Litany for 16 days of activism against gender violence (eng)

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE
November 25 - December 10, 2008


L = Liturgist
C = Congregation
M = Men
W = Women

L We believe that, from the beginning of the world, the triune God, through Word and Spirit, gathers the church together – women and men from the whole of humanity. We believe that God has made us one body, one blood family of sisters and brothers, and will nurture and protect the church now and for ever
C We are God’s family, sisters and brothers.
L We believe that Christ’s reconciling work becomes visible in the church, which is the community of those who have been reconciled to God and to one another
C We are God’s family, sisters and brothers, reconciled to one another
L We reject any teaching that emphasises the gender difference between women and men to such an extent that it hinders or breaks the unity of the church or even leads to exclusion, denial and rejection of people.
C We are God’s family, sisters and brothers, reconciled to one another, and we stand against exclusion, denial and rejection in the one visible church.
L We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; that the church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world; that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker; that the church is witness both by word and deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells
C We are God’s family, sisters and brothers, witnesses of reconciliation and justice, also between men and women.
L We believe that God has revealed Godself as the One who wishes to bring about justice and true peace among people, also among women and men; that in a world full of injustice and enmity – also a world of gender violence – God is in a special way the God of the destitute, the poor and the wronged and that God calls the church to follow in this
C We are God’s family, standing with the suffering, the poor and the wronged.
L In a community and a world where
• at least one out of three women are beaten, forced into sexual intercourse or abused in other ways;
• millions of women are raped by partners, family members, friends and strangers,
• women are denied their God-given human dignity by employers, colleagues, teachers, soldiers, and members of armed forces,
• up to 70% of women murders are committed by their own male partners,
We believe that the church should stand where God stands.
C • We, as the possession of God, want to stand where God stands: against injustice and with those who are wronged
• We, as followers of Christ, will speak out against the powerful and privileged who selfishly seek their own interests and harm others
• We believe that the church is called to stand with the mothers who lock their doors, fasten their latches, bar their windows, and hide in their homes from violent men who wish to harm them.
L We believe that, in obedience to Jesus Christ, its only Head, the church is called to confess and to do all these things, even though the authorities and human laws might forbid them and punishment and suffering be the consequence.

C Jesus is Lord.
To the one and only God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be the honour and the glory for ever and ever.