wfn.org | NCC President Kinnamon - Prayer for Gaza

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Amid the violence in the Middle East and elsewhere, a prayer of 
contrition and messages to the President

New York, December 30, 2008 -- As the death toll in Gaza exceeded 350 
in the fourth day of Israeli attacks, and as violence continued in 
other world hot spots, the General Secretary of the National Council 
of Churches USA has offered a prayer of contrition and a plea to God 
to "make war cease."

In addition, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon also joined ecumenical and 
interfaith leaders in signing separate letters to President Bush to 
press for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Also today, patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem issued a 
statement expressing "deep concern, regret and shock" over the war now raging.

As most of the 35 member communions of the National Council expressed 
their dismay over the sudden eruption of violence between Israel and 
Gaza, Kinnamon offered this prayer:

God of all creation, you who are so bound to humankind that you feel 
the joys that complete us and the sorrows that rend us; God of 
Abraham, you who have made covenant with our ancestors and called us 
to be special instruments of your peace; we come to you in pain.

You have commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves; yet 
throughout our world we see horrifying examples of our failure to 
love as you command.

In the land made holy by the prophets and the birth of Christ, an 
insane cycle of rocket attacks and air bombardment has left hundreds 
of your children dead and wounded.  Murderous conflict continues in 
Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, and Sri Lanka.  A recent act of terrorism 
threatens the peace between India and Pakistan.  Animosity lingers 
between Georgians and Russians.  Thousands of persons who bear your 
image face starvation and violence in Congo, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, 
and Zimbabwe, often because power-hungry leaders have put themselves 
above your law.

God of peace and justice, we come to you in pain and 
contrition.  Forgive us for how we turn away from the suffering of 
others.  Help us to face their agony so that you might use us as 
instruments of your peace.  We know, in the words of the psalmist, 
that you are the one who can make war cease to the ends of the earth, 
breaking the bow and shattering the spear; but we also know that you 
have called us to participate in this holy mission.  May this new 
year be the time when your name will be exalted among the nations, 
and when we will come to love others as we have been loved by you.

> In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.

Kinnamon also signed urgent messages to President Bush issued today 
by two organizations with historic ties to the faith dialogue on 
Middle East issues: Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and the 
National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East .

"As people of faith, we care deeply about the welfare of both 
Israelis and Palestinians and deplore the violent deaths of those 
caught in this conflict," said the letter, signed by  CMEP Executive 
Director Warren Clark and Executive Committee Chair Maureen Shea on 
behalf of the 22 churches and church organizations -- including the 
NCC -- that compose the organization. "We reject all justifications 
for the unconscionable Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks from 
Gaza into Israel.  We similarly reject the Israeli response as 
disproportionate and believe that it is likely to strengthen 
extremists and undermine moderates in the region. While we appreciate 
Secretary Rice's statement of December 27 calling for an immediate 
cease-fire, there must now be prompt action by your Administration to 
help bring about an end to the violence.

The CMEP letter stressed that there can be no military solution to 
the conflict. "Only a political solution will bring a durable peace 
to both Palestinians and Israelis."

The letter called upon Bush and the Israeli government to restore 
access to essential services to Gaza and seek international 
assistance in restoring the cease-fire.

"The continued closure of Gaza with the cutoff or delay of vital 
food, fuel, electricity and adequate access to medical attention for 
the residents of Gaza must be addressed quickly and responsibly," the 
letter said. "We are confident that U.S. engagement, together with 
international partners including Egypt, can help restore the 
cease-fire, end the border blockade, and establish real security at 
Gaza's borders."

The letter from the National Interreligious Leadership Coalition 
urged the President to take "immediate action" to end the escalation 
of violence.

"The rocket attacks on Israel must be stopped and Israel's military 
attacks on Gaza halted," the group told the President. "More than 
words are needed.  We urge you to send a high level personal 
representative to the region immediately to help negotiate a 
cease-fire and make provision for humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza."

The escalation has increased the risk of wider war in the Middle 
East, the letter said. "As religious leaders, we will encourage our 
faith communities to support active U.S. engagement to achieve a 
ceasefire and we are personally prepared to do whatever we can to be 
helpful to efforts to halt the violence and restore progress toward peace."

Earlier today, patriarchs and heads of Christian churches in 
Jerusalem called on "the various Palestinian factions" to settle 
their differences. "We call on all factions at this particular time 
to put the interests of the Palestinian people above personal and 
factional interests and to move immediately toward national 
comprehensive reconciliation and use all non-violent means to achieve 
a just and comprehensive peace in the region."

The leaders called upon "officials of both parties to the conflict to 
return to their senses and refrain from all violent acts, which only 
bring destruction and tragedy, and urge them instead to work to 
resolve their differences through peaceful and non-violent means."

The church leaders also called upon the international community "to 
fulfill its responsibilities and intervene immediately and actively 
stop the bloodshed and end all forms of confrontation; to work hard 
and strong to put an end to the current confrontation and remove the 
causes of conflict between the two peoples; and to finally resolve 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a just and comprehensive 
solution based on international resolutions. "

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCnews@ncccusa.org