September 24, 2025
As we navigate the realities of this new administration, justice-seeking congregations across the country are standing in solidarity with those targeted by oppressive policies. We've seen churches respond by incorporating the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice into their worship services, lifting up prayers and commitments to resist injustice.
Inspired by the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg, which lit a candle encircled in barbed wire during the struggle against apartheid, Rev. Dr. Donna Claycomb Sokol of Mount Vernon Place UMC in Washington, D.C., is one of the pastors who has reintroduced this practice. Rev. Andy Oliver of Allendale UMC in St. Petersburg, Florida, is another. Now, more than 50 congregations—including several MFSA-aligned churches—have joined this movement, lighting a candle each week and naming those suffering under policies of cruelty and exclusion.
Recently, churches have lit the candle:
Each time the candle is lit, congregations proclaim that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never overcome the light.
February 15, 2026
Today we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice in grief and in resolve for all who continue to be harmed, displaced, sickened, and killed by the shuttering of the United States Agency for International Development one year ago.
We pray for the millions whose access to food, clean water, and education vanished when foreign aid programs were dismantled, and for the children now facing death from causes that were once preventable.
We remember the women denied safe pregnancies and maternal care, the communities whose local economies have withered without the sustaining ripple of aid, and the people here and abroad who are still seeking employment after their position ended.
We hold in sacred memory the more than 600,000 lives lost, nearly two-thirds of them children, not to inevitability, but to absence; not to fate, but to the choices our government made and continues to make.
May this candle disturb our comfort and move us to work toward compassion and justice until aid is restored. And may we never forget our sacred responsibility to care for and protect the vulnerable, our siblings who are also made in your image, no matter where they live.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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February 8, 2026
Today we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for people whose stories were once told in museums and monuments but are now hidden or diminished.
We pray for the descendants of those who were enslaved at the President’s House in Philadelphia where their lives and labor were once named plainly until that truth was removed. We pray for families whose artifacts and testimonies were once displayed in our national museums, only to disappear from view. We pray for all who know the grief of seeing a lynching marker vandalized or removed, as if evil could be erased.
While our President’s executive order that has led to some of these removals proclaims that America holds “an unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing,” we lament that these promises have never been extended equally or freely to all who live in America. Progress for some has too often depended on the silencing and exploitation of others.
Today, we not only celebrate Black History, but we lean into the wisdom of Jesus who taught, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” The full, unvarnished truth is how we honor those who came before us. It is also how we seek healing for wounds still open and courage for work still unfinished, so that we might build a future where every person is viewed as beloved and able to flourish.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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February 1, 2026
Today we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for Alex Pretti, who was killed by two ICE officers as he struggled to resist their power on Saturday, January 24.
We light this candle in thanksgiving for his life as a nurse who chose to work at a hospital for veterans, as a citizen who demonstrated a desire to resist injustice and protect his neighbors from harm, and as a helper whose final words included asking a woman, “Are you okay?” after she was pushed to the ground—truths that stand in stark contrast to our government’s eagerness to draft talking points that labeled him a domestic terrorist.
As we light this candle, we acknowledge how we have been slow to see and name that what happened to Renee and Alex in Minneapolis has echoed experiences of evil and injustice that many Black and Brown siblings have endured for generations. In humility, we confess our own complicity in the sin of racism and the structures that allow it to persist.
Forgive us, O God, and reveal to us again that we have all that is needed to stand against the violence while working tirelessly for a tomorrow where every human life is embraced as sacred.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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January 25, 2026
Today we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for ChongLy Scott Thao, a Hmong immigrant and naturalized citizen of the United States, whose humanity was disregarded when ICE agents entered his home in St. Paul, Minnesota and took him away in the cold last Sunday—wearing only his underwear and Crocs.
We pray for his family and neighborhood, where Hmong families have lived for generations, and where fear has now taken root. We grieve that a community created to be a place of belonging has become saturated with anxiety and forced separation.
We pray for all who witnessed his removal, and for all who now live with the constant fear that the same could happen to them. Surround them with a shield of safety woven by others who continue to show up, blow whistles, capture video, and embody peace.
God of mercy and justice, please touch the hearts and minds of all who willingly or reluctantly participate in systems that diminish human life. Remove the blinders that prevent people from seeing your image in one another. And show us, your church, how we can actively protect those who are being most targeted from harm as we actively labor for a different tomorrow.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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January 18, 2026
This morning we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for Keith Porter, who was killed in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve by an off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, and for Renee Nicole Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7.
We also remember Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres and Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz from Honduras, Geraldo Lunas Campos from Cuba, and Parady La from Cambodia, who have all died in ICE detention centers in the last two weeks.
We pray for children, parents, siblings and friends who mourn the loss of these individuals.
We lament systems that fail to recognize that every person has been created in your image, O God, and is precious in your sight; choosing instead to inflict fear and violence that terrorizes targeted communities.
Please stir the hearts of our leaders until they pursue justice and accountability with compassionate hearts that seek the welfare of all.
Remind each of us of your sacred call to love the stranger and welcome the foreigner among us—an admonition woven throughout Scripture.
And then help us transform tactics of terror into methods of mercy, despair into hope, and indifference toward others into the capacity to see every person as one you call beloved.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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January 11, 2026
This morning we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for the people of Venezuela—
for all who grieve the loss of loved ones killed during lethal boat strikes near the nation’s shores; for all who have been harmed, killed, or deprived of something precious when bombs fell on Caracas; for those who feel relief at the forced removal of a dictator who tortured many, while also carrying fear and anxiety about what a season of deep unrest and instability may bring; and for the more than 30 million residents now governed by decisions made by leaders from our own nation, who believe they know what is best for Venezuela—even from afar and without the work of formal diplomacy.
God of mercy, bring peace and justice to Venezuela—and to every nation. Grasp the hand of each of your children as you guard them from harm and call them your beloved.
Summon our leaders to make our country a light to all the nations—and never a bully or threat.
And equip us to play a role in leading people out of dark dungeons, not into deeper captivity.
Come, Prince of Peace, for we long for the day when war is no more.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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January 4, 2026
This morning, we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for the 500,000 people who were deported during the last 11 months and for the communities they leave behind.
For people who were rounded up at meatpacking plants and construction sites before being stuffed into detention centers.
For families who were splintered when a parent was plucked from their home or job.
For youth and young adults who were escorted onto a plane that landed in a country where they have never lived.
For those left behind—individuals who see an empty chair each time they sit down for dinner, people struggling to make ends meet since the primary breadwinner is no longer earning money, and those weighed down with worry stemming from the silence.
As we pray for each of these individuals and all who love them, we also pray for our government and its leaders. May a spirit of Ubuntu rise in this land—a belief that knows how my humanity is wrapped up in yours. May the shame that provokes a person to cover their face while working for our government lead to repentance that understands how you see every person as a beloved child, regardless of where they are from or the documents they carry. And may all who live in fear be protected from harm.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus’ ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
August 24
Today, we Light the Candle of Peace, Hop, and Justice for teachers and staff welcoming young people at the start of this new school year.
We pray for those struggling to provide students with the supports they need during a national mental health crisis, and with the lingering effects of the pandemic still undermining academic success and wellbeing. And we pray for teachers who yearn for autonomy and respect amidst increasing dedicated educators with us today, and all those who serve our community's children.
And, we pray for families and children beginning the year. Be with them through their many emotions-anxiety, excitement, inspiration, apathy, and everything in between. May they experience their schools as places of welcome, inclusion, safety, and joy, where they can grow in knowledge and truth.
And finally, God our Teacher, in the words of St. Thomas More, we ask that you grant us the grace to labor for the things we pray for.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus ’ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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September 14
Jesus is often called the Great Physician, as he offered healing to countless people throughout the gospels, awakening the faith of others who witnessed his compassion, mercy, and grace.
Today we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice, for scientific researchers and physicians who are seeing their work end or face harsh budget cuts; for doctors and nurses who are still dedicating their lives to heal others and follow scientific truth; for researchers who have lost their jobs due to the defunding of research at universities throughout the country; and for children, teenagers and adults who are no longer eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
We light this candle in hope that our healthcare system will continue to follow the wisdom of trained scientist and researchers and that medical professionals will continue to faithfully fulfill their call despite limitations placed upon them.
We light this candle in peace that understands how Jesus' healing ministry will carry on in through the church all over the world.
And we light this candle in belief that justice will come that enables all people to have access to the physical and mental healthcare needed to live who lives.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus ’ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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September 28, 2025
What do you think?
What do you believe?
Do you agree or disagree?
These are not casual questions - but rather soul-shaping, world-defining inquiries that we answer in childhood classrooms and college study groups, living rooms and boardrooms, protest and pulpits.
From the beginning, this nation has promised the right to speak freely - to challenge power, question polices, mock corruption, and defend the truth. Freedom of speech is stitched into our identity, a right many assumed would never unravel.
And yet today, truth-tellers are being punished.
Critics are being threatened with retaliation.
Comedians are being canceled with some reinstated only after facing economic or political consequences for their silencing.
So, today, we light the Candle of Peace, Hope, and Justice for every voice that has spoken truth only to be harmed for doing so.
For those who dare to expose the life, name injustice, and bring relief through laughter.
We light this candle for the poets and prophets, artist and academics, wise men and young women who refuse to be silent even when those with worldly power demand it.
We pray for courage and conviction of those who, like Paul commanded Timothy, "persist - whether the time is favorable or not" to convince, rebuke, and encourage.
May God raise up a people who will not trade truth for power or popularity.
May God strengthen us to resist the temptation to chase after teachers who echo our desires.
And may God equip those in power to do all they can to protest this gift while we promise to never again take it for granted.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus ’ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
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October 12, 2025
Today, we light the Candle of Peace, Hope and Justice for federal employees who continue performing critical duties without knowing when their next paycheck will come;
for workers deemed "nonessential" and sidelined without pay;
for employees who logged off only to find their out-of-office message altered to include partisan blame - a Hatch Act violation they neither authorized nor support;
for those filled with anxiety as threats loom over the permanent elimination of their positions;
and for individuals forced to go into debt or drain their savings - not due to personal failure, but because of political gridlock.
May provision come for every person affected by the shutdown. And may a resolution be reached that prioritizes that good of all - and not one party or a select few.
One: The light shines in the darkness.
All: We stand in this light, unshaken, knowing that the darkness has never overcome the light.
One: Let us recommit ourselves to walking in Jesus ’ways of justice.
All: Empower us, Jesus, to boldly use the freedom and power given to us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
