We live in an increasingly divided society. How can people of faith help us to ease these divisions and guide us to more peaceful ground?
"Provocative event! Emotionally and mentally provoking. I love when I find unusual space to be spiritual!" - Staci Fox, Atlanta
For the past two years, the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network has hosted a "Service of Prayer for Our Nation" in the Carter Center's Cecil B. Day Chapel. The event has brought together senior faith leaders to speak about the role of faith in our increasingly polarized communities. These leaders have shared their different perspectives on how each of us can promote common values to ease the divisions existing within our communities and country. This year, faith leaders in Georgia will be joined by youth leaders of faith and by Rev. Dr. Gary Mason, a world-renowned peacebuilder from Northern Ireland who will share his perspective on the role of religion in creating and preventing division.
Highlights From Past Services of Prayer
"It’s our shared responsibility as leaders and laity to do what we can to see that the divisions in our community and our country are addressed and that we have conversations about them." - Paige Alexander, CEO, The Carter Center
"Participating in democratic activities is a sacred duty…voting is a way of partnering with God in the work of tikkun olam— of repairing the world." - Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser, Union for Reform Judaism
"We can embrace difficult conversations and also learn how to have them. We can listen, understand, and humanize our differences when we can't harmonize them, we can move as a community of trusted leaders from the path of anger to a path of love." - Dr. Rashad Richey, Senior Advisor, Georgia Democracy Resilience Network
"If we but centered our efforts not on division, but on our shared dignity, to move beyond our personal fears and our anxieties and our frustrations and to live out a love that is not selective but inclusive of all." - Rev. Dr. Kevin Murriel, Senior Pastor, Cascade United Methodist Church
Join Us on January 8th!
Enjoy Moments From the October 2024 Service of Prayer Event Below
Paige Alexander, CEO, The Carter Center
Rev. Dr. Kevin Murriel, Senior Pastor, Cascade United Methodist Church
Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser, Union for Reform Judaism
Soumaya Khalifa, Executive Director, Islamic Speakers Bureau
Rev. Dr. Randy Rainwater, Senior Pastor, Grace New Hope
Aashritha Kudumula, ICM Youth Advocacy Intern and Rev. Cassandra Henderson, Executive Director, Interfaith Children's Movement (ICM)
The Right Rev. Rob Wright, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
The Right Rev. Rob Wright, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
Full Event Here
Sample Prayer for Our Nation
Loving and Gracious God,
We give you thanks for this, our cherished nation that you have entrusted to our care for our children and generations to come.
We live in a time of disharmony and are troubled by our growing divides. We pray for the unity and protection of our country.
Remind us that no matter our beliefs or our views, we are all made in your image, even those with whom we disagree. Together, let each of us commit to seek harmony and reject division. Let us be inspired by the better angels of our natures.
Help us as people of faith to remember our calling to peace and to find the wisdom to make our places of worship into places of healing. Let us reunite in a common commitment to our shared democratic norms and the rejection of violence.
Give us the courage to help ourselves and others to the path of respect and love.
Give us the strength to listen to those with different views so we may better understand their hopes and fears.
Give us an open heart to find common ground and, where we cannot, to disagree well.
We pray for our leaders so they may guide us with love and wisdom for the betterment of all.
These things we ask in the name of all that is holy and good.
This event is organized by Faith Forward Democracy, a multifaith, nonpartisan network of faith leaders and laity in Georgia who are united in concern for our increasingly divided nation and who believe that faith communities can make a positive difference. Faith Forward Democracy is part of the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network, which is supported by The Carter Center.