God of our world
in the bright light of day
we feel the warm glow of our community,
gathered to speak words of peace
and longing for a world where equity and justice reign.
In this moment
we are all too awareof the privileges we feel.
That from this place
we will find shelter and comfort,
and so we noticethat this night
there will be those who do not know safety,
who will be hungry;
those wanting to rest tired weary bones,
or to have a quiet night.
We pray for the people of Ukraine:
those who will stay in their country to fight
to protect their homes
and the freedoms that they expect for their citizens;
those who have made themselves homeless and rootless
to protect the young and the vulnerable.
We pray for broken hearts and broken families.
We pray for the aggressors.
We recognise that this may be one man’s war,
or a government’s war,
as we hear some voices oppose the choices made in their name,
and cry out against the injustice,
begging for the conflict to stop.
We pray for those across the world who have been caught in conflict,
and we make peace our ambition.
May we become those
who shape our lives
so that peace reigns.
Let us become more willing
to value the differences our world provides,
and learn to love those who challenge us,
aware that we may be challenging to them.
Amen.
