World YWCA and YMCA Week of Prayer and World Fellowship November 14 20, Women Creating a Safe World

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1 World YWCA and YMCA Week of Prayer and World Fellowship November 14 20, 2010 Women Creating a Safe World Bible Reading Plan

2 Acknowledgements We acknowledge with thanks the valuable contribution of Rev Jane Stranz as the author of the daily meditations of this Week of Prayer booklet. We would also like to thank the following individuals who provided precious comments during the review process: Dr. Bartholomew Shaha, Rebecca Morton Doherty and Ana Villanueva. Cover design by Lucy Lloenyosi, NeatWorks.Inc.

3 Contents Presidents Message 4 Day one: Blessed are those who risk, for they shall be offered safety 6 Day two: Blessed are those who refuse to violate women, for they have chosen life Day three: Blessed are those who recognise and value the unique talents of others, for they shall succeed Day four: Blessed are those who raise their voices for health justice, they shall be heard Day Five: Blessed are those who build community, for they will be blessed with belonging 13 Day Six: Blessed are those who dare to change, for they shall be blessed with the future Suggested Order of Worship 18 Bible Reading Plan

4 Presidents Message This year s Joint Week of Prayer focuses on Women Creating a Safe World, which is also the theme of the World YWCA Council and International Women s Summit to be held in Zurich, Switzerland, July 10 16, The International Women s Summit will explore the intersection between violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the spread of HIV. The theme celebrates women as leaders and co-creators of life everyday. In the company of many faith traditions, Christianity explores and affirms the role of women in creation, nurturing life and reaching out to the other. For centuries, women and girls have been leaders in responding to the threats and conflicts of their time. All women define their world in different ways. The private and intimate spaces of family, home, bedrooms and kitchens, as well as the public spheres of schools, churches, and friends groups offer love, care, healing; these places foster the potential in each person. Yet too often they are where women and children experience domestic and family violence, where they are neglected, abused, and violated; unfortunately, they are often spaces where women and girls suffer psychological trauma and contract diseases such as HIV. Is a safer world possible and if so, how can the YMCA and YWCA movements contribute to build it? A safe world includes freedom from violence in all spheres. In a world of conflict, wars and violence, a safe world demands strong and proactive prevention efforts and the dedicated pursuit of peace. To be safe is to enjoy universal human rights and to live free from discrimination and stigma. It is to embrace gender justice and the gifts that both men and women have to contribute to the wellbeing of the society. It is to call for access to full and reliable information, so women and men, young and old can take responsible decisions. It is to develop societies in which all people are willing to cooperate for the common good rather than to compete and exclude for their own benefit. As we strive to create a safe world, we need not confuse safety with paternalistic security. We have seen too many security walls and fences, which are symbols of fear and instruments of oppression rather than protection and harmony. 4

5 YWCAs and YMCAs around the world are contributing to the creation of a safe world through programmes that provide leadership development opportunities for women and girls. Some of these programmes raise the community s awareness and knowledge of gender disparities and violation of women s rights. In addition, these programmes provide women and men with role models that strengthen their leadership skills and foster positive behaviours that promote working together for the benefit of all. How can we challenge our YMCAs and YWCAs to do more to build a safe world for women? Is this too much of a dream? In this year s Week of Prayer, let the angels wake us from our sleep. Let us not despair; God is with us as we dare to make the world a safer place. Susan Brennan President World YWCA Ken Colloton President World Alliance of YMCAs 5

6 DAY ONE - Blessed are those who risk, for they shall be offered safety Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. (Isaiah 43.1) Suddenly an angel touched Elijah and said to him, Get up and eat. He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. (1 Kings 19.5b-6) How can we build a safer world? Where might we get the strength to even dream this might be possible? This beautiful verse from Isaiah assures us that God calls each of us by name. It is an intimate and knowing call, offering redemption and a safe future. Named by God we have value and receive love. Called by God we can each respond to the vocation to profoundly transform a world in which so many women and girls experience violence, discrimination and exclusion in the private and public spheres. The prophet Elijah had lain down in depressed despair hoping to die. Many of us will know moments like that at some point in our lives, how can we find the motivation to wake from our sleep and set out on the road ahead? An angel touches and wakes Elijah from his sleep of despair and offers the most basic of sustenance - warm bread, fresh water. In his sleep the prophet is fed with real food. Perhaps now his subconscious will begin to dream that a future is possible. Bread and water are images of prison rations, of the barest minimum to maintain human life. They speak to us of the violence of poverty and hunger. In how many places around the world do women only get access to leftover food once the men have finished eating? But God says to each of us "I have called you by your name " As we seek to build a safer world we need to feel the angel waking us from our sleep, calling us to mental and physical well being, inviting us to reengage with the world. To build a safer world the emotional and physical needs of the poorest need to be taken seriously. We all need to have access to drinking water; food needs to be shared justly. 6

7 And as we look to create a world that is safe, we need to avoid confusing safety with security. The high fences and security walls of our times are symbols of fear. To transform the world, to make it safer for the most vulnerable on our small green planet, we are called to let the angel wake us from our sleep. Let us not despair, God supports us and calls us to dare to make the world a safer place. Questions for personal and group reflection Are you asleep? Is something in the society you live in asleep? What do you, what do we, need to be woken from? (Self-satisfaction, despair, indifference, lack of self worth ) Angels are messengers. Sometime we receive messengers, sometimes we ourselves are the messengers. What is our message of consolation and challenge to those we wake today? What is the message of consolation and challenge we ourselves have received? In what ways can we show in our programmes that we are called by name - as individuals and communally - to create a world that is safe? Prayer God you call us by name, You raise us up from our despair and offer us the food of life You call us to risk building a world which overcomes violence; Give us the strength and courage to listen to your call And to follow the path of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. 7

8 DAY TWO - Blessed are those who refuse to violate women, for they have chosen life But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. (Judges 19:25) This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19) The Bible text in Judges 19:22-30 tells a terrible story of gang rape. Do the men inside the house listen to the woman's screams as they last through the night or do they sleep? Do they pray for her or for themselves? Do they fear that she may not make it through the night and that the gang will come back to use them in the same way? If the gang comes knocking again, should they offer the virgin daughter of the host in order to protect their male honour? Well, she was only a concubine. Not a real wife. And she's only a woman As terrible as the shrieks and violence during rape may be, terrifying too is the silence often imposed on women - by others or by themselvesafterwards. Dare we speak and name what has happened? There is a thumping sound next door, muffled shouts and cries. My neighbour is hitting his oldest daughter. He has been drinking. She is pregnant. How will his sons learn that this is not the way to treat the women in their lives? And it's called "domestic violence" as if it were something tame. It is not. The word "home" sounds so safe yet it can be a place of terror for many women. To "choose life" is to campaign against everything that treats women as objects rather than as equal human beings. Choosing life is about longterm work with individuals, families and societies which examines the root causes of violence in sexism and the feelings of disempowerment. 8

9 Across generations, class, race and nations it is time to clearly say that violence in the private sphere is also unacceptable. We have the right to be safe in our homes. We choose life. Questions for personal and group reflection In what ways do we as individuals and societies close our ears and eyes to domestic violence? In what ways do the programmes of the YWCA and YMCA choose life and work towards a safe home for all? Raising men s and women s self esteem helps overcome violence in the private sphere, how can our movements contribute to this work? Prayer God, you set before us life and death In overcoming violence in our homes Teach us to choose life Transform our behaviour and lead us into life in fullness May all homes be places of safety and protection In Jesus Christ. Amen. 9

10 DAY THREE - Blessed are those who recognise and value the unique talents of others, for they shall succeed Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42). Mary and Martha are the most familiar set of sisters in the Bible. Like most sisters, these two women had conflicts, which emerged because of their different personalities, roles, and simply the fact that they were siblings. The manner in which the story of Martha and Mary is told, depicting sister against sister, could be seen as very negative; it seems to force us to choose one way of being over another, and if we must choose, which should it be? If we side with Martha, this must mean that we fail to value the studious virtues that Mary represented. Ancient tradition however depicts Saint Martha as a healer and dragon slayer. It is a delight to have the "busy" sister reinstated in this way. Some mystics reflect on the two women, including St Teresa of Avila who wrote: Believe me, Martha and Mary must be together to accommodate the Lord and keep him with them forever; otherwise he will be served poorly and remain without food." 1 Are we in competition or do we encourage one another? Do our societies encourage girls and women to succeed? Our world, our countries and our organisations need to foster the development of talents, education and leadership of all. A safe world has to allow as many as possible a stake in decision-making and power. 1 Quoted by Dorothee Sölle, Great Women of the Bible in Art and Literature, Wm B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Mich.:

11 Today as we seek to empower girls and women in local communities and across the world, we need to find new ways in which to share power and to share roles. Most of us, both men and women, have something of both Martha and Mary in us; as we reflect on the two biblical sisters we should be encouraged to take on realistic and complex role models rather than monochrome or dichotomous ones. Contemplation of Martha and Mary should not lead us to despise or judge either of the sisters even if the gospel may seem to rather we need to find a balanced interpretation. Empowerment and gender justice are not about judgement but about believing each of us, women and men, has gifts to contribute. Tools need to be developed and resources made available so that girls and women can continue to discover their leadership qualities and societies can learn to value their contribution. Educate a girl and you educate a nation. Perhaps as we move forward we will discover talents to tame some of the dragons of poverty, hunger and illness in our own time. Questions for personal and group reflection How easy do we find it to work together and to respect and develop each other s talents? Are we jealous of women who "succeed" and rise to the top, or do we celebrate them as our sisters? How easy do we find it to work in an ethos of cooperation rather than in competition within our programmatic work? Prayer Great God, you listen and you judge, may we tame the dragons of sexism and exclusion, which prevent girls from getting education and hold women back from taking their full place in our societies. May we find the strength to work together in cooperation through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen. 11

12 DAY FOUR - Blessed are those who raise their voices for health justice, they shall be heard When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you (Isaiah 43.2,4) In Geneva, a young woman takes three small, but expensive injections to keep her multiple sclerosis under control. In Nairobi her Kenyan friend keeps her similarly expensive HIV medications in her handbag. In the USA a colleague worries about her out-of-work sister who will soon not have access to full health insurance. In Geneva, the young woman s medicine is paid for by her health insurance, theirs is not. This is not fair and it is not right. Living with an illness is never easy, even in countries with good healthcare systems available to all. Money should not be the prerequisite to getting treatment, but in so many places it is. And there are other problems as well. Sometimes people who are ill get blamed; some are even made to feel that their illness is God s judgement. Illness and disability are stigmatised in some cultures. We need to combat this. As part of a faith based movement we affirm that God cares for each and every human being; each of us is infinitely precious and loved. Yet we live in a world that preaches the values of human rights and flagrantly disregards them when it comes to just and equal access to healthcare. Sometimes, we feel that all that is left in the face of such injustice is silence and prayer. Lack of access to HIV treatment is just one example of how systems in today s world put profit before people. The global market states that patents are more important than making sure medicine and care reach people. As people of faith, we still dare to speak about God loving all equally. Stating the basic tenets of our faith in this way only has any integrity if we also act to change unjust systems. It is easy to feel dwarfed by the size of the problem. God says They shall not overwhelm you I will be with you. We need to believe that our local, national and global projects will help roll back the injustice and work in meaningful ways towards achieving the 12

13 Millennium Development Goals on health, particularly maternal health. We must move forward trusting that this is also part of God s work. Yet we also know that healthcare needs to address the whole person. We are not just bodies needing healing and cures but people who need to talk and be listened to. As we grow, change and age, our health needs change. All of us need access to good and reliable information, particularly the young and the vulnerable. In health care we need to judge people less and accept them with God s open arms much more. Questions for personal and group reflection What are the challenges around health and justice in your community and/or in your life? Health is not just an individual matter. How can YMCA and YWCA programmes promote community health and offer quality information? Share stories of wellness and illness within your group. What is the picture that emerges? What are the challenges that the issue of health poses for our prayer life and for the activity of our organisations? Prayer God of Love, of Mercy and Life, Your constant presence in our lives reassures us of your love without boundaries. Help us to always remember that justice for some is not enough. Healer of bodies and souls, Help us to see each one of your children with your eyes of unconditional acceptance so our work can make a positive difference in the lives of the most vulnerable. We pray in the name of Jesus, through whom you became one of us. Amen. 13

14 DAY FIVE - Blessed are those who build community, for they will be blessed with belonging A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptised, she urged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home. And she prevailed upon us. (Acts 16:14-15) It begins with a simple act of hospitality, come and stay at my home. The apostles have somewhere to stay, a base for their witness. When Lydia was baptised she became the head of the church that was her household. By her faith and example Lydia transformed her household and bore witness to Christ in the wider community. Sharing her faith and motivation, lives changed around her. That home was Lydia s safe space for developing her own leadership and business skills. She recognised Paul s faith leadership and gave him hospitality. This is about reciprocal leadership, recognising what the other offers, giving them space. Lydia participated in their mission and did not compete with it. What are the spaces in our lives and organisations which nurture leadership, particularly leadership of women? Encouraging mutuality and solidarity in leadership can transform organisations and societies. Sustainable organisational models rely on community building and participation. As we try to promote these transformative models we need also to look at our own structures. How safe do we feel cooperating rather than competing; are we happier when others take responsibility; are we ever willing to share leadership or give up a leadership role so that someone else can gain experience? If we passionately believe that God s community is one in which all can have a sense of belonging, then we need to develop fluid structures of leadership which allow for roles to be shared and leadership to be exercised by the many and not by the few. 14

15 In developing womanly leadership we need to follow the path of wisdom. Questions for personal and group reflection Think of instances of what, for you, are examples of good and bad leadership - what makes the difference? How do you feel when you exercise a leadership role, what are the challenges of leadership in partnership with others? Share examples of collaborative leadership from your own context. Prayer God of mutuality Teach us integrity and inclusivity when we exercise leadership. Help us see how much more fruitful we are when we work together Rather than in competition. In the name of Christ Amen 15

16 DAY SIX - Blessed are those who dare to change, for they shall be blessed with the future I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; (2 Sam 1:26) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus began to weep. (John ) A man shares that he only managed to grieve for his father 10 years after his death and how this experience made him more whole as a person. His friend says how much she likes being in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures where men embrace rather than shake hands when they meet. Even today, it is surprising to see a man weeping. This is a sign that we are not yet liberated from oppressive sexual stereotypes. It is so easy to forget that masculinity is just as much a construct as femininity. In today s world it can be as hard to find your identity as a man as it is for a woman. Our globalised, consumerist society exaggerates and sexualises gender roles and almost puts a price ticket on them. As a Reverend, when I meet with couples to prepare their weddings I often give them homework. One exercise is for each of them to write down five ways in which a man should behave in a marriage and five ways a woman should behave. This encourages them to name the baggage of stereotypes and expectations they bring from their own families. It s also an invitation to talk and listen to one another. King David loved his great friend Jonathan deeply. He weeps for his friend and for himself; his ambition and the military instigated this death. He caused his own tears. Jesus is also moved to tears, tears of compassion for those who are grieving for Lazarus. Tears can transform us, signs of joy, of pain of sadness, loss and grief. It is said that human beings are the only mammals to cry. So, our tears are a sign of our humanity. 16

17 We can only lead the way to create a safer world if we work together as women and men. We have the capacity to hurt and injure one another. Safe societies can only be built if we begin to value the contribution of all. Every human being, male or female, has the capacity to be strong and to be tender, to be angry and to love, to be passionate and to be rational, to laugh or to cry. We are each called to dream new dreams and to challenge traditional masculine and feminine roles and become ever more human. Questions for personal and group reflection What are some of the stereotypes associated with the behaviour and role of men and women in your community? In what ways can these stereotypes be harmful? What are the alternatives to traditional understandings of masculinity and femininity? What is your vision for women and men in today s world? Prayer God of love Send us your Holy Spirit and transform us May our rejoicing be filled with passionate tears May our weeping know the relief of smiles and laughter. As we seek to follow Christ who weeps and rejoices with us on our way. Amen 17

18 Suggested Order of Worship Several baskets full of crumbs are placed on the altar. Welcome Fear not. God has redeemed us. God has summoned us by name. God has summoned us by name. Mothers, nurses, dancers, models, sex workers, daughters without mothers, women working hard just to get enough to eat, women abused on the street, women abused in the office, women in love, women without any love, women alone, women surrounded by need, women with many things but no one to care for, women who can t write their name, women writing letters for justice, Song God has summoned us by name. God claims us. You are mine, God says. So says God, You are mine. Prayer When empty of hope and possibilities we stretch out our hands to you, God. When our mouths become dry without word or wisdom, we come before you bringing our anguish and struggle, our fear and unbelief. Facing the attempts to break our dignity we get bound up by either insecurity or anger. Have mercy on us, we plead, have mercy on us. Song 18

19 Prayer We bring before you, Creative Spirit, those who help us to be who we are, our mothers and grandmothers, our fathers and grandfathers, our daughters and sons, our society and culture. Our histories are full of values which have restrained women from participation and leadership. We constantly have to struggle to create and preserve spaces of equality within our societies and our homes. When we want to give up, have mercy on us. Proclamation of Grace - Isaiah 43,1-2 But now, this is what God says Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Song Just call me by my name (Singapore) The Gospel according to Matthew 15,21-23a Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demonpossession." Jesus did not answer a word. Silence 19

20 The Gospel according to Matthew 15,23b-24 So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us. He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." Silence Response to the Word: There are always some disciples around who want to push women away, always those who feel they need to protect Jesus. But the woman believes in her cause and doesn t give up. She knows what she is asking for. She is not convinced by arguments aiming to dissuade her nor the reasons which do not understand her reasons. How many are told to go away? How many are excluded, discriminated against, cast out, treated as irritations? Silence The Gospel according to Matthew 15,25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. Response to the Word Liturgical Movement (A woman comes in singing a lament and asking for mercy. She goes all the way to the altar, dances on top of the crumbs until she falls down on her knees. When she finishes lamenting and moving, the reading continues) The Gospel according to Matthew 15,26-27 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Silence 20

21 The Gospel according to Matthew 15,28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Instrumental Music accompanying movement. The woman on the ground stands, dances around the crumbs, takes a crumb in her hands, moves with it for a while and keeps it on the palm of her hand) Crumbs. We have so many in our lives. A crumb is a fragment of bread. A dispensable small thing that we easily throw to the dogs or in the garbage. Have you ever felt like a crumb? Have your people felt like a crumb? Despised, betrayed, dispensable? Have you ever treated somebody else like a crumb? (The woman holding the crumb, takes it with the other hand and eats it) But we are not crumbs. We fight, shout, pray, get educated, hold together in the face of pain and suffering. And we want more than crumbs. At this moment, while the crumbs come to you, you are invited to name the ways you have been overcoming fear, despair, exclusion, oppression, pain. Hold the crumb in your hands. Instrumental (after people get the crumbs) Crumb, a dispensable small thing that in the mouth of a wise woman became an irrefutable argument changing Jesus way of thinking and acting. We continue being called to transform crumbs into bread, pain into company, exclusion into inclusion, oppression into liberation, despair into hope. We are invited to eat the crumb we have in our hands as an affirmation of faith that our crumbs are being transformed into bread. 21

22 Affirmation of Faith We believe in God, who makes all things visible and invisible, known and yet to be known. who as Father and Mother of all humanity, creates from herself, out of the sheer wonder of love men and women in her image and likeness. We believe in Jesus Christ, our brother and friend, who offered his body in tender yet compelling ways to redeem us from all evil and sin. To make salvation work for the good of the entire creation he gathered disciples, became friends with women and learned from them. He turned ideas upside down and unmasked prejudices to establish an ethic of love where diversity is valued and injustice denounced. We believe in the Holy Spirit, a dove brooding over life, a gust of wind blowing freely through corrupt structures and transforming them, a comfort to the weak, the lonely, the sick, those edged out, a gale sometimes, sometimes a soft breeze, an intoxicating fragrance that brings us alive. In life, in death and in life beyond death, we believe in you, God. Benediction May the blessing of the God who empowers us, the God who loves us, and the God who sustains us go with us and remain with us this day and always. Amen. 22

23 Bible Reading Plan November All Saints Day Rev 7, Rev 8, Rev 8, Rev 9, Rev 9, Rev 10, Ps Rev 11, Rev 11, Rev 11, Rev 20, Rev 20, Rev 20, Ps Rev 21, Rev 21, Rev 21, Rev 22, Rev 22, Rev 22, Ps Isa 1, Isa 1, Isa 1, Isa 2, Isa 2, Isa 3, Ps Isa 4, Isa 5, 1-7 December Isaiah 5, Isaiah 6, Isaiah 7, Isaiah 7, Ps Isaiah 8, Isaiah 8, Isaiah 9, Isaiah, 9, 7-10, Isaiah 11, Isaiah 12, Ps Isaiah 14, Isaiah 19, Isaiah 25, Isaiah 26, Isaiah 26, Isaiah 28, Ps Isaiah 29, Isaiah 29, Isaiah 33, Isaiah 35, Matthew 1, Christmas Matthew 1, Matthew 2, Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 3, Matthew 4, Matthew 4, January New Year Ps 8 2. Ps Genesis 1, Genesis 1, Genesis 1,26-2,4a 6. Ps Genesis 2, 4b Genesis 2, Ps Genesis 3, Genesis 3, Genesis 4, Genesis 4, Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Ps 107, Genesis 7, Genesis 8, Genesis 8, Genesis 9, Genesis 9, Genesis 11, Ps 107, Romans, 1, Romans 1, Romans 1, Romans 2, Romans 2, Romans 3, 1-20

24 30. Ps Romans 3, February Rom 3, Rom 4, Rom 4, Rom 5, Rom 5, Ps Rom 5, Rom 6, Rom 6, Rom 7, Rom 7, Rom 7, Ps Rom 8, Rom 8, Rom 8, Rom 8, Rom 8, Rom 9, Ps Rom 9, Rom 9, Rom 9, 30-10,4 24. Rom 10, Rom 10, Rom 11, Ps Rom 11, March Rom 11, Rom 11, Sam 1, Sam 1, Sam 2, Ps Sam 2, Sam 2, Sam 3, Sam 4, Sam 4, Samuel 5, Ps Sam 6, 1-7, Sam 7, Sam 8, Sam 9, Sam 9,15-10, Sam 10, Ps Sam 13, Sam 15, Sam 16, Sam 16, Sam 17, Sam 17, Ps Sam 18, Sam 20, Sam 20,24-21, Sam 23,1-18 April Sam 24, Sam 25, Ps Sam 25, Sam 27,1-28, Sam 28, Sam 30, Sam 31, Sam 1, Ps 69, Mt 26, Mt 26, Mt 26, Mt 26, Mt 26, Mt 26, Palm Sunday Ps 69, Mt 26, Mt 27, Mt 27, Mt 27, Good Friday Mt 27, Mt 27, Easter Mt 28, Mt 28, Rom 12, Rom 12, Rom 12, Rom 13, Rom 13, 8-14 May Ps Rom 14, Rom 14, 13-23

25 4. Rom 15, Rom 15, Rom 15, Rom 15, Ps Rom 16, Rom 16, Rom 16, Sam 2, Sam 5, Sam 5, Ps Sam 6, Sam 7, Sam 7, Sam 11, Sam 12, Sam 15, Ps Sam 15, Sam 16, Sam 16,15-17, Sam 18, Sam 18, 19-19,9a Sam 19, 9b Ps Sam 23, Sam 24, 1-25 June Phil 1, Ascension Ps Phil 1,12-18a 4. Phil 1,18b Ps Phil 1, Phil 2, Phil 2, Phil 2, Phil 2, Phil 3, Pentecost Ps 118, Ps 118, Phil 3, Phil 4, Phil 4, Prov 10, Prov 10, Ps Prov 11, Prov 14, Prov 15, Prov 16, Prov 16, Prov 17, Ps 105, Prov 18, Prov 19, Prov 20, Prov 21, July Prov 23, Prov 24, Ps 105, Jas 1, Jas 1, Jas 1, Jas 2, Jas 2, Jas 3, Ps Jas 3, Jas 4, Jas 4, Jas 5, Jas 5, Jas 5, Ps Mt 4, Mt 5, Mt 5, Mt 5, Mt 5, Mt 5, Ps 119, Mt.5, Mt 6, Mt 6, Mt 6, Mt 6, Mt 6, Ps 119, August Mt 7, Mt 7, Mt 7, Mt 7, Mt 8, Mt 8,

26 7. Ps 119, Mt 8, Mt 8, Mt 8, Mt 8, Mt 9, Mt 9, Ps Mt 9, Mt 9, Mt 9, Mt 9, 35-10,4 19. Mt 10, Mt 10, 16-26a 21. Ps Mt 10, 26b Mt 10, Mt 10, Mt 11, Mt 11, Mt 11, Ps Mt 12, Mt 12, Mt 12,22-32 September Mt 12, Mt 12, Mt 12, Ps Mt 12, Mt 13, Mt 13, Mt 13, Mt 13, Mt 13, Ps 78, Mt 13, Mt 13, Mt 14, Mt 14, Mt 14, Mt 15, Ps 78, Mt 15, Mt 15, Mt 16, Mt 16, Mt 16, Mt 17, Ps 78, Mt 17, Mt 17, Mt 18, Mt 18, Mt 18, October Mt 19, Ps Mt 19, Mt 19, Mt 20, Mt 20, Mt 20, Mt 21, Ps Mt 21, Mt 21, Mt 21, Mt 21, Mt 21, Mt 22, Ps Mt 22, Mt 22, Mt 22, Mt 23, Mt 23, Mt 23, Ps Tob 1,1-10(9) Job 1, Tob 1,11-25 (10-22) Job 2, Tob 2, 1-18 (10) Job 2, 11-3, Tob 2, 19 (11)- 3,6 Job 4, Tob 3, 7-25 (17) Job 5, Tob 4, 1-22 (21) Job 6, Ps 22, Tob 5, 1-23(17a) Job 8,

27 November All Saints Day Tob 5,24-29(17b-23) Job 9, Tob 6, 1-23 (19) Job 11, Tob 7, 1-20 (17) Job 12, Tob 8, 1-23(10-21) Job 14, Tob 9,1-12(6) Job 19, Ps Tob 10, 1-13(14) Job 31, Tob 11, 1-20(19) Job 32, Tob 12, 1-22 Job 38,1-11;40, Tob 13,1-8 Job 40,6-41,3;42, Tob 13, 9-22(18) Job 42, Tob 14,1-17(15) Job 42, Ps 22, Nahum 1, Nahum 2, Obad Mt 24, Mt 24, Mt 24, Ps Mt 24, Mt 24, Mt 25, Mt 25, Mt 25, Is 40, Ps Is 40, Is 40, Is 41,

28 Published by World YWCA 16 Ancienne Route 1218 Geneva, Switzerland World Alliance of YMCAs 12 Clos-Belmont 1208 Geneva, Switzerland Printed in Geneva, Switzerland September 2010