Dear friend,

On this Labor Day I am praying for all who labor with a particular concern for those who, though this is to be a day of rest from our labors, are working away.

In our United Methodist Social Principles we say that we support the basic rights of all persons to a number of good things including employment. Employment in fact is the key to accessing such basic rights as housing, education, and medical care yet so many among us this day have no employment or are under-employed, receiving the lowest of incomes and without any benefits like a pension or more immediate, health care for themselves and their families.

In a day and age when local economies have become small cogs in a globalized economy, knowing how to pray on this day is complex. Our Social Principles have helped shaped my prayers today.

I am praying for:

Every person’s right to a job at a living wage
Government officials who make sure that jobs for all are created
Social measures that ensure the physical and mental safety of workers
A society where persons come before profits

I invite you to join me in giving God thanks for all the laborers who work today and throughout the year serving us in a multitude of ways. Let us pray for each other that we may continue to work for a world of justice that would be pleasing to God.

Peace,

Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño