Each Sunday at 7pm we join in a time of prayer at home, for peace in Ukraine. Let’s begin…

Light a candle, as a visible sign of the light of Christ, who is the light of the world…

Take a deep breath. Feel the breath of God that has given you life.

Centre yourself and pray…

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
I pray in search for peace in Ukraine
give peace a chance in the time of war
in the world’s history.

O Lord,
enlighten the rulers
they may defend the gift of peace;
We denounce deadly armed force,
call on all leaders back to dialogue;
to respect the international law
to protect lives within the bound of peace.

The LORD is close to the broken-hearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’ (Psalm 34:18)
Give the injured your healing spirit,
Give the dead a rest in peace,
Give the displace a community of peace
Give the world a moment of peace
This is the peace
that the world cannot give,
but only comes from your son Jesus Christ.

O Spirit,
move the hearts of millions into prayer
for peace blossom forth.
Reign over the peoples and the region
with your boundaries of peace,
Let the Spirit of life
connect the people in their fear
and unify their hopes into
a potency of building peace.

O Christ,
we pray for the Ukrainian communities in Australia.
for brothers and sisters in the Orthodox tradition,
and for ourselves.
We pray for
those have been exposed to
the trauma of being caught in the crossfire,
the fear overwhelmed by a deliberate force.
We pray for
an immediate end to the armed hostilities
a protection for all lives threatened by the conflict.

Come, O God of peace,
Move the world out of darkness,
Bring all people into the light.
Send love to each broken-hearted,
Make your Church an instrument of world’s peace.

For peace in Ukraine.
We pray
in the name of Christ.

Amen.

Prayer written by Rev Dr Ji Zhang 张骥, Theologian-in-Residence, Uniting Church in Australia National Assembly