Give Us Holy Boldness!
Litany for Health and Human Services Sunday
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany           

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled wit the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.  Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul and no one claimed personal ownership of any possessions but they had everything in common.  Acts 4: 31-32

One:    Most High God, come and fill us with your Holy Spirit.

            Equip us to do your work in the service of health care for all!

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    Give us the boldness to speak truth to power in love

            about the struggle of the poor

            and the suffering which affects millions of adults and children

            who lack access to affordable health care.

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    You call us as the United Church of Christ to work for Jesus’ dream

            “That they may all be one.”

            You call us to act out of love and kindness in the midst of

            diversity and adversity; 

            to liberate the oppressed, care for the poor, and comfort the afflicted. 

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    We humble ourselves before you:

            open our hearts to understand the suffering of our brothers and sisters

            whose pain, sickness and heartache 

            are intensified without access to affordable health care.  

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    “The wicked flee when no [one] pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly]

           righteous are bold as a lion.”   

           Proverbs 28:1  (Amplified Version ©1987 Lockman Foundation)

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    We want to proclaim with prophetic voice

            that health care is a human right and a human need. 

            Fill us with courage to stand up for justice, and eloquence to change hearts.

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    We pray for healing for all in mind, body and spirit. 

            Show us the way to translate our faith commitments into just societal structures.

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    Show us how to transform a failing system where insurance premiums

            rise faster than wages, and unemployment has caused so many to lose insurance;

All:      Give Us Holy Boldness!

One:    Give us imagination to find ways to keep open

            human service agencies, hospitals, and community clinics

            which provide basic assistance and health care  to the poor.

All:      Give us Holy Boldness!

One:    “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love,

            and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim. 1:7[King James version]

All:      Give us Holy Boldness!

One:    Oh God of the voiceless and the powerless,

            while health care reform continues to be debated and discussed,

            empower our voices to speak out about the inequities experienced

                        by women,

                        communities of color,

                        people with disabilities,

                        those affected by HIV/AIDS,

                        and those suffering from mental illnesses. 

All:      Give us Holy Boldness!

One:    Lead us into community involvement

            to work across interfaith and community boundaries  

            to find creative solutions to these great health care challenges.

All:      Give us Holy Boldness!

One:    “. . . Persistent vigilance and diligence is needed

            when we are seeking ‘just’ public policy reform. 

            We can never give up our vision for health care for all;

            even in the midst of negotiation of policies

            that do not completely get us where we want to be.”      

            (Rev. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister, JWM)

All:      Give us Holy Boldness!

All:      Oh Holy One, we thank you for not giving up on us. 

            Help us to become daily more like you

            in our hearts, minds and spirits. 

            Give us listening hearts, wisdom to know the right thing to do,

            and hands open to extend grace and mercy to others.  

            Empower us with Holy Boldness in the fight for health care for all. 

            Let our Boldness result in affirmation of the common good

             – that what is good and available for one

            should be good and available to all--

            Let the vision of Acts be realized for all:

            that all of one heart and mind

            may hold and share all in common.

            In Jesus’ name we pray:    Give us Holy Boldness!

 Give us Holy Boldness! Litany for Health and Human Services Sunday was written by Barbara T. Baylor, MPH, Minister for Health Care Justice, Justice and Witness Ministries.

Copyright 2010 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.