16 Days of Healing Through Prayer
26 November – Darcy Vaughan
“When you see or hear or notice that something is not quite as it should be, do you ‘walk by on the other side’? Or do you say or do something to bring justice and mercy into the situation? We can each of us make a difference, one instance at a time, for one person at a time.”
So begins Day 4 of the Prayer Diary for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. In Australia 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence and 1 in 15 men. Globally, almost 1 in 3 women experience physical and/or sexual abuse in their lifetime. The 16 Days of Activism is an opportunity to revitalise commitments to change and to call for accountability and action from decision-makers.
The Anglican Diocese of Bendigo in partnership with Mothers Union are supporting churches and individuals to participate in this vital movement. Dean Elizabeth Dyke has prepared a Prayer Diary with a reflection and prayer for each of the 16 days. This wonderful resource is available from the Diocesan website. Dean Elizabeth also visited Bendigo radio station Life FM to record these daily devotions to be aired on each of the 16 days.
On Tuesday 26 November a domestic and family violence Healing and Wholeness Service was held at St Paul’s Cathedral. The Rev’d Suzannah Daniels led a time of prayerful reflection as the names were read aloud of the sixty-six women who have been killed in Australia this year due to domestic violence. (Since the time of the service this number has now increased to seventy one). The congregation were invited to come forward and place a carnation at the foot of the cross in prayerful recognition of each of the women and the friends, families and communities impacted.
The Rev’d Lauren Lockwood-Porter gave a moving sermon drawing from Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. Those gathered were invited to consider Jesus’ interaction with this unnamed but fully drawn person as a model for the way the church ought to relate to victim-survivors of domestic violence.
Lauren emphasised how we encounter the ultimate example of what it means to be a man, a person and a leader in the example of care, compassion and allyship with women found in Jesus. “We too are called to be Christ-like” Lauren concluded “and in doing so, we are also to stand against Domestic and Family Violence and point to a new way of being, a way of love, but also of accountability and of speaking truth to power.” The service concluded with an invitation to move toward healing led by Revd Roger Rich and the Healing and Wholeness Service worship band.
There is still time to participate in the 16 Days of Activism for 2024. The Anglican Diocese of Bendigo webpage has a range of excellent resources available including bible studies, sermons and intercessions. Resources are also available from the national Anglican program for preventing family violence at www.tencommitments.org.au. And online from the Mothers’ Union ‘Respond, Inform, Support, Empower, Unite and Pray’ (RISE UP) campaign.
Churches across the Diocese can join together in praying from the Prayer Diary for the 16 Days of Activism: “Lord of heaven and earth, we pray for all to follow Christ’s example of treating women with equality and respect. We pray for the dawn of a better world where justice and peace may flourish. Amen.”
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