Strike Prayers

Strike Prayers

Opening prayer:
Almighty and Ever-loving God, yours are all things in heaven and on earth and under the earth; mercifully hear the urgent supplications of your people, stay the hand of the violent, and grant us peace—
A peace that is well won, either through fire or by the pen, but grant us peace.
—That those who live by the sweat of their brow may live justly and whole and with a fair reward that is more than due them.
At this very hour and in our very hands You, oh, Lord have placed a power greater than that which has vanquished a thousand foes, a power more commanding than any slave's chain, a power more fierce than any of man's pretentious ways and barriers.
For today, oh Lord, you have given us solidarity.

Let us be blessed
Let our families be blessed
Let our gathered allies be blessed
And let us stand together to overcome evil, for if we stand together we shall withstand all – all! – that they will throw at us.
Lord, in whatever storms that life may hold, give us:
Ears with which to hear
A heart of courage
Strength in our legs for the journey
And power in our arms for the fight

Our great God and high commander of the angelic host of heaven, be a guard for our Union Leadership and grant them peace, foresight, sound judgment and defense. Hold not back the heavenly host and let them fight along side of us as they did for the prophets, surrounding our enemies with chariots of fire and keeping the flood of evil back.
Bless and keep our President, the man chosen for this very hour, for this very Union. Bless him and keep him from all harm and grant him the ability to more assuredly lead this people on towards the victory.
Lord, we will win this fight today
And if it is at home, we will win

Or if the altar is where we meet, we will have victory
Or if the battle is engaged in the boardroom, or with the government men, or at the picket line —

We will triumph! If we have made a place in our hearts for you, and if with our hearts we have stood with our Union.
Lord, we place into your hands our fortunes and our souls and our very lives. For it is in you that we move, live, and have our very existence.
In that name of Jesus Christ,
Amen




Closing Prayer:
God, our Father in Heaven, keep safe those who have a distance to travel, be an encourager to us, and let not our hearts and minds be troubled as we begin this journey unto victory.
Lord, how fitting it is that this battle is occurring on this week, of all weeks, for tradition maintains that this is Holy Week. Custom tells us that within just a few hours, you would be dragged from the government's hall, and crushed by the might of the Roman heal. The prophet spoke concerning you, saying that you would be beaten, crushed, whipped, and torn to a bloody mess so much so that you would not be recognized as a mortal man—
But, you oh Lord, had already won the day — even when the darkness had seemed to prevail — for in but a few days you had triumphed over death, claiming victory and destroying the bonds of oppression that for so long have wrapped the human race in filthy rags of injustice an unrighteousness.
Lord, let all of those that stand against us, all of those that would rage against us, and all of those that believe that they have seen the last of the United Mine Workers of America — let them know that we are here, we will never leave, we will never back down, and we will never stop pursuing justice, for it is by the grace of God that we will do such things,
For it is by the grace of God that the United Mine Workers of America will stand, stand strong, and stand forever.
Humbly we pray,
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.