overcoming violence

Women's centre at the assembly.

Saturday at the assembly focused on violence. I attended a workshop on violence against women and heard accounts of work being done across latin america to support women suffering from domestic violence. These included outreach workers talking to women admitted to hospital, men's bible study groups reflecting on male violence in the Bible, and a women's centre in Bolivia. One of the facilitators encouraged to reflect on Luke's image of God as a woman searching out a lost coin, who when she finds it, invites the neighbours round to celebrate with her. We were reminded that God iamge is reflected in the face and body of every woman.

Prayers at the end of the day ended with a blessing:

May God's spirit, who dwells among us calling us to witness to God truth and justice, guide us, so that in God infinate grace we may be instruments for the transformation of the world.