March 28, 2024

‘Sunday of Hope’ is June 2

American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Southwest Iowa is looking to unite the area in prayer on Sunday, June 2, to celebrate the area cancer survivors, caregivers and volunteers. Prayer is one of the most powerful non‐medical positive influences on cancer survivors and their loved ones.

Churches may pray this with their congregation during regular church services.

Prayer for the conquest of cancer:

“Almighty and Loving God, we remember that Your will for each of us is health and peace, fullness of each life and wholeness of each life. We know that illness of every sort challenges Your plan and, therefore, must challenge us.

We thank You for those in sickness who rise to the challenge by bravely fighting on, and who continue to live and grow and love and serve in spite of the pain and suffering.

We thank You for all who minister to cancer patients; for those who are instruments of Your healing grace - the doctors, nurses, technicians, those involved in research and experimentation, and rabbis, priests, pastors, family and friends who are there with those who suffer - all channels of Your healing love.

Finally, we thank You for institutions and organizations that provide care – whose purpose is to challenge all that “corrupts and destroys the creatures of God.”

We thank You for the great work of the American Cancer Society, and we ask Your special blessings, Dear God, on its healing work. Guide and empower our leaders, strengthen and give good success to its workers and volunteers, and grant that all may know that it is Your healing work that they do; and that one day You “will wipe away every tear from our eyes and that there will be no more pain, for the former things will have passed away.”

This prayer, O God, we ask in Your powerful name of Love. Amen”

Some appropriate hymns to sing might be “My Hope Is Built,” “Hymn of Promise,” “Hope of the World,” “We Shall Overcome,” “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” “Soon and Very Soon” and “Amazing Grace.” Scripture might include Romans 5:3-5, Acts 2:25-27, Romans 15:12-13 and 2 Corinthians 1:7-10.

With National Cancer Survivor Day, Relay For Life continues to seek survivors and anyone who may wish to be a part of the Relay For Life event Saturday, Aug. 31, at the Creston Community High School track. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/southwestia.