TO ALL IN THE UPCSA
Please receive this call for prayer from the World Communion of Reformed Churches regarding the situation in Ukraine.
Warmest regards,
Rev Dr Lungile Mpetsheni
Rhadebe
General Secretary
Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
Secretary – Africa Communion of Reformed Churches
Let them turn away from evil and do good;
let them seek peace and pursue it.”
—1 Peter 3:11
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
With the attack by Russia on Ukraine, war is again ignited in Europe. This assault threatens peace throughout the continent and indeed the whole world. This urgent and evolving crisis requires the attention and solidarity of the global Christian community.
As the Scriptures encourage us to turn away from evil and do good, to seek peace and pursue it, we consider such an unprovoked attack as evil, and strive to do all we can to stand against it—while also preparing to assist those impacted by it.
We call on our members, partners, and all people of faith to pray for peace and the immediate cessation of the invasion of Ukraine.
Further, we—along with the Lutheran World Federation, World Methodist Council, and Conference of European Churches—invite you to an online prayer service for Ukraine on Ash Wednesday, 3 March, at 17:00 (CET) as a sign of global solidarity with the people and churches of Ukraine. Please click through this link to register for the service: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d04eX7l4S_WEmFBXIV17wQ
We are also working with members and partners in Europe to prepare assistance for people fleeing the violence. We will inform you of ways in which you can help.
Finally, we ask you to advocate to your governments on behalf of the Ukrainian people—urging them to use all non-violent means to pressure the Russian government into stopping their attack, withdrawing their military forces, and turning instead to constructive discussions.
We close with a prayer for Ukraine from the Church of Scotland:*
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
Blessings,
Najla Kassab
President, WCRC
Martina Wasserloos
President, WCRC Europe
Hanns Lessing, Philip Vinod Peacock, Phil Tanis
Collegial General Secretariat
* Issued by Lord Wallace, moderator of the General Assembly, and Very Rev. Dr. Susan Brown, convener of the Faith Impact Forum.
President: Rev. Najla Kassab
General Secretary: Rev. Chris Ferguson
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