Interfaith prayer service marks International Day of Peace

Interfaith prayer service marks International Day of Peace

On Tuesday 21 September, Rev. Manas Ghosh, Minister of St John’s Uniting Church, Wahroonga, organised and conducted an Interfaith Prayer Service to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

Some 200 people – locally, interstate and internationally – joined the Zoom service to listen to prayers offered by an inclusive spectrum of faiths. The words differed – the heartfelt plea was the same; all calling on God to guide towards peace and reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing.

Rev. Sharon Hollis, President of the National Assembly, offered a prayer on behalf of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Further prayers were offered by Aboriginal, Armenian Apostolic, Baha’i, Brahma Kumaris, Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, Mandaean, Sikh, Sufi, and Zoroastrian communities.

Students from Knox Grammar, Pymble Ladies College, and Methodist Ladies College, Burwood, offered their hopes for peace and freedom, reflecting intergenerational voices.

Atendees were treated to a beautiful rendition of the hymn ‘Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace’ – and a violin recital of ‘Amazing Grace’.

Rev. Simon Hansford, the Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, NSW and ACT Synod, concluded the afternoon with a hard-hitting address, entitled “When peace is not peace”

He exhorted those listening to create peace, by speaking up, sitting beside, waiting with, listening to, building patiently … hopefully.

Morna Buys
St John’s Uniting, Wahroonga

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