‘A Prayer for Peace’ campaign launched

The Uniting Church in Australia’s National Assembly has today launched the “A Prayer for Peace” campaign to encourage Uniting Church congregations to engage with the practice of being “peacemakers”.

The campaign focuses on the need for peace in the Holy Land, specifically in regards to the occupied territories in the West Bank.

President of the Uniting Church, the Rev. Alistair Macrae said, “The pursuit of peace is at the core of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We echo his words when we share the greeting ‘peace be with you’ with members of our worshipping congregations each week. Jesus expresses the centrality of peacemaking in the Beatitudes; he preaches that peacemakers will be the children of God (Matt 5:9).

“Our commitment to being peacemakers takes us down many paths to peace. It’s our responsibility and imperative to explore all options that could bring about peace in our hearts, our homes, our communities and in our world.

“The Assembly Standing Committee has adopted an approach for Uniting Church people to begin to understand this conflict and respond appropriately. This is at the invitation of the National Council of Churches in Australia, of which the Uniting Church is a member as well as Palestinian Christians.

“Out of this background the Uniting Church Assembly has developed a kit that invites people to pray, talk, share or act to say to the world that we are followers of the Prince of Peace and that peace is possible through Him.

“We invite you to read through the kit, available on the Assembly website or through a CD Rom provided to your ministry agent,” said Mr Macrae.

Included in this kit are various background documents including an information paper and actions that you and your congregation may choose to take.

Mr Macrae said, “To this end we have provided ten possible actions to take up the call to be peacemakers; from holding a dedicated worship service, to writing to the Prime Minister or your MP telling them working towards peace in the Holy Land is important to you, avoiding goods produced in the Israeli settlements within the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank, or supporting a relief and development project in the West Bank or Gaza.

“This is our Prayer for Peace, that a living and dynamic peace could move through us into the world.”

Find Prayer for Peace resources here.

A kit including a flyer and CD Rom has been sent to all Uniting Church congregations, presbytery ministers and synod general secretaries.