Moderator Sharon Hollis has asked Uniting Church members to pray for people affected by the devastating earthquake in Mexico.
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck central Mexico on Tuesday, toppling buildings and sparking fires across the capital and neighbouring towns.
It is the deadliest earthquake to hit the country in the past three decades, with more than 230 confirmed deaths.
Fifteen people were killed when a church near Popocatepetl volcano collapsed during mass. In Atzala, another church collapsed during a baptism, killing 11 people including the baby.
At least 21 children and five adults died when a primary school collapsed in Mexico City.
The tremor struck shortly after many people had participated in an earthquake drill to mark the 32nd anniversary of the catastrophic 1985 earthquake, which killed more than 5000 people.
Volunteers worked throughout the night to search for survivors as rescue crews struggled to cope with the scale of the damage. Thousands have also donated medicine, food, water and blankets to assist relief efforts.
Ms Hollis offered the following prayer for the families affected by the earthquake and the rescue workers searching for survivors under the rubble:
Gracious God, in Jesus Christ you walked the way of suffering
and still you journey with your children who suffer.
We pray for all affected by the earthquake in Mexico
For the grieving we pray for comfort
For the those searching though wreckage we pray for resilience
For those without home or shelter we pray for security
For those who despair we pray for hope
For the world community, we pray for generosity.
Amen
Image: The Age/Twitter
Comments are closed.