Prayer for confidence when we feel afraid

ONE:             The Lord said to Abraham,
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             The Lord said to Isaac, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             Moses said to the people, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             Joshua said to the people, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             Boaz said to Ruth, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             Jonathan said to David, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             The angel of the Lord said to Joseph, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             The angel said to Mary, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             The angel said to the shepherds, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             The angel said to the women at the tomb, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             The Lord said to Paul, 
MANY:        Do not be afraid.
ONE:             And Jesus said,
MANY:        Do not be afraid; just have faith.
ONE:             Let us not be afraid as we go into the world, fully alive 
in the love of God through Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and Saviour.
ALL:              Amen.

Source: A. Stephen Pieters, from a community memorial service, in Kittredge Cherry and Zalmon Sherwood (eds.), Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies and Celebrations (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995), 51-52.

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