As our country continues to wade through this new and tumultuous era in politics and religion, I am watching as churches and individuals search for the words to say in the aftermath of events like Charlottesville, Standing Rock, and Ferguson. On more local levels, I often hear those who are working closely with the poor request resources for when they gather to pray for a neighborhood shooting, a deportation scare, the blessing of a new foster home, or those facing death row.

At the same time, many artists and prophets are doing what they have always done historically during times of injustice; they are moving to the front-lines and making work that can help people better understand, grieve, and heal. Situationally-specific Call-and-Response liturgies written for faith communities to join their voices in lamentation, celebration, and mobilization are among some of the more powerful works being produced. They are scattered about among writers on the ground who are working toward the unity, equality, health, and safety of all God's people. I would like the chance to compile the voices of those from a variety of circumstances into one powerful resource book of social justice litanies.

Taken from the words of Mother Teresa who said, "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other," the book's title suggests its purpose: to offer prayers for personal and/or corporate use that remind the reader/s of their intrinsic connection to and responsibility for another while exposing a myriad of plights that exist in the margins of our modern world.

Drawing on my relationships through the Red Letter Christians network (founded by Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne) and the Collegeville Institute's Writing to Change the World community, as well as the counsel of Writer and Community-Cultivator Jonathan Wilson-Hargrove, I am confident that I will be able to recruit an ample amount of gifted and compassionate contributors for this effort.