SHANNON CRAIGO-SNELL

Creator God, I pray for people who do the math. I pray for the accountants, mathematicians, statisticians, and experts of all kinds who check the numbers to determine the likely effects of different political policies and budgetary decisions. And I pray for the non-experts who can add, subtract, multiply, and divide well enough to not be bamboozled. For every person who has done the math on doctor's bills and insurance payments to get a mistake corrected, or argue for bette

Holy God, bless all the artists who tell the truth about the world and help us to imagine new and different worlds together. From the infinite stores of Your creativity, inspire those who use their talents in the service of compassion and kindness, justice and mercy. Amen. #artists #creativity #inspiration

Faithful God, please bless all the community organizers who are working to resist the current administration's harmful policies. Bless those who have been doing this for decades, and those who are new to this vocation. Some of us are used to thinking there are grown ups in charge and they will do their jobs. Others are used to thinking that the government has never been interested in their well-being. Community organizers take up the task of convincing the first group that th

God of Revelation, I pray for Marty Baron. I only know about this person through the work produced by the Boston Globe while he was editor (from the Spotlight team reporting on sexual abuse within the Catholic church, for instance) and, more recently, through the excellent journalism of the Washington Post on political issues since he became editor there in 2013. Through his work, I know him to be a leader in journalism in the United States, and someone who is not easily inti

Loving God, I pray for every pastor, youth leader, Christian educator, and Sunday school teacher who is preaching and teaching about what faith looks like in our current political situation. Every one who is reflecting on the consistent biblical mandate to care for the refugee. Every one who is reflecting on the grace-filled call to right relationship and the sinfulness of racism. Every one who is reflecting on prophetic calls to justice and mercy. It is always easier to prea

Steadfast God, I pray for my friends and neighbors in Kentucky who keep showing up outside events where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is present. Although Senator McConnell was elected to represent the people of Kentucky, he refuses to have town hall meetings. Instead, he only meets with constituents who pay money to attend RSVP events. God bless the people who show up for democracy even when they have been disinvited. Grant them relentless and persistent hope. Give

Holy God, I ask You to pour blessings upon Linda Sarsour and Tarek El-Messidi, and all the people who responded to their call to action. These two people acted quickly after a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis was desecrated, creating an online fundraiser to repair the damage and communicate support to the Jewish community. In a time when hate crimes and religious discrimination are on the rise, and when Muslim communities and the religion of Islam have been targets of hateful rhe

Holy God, I give thanks for the 16 members of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who resigned over the injustices of the administration's current policies and rhetoric. I give thanks for Edward Price, who resigned from the CIA after years of service, and for Retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, who turned down the job of National Security Advisor. I give thanks for all those who are willing to relinquish power and prestige in order to st

God of all creation, please bless the scientists who rallied today in Boston. Give them stamina not only to do the work of science, but to resist this administration's attacks on data, funding, and the very concept of facts. These people didn't sign up to be political activists. But they recognize how high the stakes are at this moment, and that telling the truth is a necessary political act. Grant them encouragement and creativity in the new roles they now occupy. Scientists

God of knowledge and wisdom, I pray this night for reporters and journalists. Bless their efforts to know and understand our shared world, to communicate with accuracy and clarity, to provide the transparency upon which the premise of government by, for, and of the people rests. Protect them from harm, as many willingly go into dangerous situations so that the truth might be known. Guard their families, who must worry. And tonight, God, after they have been maligned, give the