Each week this Lent, the United Methodist Women website will provide resources to help us look at the theological and biblical foundations for working to achieve racial justice. Each week we will be invited to consider how we can intentionally be involved in working towards racial justice in our church, our community and our world. Each week we will explore individual and collective responses to racial injustice and what role we might play in ending systemic racism in our church and society.

The first resource is for Ash Wednesday, and is written by Janis Rosheuvel and Julie Taylor from our National Office staff.  It begins with a beautiful prayer:

Pray

God of quiet and wonder,
God of the shallow, babbling brook and the deep, wavy ocean,
God of soft snow falling and hard, driving rain,
God of flowing tears and hearty laughter,
God of strong handshakes and soft eyes,
God of colored, falling leaves and sprouting green shoots,
God of life and seasons,
God of wilderness days and baptism rivers,
God of fasting and feasting,
God of prayer and contemplation,
God of Scripture and tradition,

We come to Ash Wednesday at the beginning of this Christian season of Lent. 

Open our hearts to you as the Bringer of New Growth. 

Open our minds to you as the great Creator of the Universe. 

Open our hands to you as the great Designer of Nature. 

Open our souls to you as the Embodiment of Love. 

May we receive the ashes of remembrance and wear them as a sign of your great love for us and our commitment to let your Spirit of radical welcome live itself out through us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Visit the Forty Days of Racial Justice page of the United Methodist Women website.