World-wide ecumenical prayer and concern

We urge all member churches and all people of good will around the world to join us in prayer for peace for the people of Ukraine and the region.
– Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary of the World Council of Churches.

An international and ecumenical call has been made for prayer and assistance following the arising of war in Ukraine. The resulting in a significant refugee crisis. CWS have launched an appeal, to support the work of partners in the ACT Alliance.

An international service of prayer was held on Ash Wednesday. The service of prayers and chants, Lenten reflections and personal testimonies was jointly organized by various Christian world communions including the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Methodist Council, the Mennonite World Conference, the Conference of European Churches and the Anglican Communion.

A pall of ashes covers Ukraine. The claim of God calls humanity into responsibility: Where is your brother, Cain? We want to shout this claim into the hearts and minds of those responsible for all this violence.
— Rev. Anne Burghardt, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation

An edited video of excerpts for the service can be watched through this link: https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/pall-ashes-covers-ukraine-christians-join-prayer-peace

Despite what is happening in Ukraine, I still believe that the international community can make a difference as we collectively work for peace in the region. 
– Bishop Ivan Abrahams, General Secretary of the World Methodist Council.

United Methodist Bishop Eduard Khegay, who is responsible for Eurasia, recently posted this reflection:

PRESENCE

Imagine an infant born in the Kiev subway and his exhausted mother seeking shelter from grenades.
Christ weeps next to them.

Imagine a lonely grandmother and her grandson in Luhansk who can't sleep because of explosions and sirens.
Christ weeps at their side.

Imagine a Russian and a Ukrainian soldier looking at each other through the sight of a machine gun.
Christ weeps at their side.

Imagine the drivers queuing up at the Ukrainian-Polish border for three nights.
Christ weeps next to them.

Imagine that friends on Facebook are willing to "denazify" each other with their comments.
Christ weeps at their side.

Imagine the explosions near your house and the wounded in the east and west, in the south and north of Ukraine.
Christ weeps at their side.

Imagine hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine in Europe and Russia.
Christ weeps at their side.

Imagine the coffins with 18-year-old boys who have just started life and their grieving others.
Christ weeps at their side.

Imagine if you were hugging all these people.
Christ embraces them with You.

Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, both in terms of preventing bloodshed, and building constructive links with God, ourselves, and other people. The British Methodist and United Reformed Churches produced a report titled Peacemaking: A Christian Vocation which explores a Christian perspective on peace and conflict in the context of new challenges.

MISSION AND ECUMENICAL BOARD

Methodist Church of New Zealand
Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa
[Acting] Director: Rev. Tony Franklin-Ross
Postal: 20a Georgina Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1011
Phone: 021-481 816 (Mobile)
E-mail: mm-e@methodist.org.nz
www.methodist.org.nz/mission_and_ecumenical

An electronic copy can be accessed here: https://www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Peacemaking-Report.pdf

by Tony Franklin-Ross