To mark Canada’s 150th birthday, Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton has initiated a 150-day prayer challenge. The challenge begins on Satutrday, July 1.

People throughout the city, province and across Canada are invited to pray, sing, or read a psalm a day from July 1 to November 27, 2017.  The goal is to invite as many voices as possible to pray for peace in our families, in our communities, in our world. Providentially, there are 150 psalms in the Christian Bible.

Praying for peace seems a fitting way to mark Canada’s 150^th and is in keeping with the mission of the Sisters of Providence, our founders. The psalms are part of daily prayer for the Sisters of Providence, an order of women religious animated by a spirit of compassion and strong belief in Gospel values. Their prayers and presence sustain ministries of hospitality, feeding the hungry, education, health care and spiritual growth consistent with the needs and interests of the communities in which they live.

At Providence, an ecumenical retreat and conference center, we strive to be the human face of God’s Providence in an ever-changing world.  Hospitality is one of our key values and prayer sustains all aspects of our work.

The 150-day prayer challenge is an invitation for all to share the richness of the psalms. The psalms demonstrate that every aspect of human experience can be communicated with the Divine.  A shared part of the Jewish and Christian tradition, psalms relate weeping and rejoicing, praising and cursing, hearing and being heard, longing and being loved. Common symbols such as water, light and space are abundant,” and a sense of hope prevails.

The psalms, originally sung prayers, were prayed in community. In today’s technologically connected world, community is widespread. This challenge creates a community of “pray-ers” that extends as far as each “pray-er’s” circle of contacts.

Make the challenge work for you. Invite your friends, family, church, community league, business, or organization to join in prayers for peace.  Psalm prompts will appear daily on the News page of the Providence Renewal Centre website. You may choose to follow these, or engage a psalm of your choosing, using the translation of your choice. 

Motivated by reading, singing and praying these ancient words, may we gain courage to share the challenges and celebrations of our own lives and world situations with God.

Together, let us pray for peace – in our own lives, in our families, in our communities, in our world.

Take the prayer challenge … sing/pray/read a psalm a day – maybe even compose some of your own.

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