Modern Slavery Prayers

 

 

LET’S TALK ~ WE SEE YOU

These are two hashtags (#) attached to THE CLEWER INITIATIVE website. They illustrate the objectives of this Church of England campaign to combat modern slavery. The Clewer Initiative is working intentionally with 10 Church of England dioceses to build the Church’s long-term capacity to detect instances of modern slavery in the community and provide care to the survivors. It is also working more broadly across the Church raising awareness of the challenges of modern slavery and the role that the Church can play in developing a community response.
At our Members’ meeting on October 26th, we welcomed speakers from The Clewer Initiative who gave us first-hand, sometimes harrowing, insights into modern slavery in our midst.  Here are the prayers we all shared after listening to them.

A prayer for international victims of modern slavery

Loving God,
We call to you with hearts in pain for all in our world who suffer 
the horrors of modern slavery; for all who dream of a better life 
in another place only to be trapped, tricked and traded.
Your Son came to bring good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed.
May we too be voices against oppression, channels of good news; 
may our eyes be opened wide to all who suffer in our midst but out of sight.
All this we pray to you, loving God, for whom no one is invisible. Amen

The Revd Rachel Carnegie

A Prayer for releasing hidden voices

Heavenly Father, who sees the unseen and notices the unnoticed: 
help each one of us to hear the hidden voices of those who pray 
for release from slavery and exploitation, so that we may give 
ourselves more fully to the service of your saving love 
and be strengthened together as agents of your healing and hope.
Through Jesus Christ, who himself came to serve as a 
slave so as to bring freedom and grace to all. Amen
The Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern

A Prayer to end modern slavery

Lord, you are a God who sets the captives free. 
Your Spirit searches restlessly for those in despair, 
that they may find the life you are calling them to. 
We pray for those who are being trafficked and callously 
put to work in our region. 
On the cross, you were powerless and subject to 
the cruelty of others. Look with mercy on those who suffer this way.
May we, who are blinded by the shallow distractions of daily life, 
feel the fear of the cornered and be roused to action. Amen

The Rt Revd Simon Burton-Jones

A Collect on Modern Slavery

Almighty and most loving God, through your Son Jesus, 
who came among us as a slave, choosing rather to 
serve his disciples than to be served by them: 
help us in our weakness not to seek to oppress others, 
nor to make peace with any form of exploitation, 
but in all things earnestly and of our own free will, 
to seek to serve each other following Christ’s example.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen

The Revd Dr Michael Clarke

The authors of these prayers are all workers and supporters of The Clewer Initiative.
More, very worthwhile information , resources and videos, at:
www.theclewerinitiative.org
clewer initiative(@the clewer.twitter)