WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2012 MALAYSIA
THEME: LET JUSTICE PREVAIL
ORDER OF WORSHIP
*************
PRELUDE: A medley of Malaysian songs – a recording introducing Malaysian/regional
instruments, rhythms & beats
Choruses of Praise & Worship on the theme of Justice are another possibility
Some recommendations are: Ascribe Greatness to our God the Rock, Heal Our Land,
Angkat Grempong Indu (p143 L. D. Mamora), Hari Ini
Ends with Ethnic Drum Sounds followed by Gongs (using local drummers or a 30 sec. recording from Malaysia)
GREETING
We extend greetings of peace and a very warm welcome to sisters and brothers all over the world in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In Malaysia, we greet one another by placing our palms together with a slight bow as a sign of respect. We then say “Selamat Datang,” peace and welcome, pronounced sir-la-mutt dar-tung.
We invite you to greet one another in this way. Let us place our hands together as in the praying hands. Then we turn to one another saying with a slight bow –
“Selamat Datang” (Peace and Welcome)(pronounced sir-la-mutt dar-tung)
INTRODUCTION TO MALAYSIA AND CALL TO WORSHIP
Selamat Datang—Peace and Welcome.
In Malaysia we cherish peace. We are a diverse population.We are Malays, Chinese, Indians and descendants of the original inhabitants, the Orang Asli, the Dayaks, the Kadazans to name only a few.
Welcome is also important. Historic migration of people from other parts of Asia and beyond has created an environment for Malaysians to intermingle and integrate whether living as a minority or a majority ethnic group.Malaysia is the largest destination country in Asia for migrant workers.Malaysia has also become a temporary home for refugees fleeing war torn or troubled countries.
Peace and welcome are seen when Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and followers of other traditional religions can be found living in the same family and community.
Therefore we are continuously learning to tolerate, understand and accept one another.
Malaysians together with our leaders are further striving towards changing the mindsets of our people from mere tolerance of one another to one of total acceptance of our plural society. We are learning to be comfortable with our multiple identities. At the same time we are seeking equal opportunities and rights for all.
Bahasa Malaysia (the Malay language) is the official language. Islam is the official religion. While most are Muslims, there is also a large non-Muslim population and a constitution that guarantees religious freedom.
In the midst of such diversity, tolerance and harmony, fair and just governance for all is vital.
It is our prayer that all races, ethnic groups and religions will work together for religious harmony and a just and integral development for everyone.
On this World Day of Prayer, we come unified to voice our needs and express our concerns to God. Therefore, with one voice, our call for prayer is “Let Justice Prevail” as found in these words of Psalm 33.
Leader:The Lord loves righteousness and justice; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne; love and faithfulness go before him.
Congregation: We turn to God in hope; Godis our help and our shield. In God our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Amen.
OPENING HYMN: “For the Healing of the Nations” (UMH Bright Red 428)
Verses 1 and 2
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING (hymn is softly played or hummed during prayer)
Almighty and gracious God, we proclaim your great and marvelous deeds among all peoples. We thank you Lord that we can gather in your name and in the bond of your love for worship and prayer, for fellowship and encouragement. May your name be exalted and glorified.
In our Malaysian context, we thank you for early traders and migrants to Malaysia who had brought with them their Christian faith. We thank you for the first missionaries, for their faithfulness and commitment to the Great Commission. We thank you for church leaders who obeyed God’s call to plant churches especially in the rural areas and to pioneer missions, outreach and social ministries. We cherish the gift of faith.
We thank you for the rich tropical biodiversity you entrusted to us. We thank you for the splendor of color, costume, song and dance that we inherited, for the fusion of culinary delights, flavors and smells, and all else that makes us a vibrant society.
We thank you Lord that Malaysia reflects all of Asia. We are so blessed.In Jesus Christ’s name, we pray. Amen
Continue:“For the Healing of the Nations” (UMH Bright Red 428)
Verses 3 and 4
VOICES SEEKING JUSTICE IN MALAYSIA
Voice 1: As Malaysians we are very concerned about the state of the nation, and as Christians we ask ourselves, “Do we engage or stay neutral?”
Voice 2:We have come to understand that God calls us to be righteous citizens of our country. So we do have a role to play by speaking out against all forms of injustice. For this reason political affairs become a moral responsibility for Christians.
Voice 3:We are called to speak our conscience when there are cases of corruption, when there is an imbalance in the distribution of public services.
Voice 1:In our multi-religious context, we are tested when there are restrictions imposed on how Christians use our common language to name God. It takes courage to address these restrictions, because doing so might incur the wrath of authorities.
Voice 2:We are tested when conflicts between religious law and civil law pull families apart. Are we to watch in silence?
Voice 3:As citizens of our country, we believe it is our vital duty to raise our voices.
Voice 1:We believe that a clear, honest and caring attitude in matters that concern all of society is a part of the witness we owe one another.
Voice 2: Let us listen now to a reading from Habakkuk, who fiercely questioned God about the injustice he saw.
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Habakkuk 1:2-4; 1:5; 3:2, 17-19
Reader:
1:2-4 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous—therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
PAUSE Invite everyone to think of how these words describe situations that they know
Reader:
1:5The Lord’s Answer:
Look at the nations and watch-and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
3:2 Habakuk’s prayer:
O Lord, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work.
In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known;
in wrath may you remember mercy.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Leader:Let us pray in our own time and in our own place. Righteous and gracious God, we come before you seeking mercy and healing. We are burdened by unjust and unrighteous actions around us.
Voice 1:We have seen the emergence of violence to quell differences both in political and religious arenas:
- Elected government has been robbed of its rightful place through unrighteous dealings.
- Voices for truth and justice are being silenced.
- Corruption and greed are threatening your way of truth.
Voice 2: We acknowledge our lack of awareness and lack of concern toward these injustices.Forgive our reluctance to address difficult situations in our society. We know this leads to indifference toward:
- victims of unjust systems,
- people subdued by forces of oppression,
- people robbed of their rights and dignity,
- people broken in body, mind, or spirit.
Leader: Most righteous God, have mercy upon us according to your loving kindness. Be gracious to us and hear our prayer. We thank you for your promise that when we confess our sins you are merciful, faithful, and just, and we are forgiven. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reader:We return to Habakkuk and his affirmation of God’s presence with us.
3:17-19Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights.
Leader: Habakkuk shows us that persistence is rooted in our relationship with God and the confidence that we have in God. This confidence is tested and is made stronger by the questions and complaints that we bring to God.
HYMN A hymn about trusting in God
A possible example from theTaizé Community:
1
Nada te turbe
Nada te espante
Quien a Dios tiene nada le falta
Nada te turbe
Nada te espante Solo Dios basta
Nothing can trouble
Nothing can frighten
Those who seek God shall never go wanting. God alone fills us.
1
Leader: God’s justice, righteousness and mercy are inseparable. In the New Testament,Jesus encourages us to seek out and live out God’s justice with these words:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
(Matthew5:6)
All:Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Leader: In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus gives us an example of a relentless advocate for justice in the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge.
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Luke 18:1-8: Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge
Suggestion: Drama of the parable as the passage is being read
Leader:Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
All: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Leader: We do not know why the widow comes to the judge. We are only told that she was relentless in her pleading. In her example each of us is encouraged to see the injustice that is around us and to advocate for change right there. The parable shows us that each action can make an impact on entrenched systems that can feel sooverpowering.Many small actionshave a cumulative effect.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
All: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
STORY FROM MALAYSIA of a woman who fought for the cause of justice[1]
My name is Irene Fernandez. I am a social worker. I work among the migrants and other poor and oppressed people in Malaysia. In 1991, I helped establish Tenaganita (women's force), a grassroots organization committed to establishing "protective tools" for women.
I did research and published a memorandum in August 1995 about the terrible living conditions of the migrant workers in detention centers.I interviewed over 300 former detainees who described unsanitary conditions, inadequate food and water, frequent deaths from beatings and a lack of medical care, sexual abuse, and corruption were common in Malaysia's immigration detention camps. The government asserted that the memorandum contained errors
I was arrested for “maliciously publishing false news”. I was on trial for 7 years and then was found guilty. I was sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment. I appealed to the High Court. As a convicted person, the price I paid was high. My court battle took another 6 years. Finally the High Court overturned my earlier conviction and acquitted me on Dec 31, 2008.
During all these years,Tenaganita has succeeded in establishing reform amendments to rape laws, model contracts for overseas domestic helpers, and a domestic violence act, which opened up complaint procedures for victims. Now we are turning our focus on trafficking in persons, the heinous crime of modern day slavery. We seek a partnership with government to change the systems that support human trafficking. At the same time, the survivors of human trafficking need psychological and social support. With our advocacy and help the survivors can restore their lives and regain their feeling of self worth and dignity.
All: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
FOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR SHAPING A RESPONSE IN YOUR CONTEXT
1) STORY FROM YOUR OWN COUNTRY about a woman who persistently demanded justice.
2)PERSONAL REFLECTION ACTIVITY
Leader: We have reflected on situations of injustice among us. Let us now think creatively. What is an injustice that you are deeply concerned about? What small step can youtake to advocate for change in this situation? Please take some time to think.
Pause.
Reader: In small groups let us talk about the actions each of us can take.
3) BOTH SUGGESTIONS #1 AND #2
4) OTHER RESPONSE SHAPED FROM YOUR OWN CONTEXT
PRAYER:
Leader: We all need courage to stand up for justice; together let us pray the words of Alan Paton:
‘For Courage to Do Justice’[2]
O Lord, Open my eyes that I may see the needs of others
Open my ears that I may hear their cries
Open my heart so that they need not be without succor
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong
Not afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
And use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears that
I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for Thee.
Amen.A prayer by Alan Paton
HYMN OF PREPARATION: “Open My Eyes That I May See” (UMH 454, Bright Red)
MESSAGE/ REFLECTION
OFFERTORY: During the Offertory we suggest using the theme song “Let Justice Prevail”written for this service and based on Psalm 82.
“Psalm 82 Let Justice Prevail – A Plea for Justice”
God has taken His place in the divine council,
In the midst of the gods, he holds judgment
How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked?
Refrain: God of Mercy, Let Justice Prevail.
Give justice to the weak, and the orphan,
Maintain the rights of the lowly and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
Deliver them from the wicked.
Refrain: God of Mercy, Let Justice Prevail.
They have neither knowledge nor understanding.
They walk around in darkness; the foundations of earth are shaken.
I say,“You are gods, all children of the Most High.
Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”
Rise up O God, judge the earth,
For all the nations belong to you.
For our God, Mercy and Justice go hand in hand.
Refrain:God of Mercy, Let Justice Prevail.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Leader: Almighty God, we thank you that through Jesus Christ, you have opened a new and living way whereby we can come with confidence in prayer.
(For Country’s Leaders)
Leader: Lord, we pray for the leaders of our countries.
- Grant them wisdom to know and do what is right and just
- Grant them the compassion and willpower to do your will.
- Fill them with a love for truth and righteousness
- Fill them with the fear of God that they may work for the justice of all people.
Congregation: God from whom all justice flows, hear our prayer.
(For the Oppressed)
Leader: O Lord, thank you for creating us in your image - uniquely gifted to contribute positively to home, society and church. While many of us are comfortable in our setting, there are those who are oppressed and abused, isolated and silenced. We pray for those who are:
- Voiceless victims of oppression and violence
- Victims of inequalities and abuse
- Victims of unjust and biased cultural practices, religious practices and practices of law
Congregation: Jesus, who suffered injustice for us, hear our prayer.
(For the Weak)
Leader: Gracious Lord, we pray for the migrant workers, the weak, the poor and the marginalized, that their cries for help and elevation from discrimination, deprivation of rights and dignity be heard and be acted upon by those in power over them
Congregation: Holy Spirit, empower us to work for justice and peace.
(For the Church)
Leader: O God, we pray that you will strengthen your church with power and revelation that Christ may dwell in our hearts through Faith. Let us be rooted and established in Love. Grant us the boldness and wisdom to reach out to the community in a Holistic manner.
Congregation: God from whom all justice flows, hear our prayer.