Dear Friends,
What is the world coming to? Everywhere we look there are stories of despair, persecution and grief. It’s a very worrying time. With civil war in Europe, spreading terror in North Africa and the Middle East and continued conflict in Israel and Palestine. On top of that there are all the situations that don’t make it into our headlines and so we don’t know about them. Of particular concern recently has been the effect of the spread of ISIS.
The President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference recently asked us to pray for the situation in Iraq and Syria saying: “The situation in Iraq and Syria can only be described as a living nightmare,” said Mr Howcroft and Ms Dascombe, adding, “as Methodists we stand in solidarity alongside all those who are persecuted. As followers of Jesus who was crucified we stand with all those who find their religion twisted by others out of all recognition in order to justify horrific acts of violence. We stand in prayer, crying out together to a God of justice, peace and mercy. May God have mercy on us all.”
I am writing this letter on September 21st – the International Day of Peace observed by the UN since 1982. A prayer being used today by people of all faiths and none is written below. I ask that you try to find a few moments to be quiet, to reflect on the world and to say the words:
Lead me from Death to Life, from Falsehood to Truth. Lead me from Despair to Hope, from Fear to Trust. Lead me from Hate to Love, From War to Peace. Let Peace fill our heart, our world, our universe.
Peace to you Amy