June 20th is a day set aside for people all around the world to recognize the strength, courage and perseverance of people fleeing war, violence and persecution.
World Refugee Sunday is an opportunity to join churches around the world in praying for refugees and the underlying causes of forced displacement.
This year churches are encouraged to mark this important day on either June 14th or June 21st (the Sundays falling on either side of World Refugee Day, which is June 20th).
Churches all around the world are finding ways to highlight refugees and to pray for forcibly displaced people on these Sundays.
International Association for Refugees (IAFR) would like to encourage you to consider how your congregation could join the global church in remembering and praying for forcibly displaced people.
Perhaps you could invite someone with lived refugee experience to share during your service. You might consider preaching on a refugee related theme or including a children’s lesson on God’s desire for His people to welcome outsiders.
Often the simplest way is to incorporate prayer for refugees into your church gathering. The situation in our world is so dire, and our human solutions so limited, that we truly need to call out to God- in lament, in gratitude, and in intercession.
If you are looking for a prayer to incorporate into your service, Kochar, a friend of IAFR, has written a prayer specifically for World Refugee Sunday that we want to share with you. Read Kochar’s Story here.
Please feel free to download the prayer resources below and use within your church community in any way that feels appropriate.
IAFR Canada would be delighted to assist in connecting you to other resources if you are interested. We believe that the Church has an important and unique role to play in supporting refugees. The more we learn about refugee realities, the more we see how the Church is perfectly suited to meet the challenge of displacement.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you are looking for some input in how your church might be able to walk alongside refugees.
With hope,
Alison Witt
Church Engagement Director
Thanks to 24-7 Prayer Canada for collaborating on this guide to help you and your church create a prayer room focused on praying for refugees.
You may find this focus particularly helpful leading up to World Refugee Day, June 20 each year.