Prayers for Ukraine
Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly 2021-22, and Very Rev Dr Susan Brown, Convener of the Faith Impact Forum are asking all of us to join them in praying for those who are frightened and at risk in Ukraine.
A prayer for Ukraine:
The news can be difficult to listen to and to read.
When that news relates to faces we know
And to voices familiar to us,
It becomes all the harder to hear.
Lord God,
We ask you to hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart.
Protect them, we pray;
From violence,
From political gamesmanship,
from being used and abused.
Give, we pray,
the nations of the world the courage
and the wisdom
to stand up for justice
and the courage too,
to dare to care - generously.
Lord in your mercy,
Take from us all,
The tendencies in us
That seek to lord it over others:
Take from us those traits
that see us pursuing our own needs and wants
before those of others.
Teach us how to live in love
And dignity
And respect - following your example.
In your name and for your sake,
Amen
To donate to Christian Aid's Ukraine Crisis Appeal click on this link: Christian Aid Appeal
Christian Aid will be working with partner organisations in the ACT Alliance (a global faith-based coalition), to offer assistance to Ukraine refugees fleeing deadly violence.
Christian Aid was founded in 1945 by British and Irish churches to help refugees after the Second World War. Back then, we worked with partner churches to alleviate suffering by raising the equivalent of £3 million plus in today’s money. We supported, equipped and enabled partner churches in mainland Europe to provide what people needed. Nearly 80 years later, we are doing the same.
So far, two of our ACT partners have distributed 28 tonnes of food supplies and other lifesaving essentials to people on the Ukrainian borders.
A prayer for Ukraine by Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Head of Christian Aid Scotland and Moderator Designate of the General Assembly (2023-24)
Borders, barricades, bewilderment…
When the bargaining begins,
God please protect peace.
Sanctions, security measured in minutes and it’s scary…
When safety scatters,
God please protect peace.
War dresses up in peace-keeper’s clothes,
Troops amass, the ground trembles and so do people…
When the future feels fragile,
God please protect peace.
The littlest, the least likely to have a say,
Those whose lives are sanctioned and bargained over –
Violence always finds them first.
And the ‘oh-so-important’ political maneuvers mean nothing to them.
They just want to live.
When the winners want to wipe them out of the way,
God please protect peace.
We will not turn away. We will stand together –
God give us the strength to protect peace.
Amen