A Responsive Prayer for NAIDOC Week:
Help us walk together in Your love
By Safina Stewart
Congregational Response (repeated throughout):
Lord Jesus, help us walk together in Your love.
Adoration
Leader:
Lord Jesus, You are our Faithful One, our Redeemer and our King. You are the Creator of all peoples, the Maker of community, the Protector of the vulnerable, and the Keeper of every promise.
Your love is steadfast through every generation. Your justice is unwavering, and Your mercy knows no end. You call us into relationship with You and with one another, and all creation, teaching us how to walk together in love, truth, and peace.
As we celebrate 50 years of NAIDOC, we give thanks for the deadly strength, culture, wisdom, and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We honour the ways You have sustained communities, cultures, and faith through times of joy and hardship.
Congregation:
Lord Jesus, help us walk together in Your love.
Confession
Leader:
Merciful Saviour, we come before You with sorrow for the ongoing racism, injustice, violence, and discrimination experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We grieve the silencing of voices, the marginalisation of communities, and the systems that continue to deny dignity, opportunity, and justice.
Forgive us when our ears have been closed, our hearts have been hard, and our actions have fallen short. Forgive our apathy, ignorance, judgement, blame, and betrayal. Forgive us when we have chosen comfort over courage and silence over truth.
Congregation:
Lord Jesus, help us walk together in Your love.
Thanksgiving
Leader:
Faithful Redeemer, we thank You for the strength, beauty, resilience, and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We celebrate the gifts of culture, language, storytelling, art, leadership, faith, and community. We give thanks for Elders who guide, for young people who carry culture forward, and for all who work to build stronger futures.
Thank You for reminding us to think about what is best in one another: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—whatever is excellent or praiseworthy.
May we be people who recognise and celebrate these gifts wherever we see them.
Congregation:
Lord Jesus, help us walk together in Your love.
Supplication
Leader:
Prince of Peace, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to call us into right relationship.
Give us courage to show up, to listen deeply, to learn humbly, and to celebrate generously. Help us to walk together in truth, justice, healing, and hope.
Teach us to stand up and be counted when injustice remains. Help us to use our voices, our influence, and our actions to bring change. May our churches, communities, and nation become places where all are valued, heard, and respected.
Good Shepherd, guide us in Your way. May we follow Your example as peacemakers, bridge-builders, and bearers of Your love.
Congregation:
Lord Jesus, help us walk together in Your love.
All:
Amen.
Please acknowledge Safina Stewart as the author/writer when sharing this prayer.
Safina Stewart is a proud Wuthathi and Mabuiag Island woman and Common Grace's Storyteller and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lead