Join with Iraqi Christians in a Covenant of Prayer

Every day at noon ET

A WAR NEVER REALLY ENDS
An interfaith response

We are Americans, US citizens Followers of many spiritual traditions Compelled to speak, for ourselves and for others. Convinced that war brings neither freedom nor peace. Called to speak the truth as our faiths demand. May we be filled with the strength to seek peace. War will not end when the guns are silent. Violence can never lead to peace. The government does not faithfully represent Our desires or those of the people of the world And so it becomes our obligation to speak and to act We will bear the responsibility We will claim our democratic power We will willingly accept what is required. We will stand against the forces of death. We will stand for life. May we be filled with the courage to seek peace. Duty calls upon us to prohibit violence Directed at our helpless brothers and sisters To limit the monstrous domination of war To repair the ruin, whenever, wherever we can: The direct horrors inflicted on the people The damage to homes, lands, heritage, institutions The disruption of their eating, traveling, breathing, living May we be filled with the compassion to seek peace. We grieve for the harm to our own country The degradation suffered here in common The contagion of fear and distrust The restriction of our freedoms The quashing of our dialogue and dissent

We grieve the terrible wounding of those sent off to fight Children captured by the demons of war Who will suffer illness of body and spirit Whose families too absorb the blows of violence We grieve the rupture of families where a member is killed Parents, spouses, infants overcome with grief Losing a source of sustenance and survival May we be filled with the endurance to seek peace. War will not fulfill those government promises. For it is based on lies, and lies have been told. Here we stand on truth, and stand together. United as one humanity, here we are. We grasp the horror of war in all its fullness. And embrace it with our joined compassion. May we be filled with the vision of peace.   Recognizing our weakness We call on the Spirit of Mercy to guide us now. Nothing is stronger. The spirit will prevail.                                                           Amen. 3/21/03 signed on by: - Fellowship of Reconciliation - Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America - Buddhist Peace Fellowship - Church of God Peace Fellowship - Disciples of Christ Peace Fellowship - Episcopal Peace Fellowship - Jewish Peace Fellowship - Lutheran Peace Fellowship - Methodist Peace Fellowship - Muslim Peace Fellowship - Pax Christi USA - Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - Unitarian-Universalist Peace Fellowship - The Witness magazine (Episcopal Church Publishing Co.)

Our Iraqi sisters and brothers in Christ face significant challenges in the living of these days. There are five Presbyterian congregations in Iraq. The ongoing violence and terror have made life difficult for them individually and as congregations.  In the face of daily tragedies, many have had to flee the country; others have left their homes for other, safer places in Iraq, thus becoming internally displaced.

We encourage all members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), individually or in groups, as well as neighbors and friends, to pause for prayer every day at noon (Eastern time) to remember our brothers and sisters in Christ, all the people of Iraq, Iraqis who are refugees or living in diaspora, the people of the United States impacted by war, those in positions of authority, men and women who are serving in the military and all who suffer.