Peace

God, guide America through these mid-term elections
in these fraught and fractured times.
We pray for peace at polling stations,
election officials with strong moral compasses,
and people who take the time and effort to vote.
In a world where billions are spent to influence voters,
champion those who are not in it for the money.
Help Americans choose leaders who govern
not just for the present moment,
but with an eye to future generations.
Thank you for democracies…

God of hope, we pray to you when hope is scarce
as our world convulses with the horror of war.
You alone know the extent of the crimes committed in Ukraine:
the people murdered, the homes and infrastructure destroyed,
the way violence comes as a calamity,
cutting a swath through the world.
Why is power concentrated in the hands of so few?

God of hope,
as Ukraine balances on a knife edge,
we pray for peace.
Peace for Ukrainian citizens living with constant anxiety,
fearful that calamity will fall upon them today.
Peace for the Russian soldiers who are waiting for orders,
fearful for their own lives.
Peace for neighbouring countries who know
that war makes refugees that must be welcomed.