A prayer for women and girls

A pastoral prayer, for the people of First Baptist Church of Austin

February 11, 2024

I wrote this prayer thinking of all the women who have come before me, fighting for a place of leadership in the church, for the chance to preach in the pulpit.  I wrote this prayer for all those who will come after me, a generation of women who I hope will be encouraged and championed into leadership in all areas of our society. And for my daughter. May she believe that she is worthy and loved by a God who calls women to participate in God's plan for the world. 

God of equality, and inclusion, God of possibilities and futures, God of empowerment and companionship…

We are thankful that your love extends to all people, that your call makes no distinction of gender. You are the one who invites us all into your work to bring heaven to earth. 

We are thankful for the mothers of our faith, women like Sarah, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Mary, Deborah, Anna, and Phoebe and countless other brave women who faithfully listened to your call and served you.

We are thankful for the strong women who have come before us, who have answered your call to serve the church, to lead the church, and to preach the gospel.  We are thankful for the women of First Baptist, past and present, those who nurtured our faith, and lead by example. For the way this church has stood up for women in ministry, the way this church has supported women’s rights, for the way this church champions women’s issues- we give thanks. 

In this broken world, in our society that seeks to silence the voices of women, that seeks to oppress the leadership of women, that thrives on the system of patriarchy, we seek forgiveness in the ways that we willingly and unconsciously participate in this system. 

We ask for courage and endurance in the daily battle against sexism, gender discrimination, and violence that women endure. 

May our collective witness in our support of women encourage a generation of young girls who will see the world as full of endless opportunities, rather than limitations. 

Raise them up, oh God, to be preachers, CEOs, mathematicians, scientists, teachers, and artists, future leaders focused on equality. 

may we be the ones holding them up in love and support , all the while blazing a path forward for them to succeed, all with your grace, love, and leading.

Thank you, mother god, for holding us in tenderness this day.