled with power to proclaim
salvation in Jesus’ name.
Hear the call of the Kingdom
to reach out to the lost
with the Father’s compassion
in the wonder of the cross,
bringing peace and forgiveness
and a hope yet to come,
let the nations put their trust in him.
Blessing: (Try it with actions!)
Learn to do good; seek justice.
Rescue the oppressed.
Defend the orphan;
plead for the widow.
As you go from here into the day,
in the name of Christ, Amen
