Gracious God of Wholeness for All
Prayer: Access Sunday & Disabilities Awareness Week


Gracious God of Wholeness for All:
 
On this Access Sunday, when we turn our hearts to welcoming
    all persons with disabilities (seen and unseen)  
    to your worship and service,
We come to You with our entire being
    and give thanks for your faithfulness, mercy and love.
 
You have always been with us: You have known us in
    our fear of disability,
    our distancing ourselves from disability and
    our discomfort about disability;  

You have shared  with us
        our rage over disability,
        our agony with disability,
        our shame about disability,
        our alienation and loneliness because of disability; and

You have inspired in us     
    our passion to correct the human injustices  surrounding  disability.
 
You have been a constant and inspiring source
    of patience and  mercy, truth and healing
    amidst our personal and societal turbulence over disability.
 
Help us further to discover and understand your truth  
    that disability makes for human difference  
    but difference does not make for less,  
for You have assured us that  no one is less in Your sight.
 
Help us to share our understanding of your truth  
    that your perfect light of life is in all people,
    irrespective of the difference of disability.
 
Help us to seek and find your guidance
    --You , the ultimate teacher of truth and love--
    that we might educate  and transform
    ourselves, our  church and all whom we  encounter  
    to see and celebrate your light in all people  
    amidst abilities and disabilities.  
 
In our living and learning and growing,  
in our worship of You and service to You,
    let us all shine with our differing lights
    from your generous and total love  
    and let us make it possible for all to shine,   
so that your will of wholeness for every one
    be done on earth as it is in heaven.
 
With thanksgiving and hopefulness,
    we pray these things in  Christ's healing and holy name.
 
                                    Amen.
 

Gracious God of Wholeness for All was written by Ann Ito, a member of the Nuuanu Congregational Church (Hawaii Conference) who serves on the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board.  She feels privileged to have worked with disabled college students for more than thirty years.
Copyright 2007 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.