WCC News: Prayers for peace ring worldwide on the third anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine

During the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a call for prayers raised a chorus of global voices calling for peace and justice. Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 28 February 2025 On 21 February, the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations called upon representatives of various religious traditions in Ukraine and beyond to unite in prayer for a just peace for Ukraine. “Russia’s war of conquest against Ukraine has brought immense suffering, grief, and loss to the Ukrainian people,” said the call to prayer. “We call upon representatives of various religious traditions in Ukraine and beyond to turn to the Almighty on this day, each according to their faith, and to unite in prayer for a just peace for Ukraine.” On the National Day of Prayer—24 February—church leaders and representatives of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations attended the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, where together with members of parliament, members of the government, European commissioners, and parliamentarians of European countries, they opened the session with a moment of silence and by singing the spiritual anthem of Ukraine, "God the Great, the One.” The call to prayer by the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations expanded into the services of many denominations.  The Orthodox Church of Ukraine held a prayer service, led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphany of Kyiv and All Ukraine in the St Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral of the capital.  The Ukrainian Orthodox Church held prayer services in many of its churches and monasteries. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church bishops held a rally in Toronto, Canada. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, emphasized Ukraine’s struggle for freedom. Members of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine poured out their hearts before God. “For three terrible years, we have been receiving terrible news of the deaths of our compatriots, hearing the sounds of explosions and sirens,” they prayed. “O Lord, every day the number of orphans and widows multiplies.” Other global church leaders—including Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew—also joined in calls for peace.  The Ecumenical Patriarch mourned the countless lives that have been lost, homes destroyed, and entire communities displaced—and reiterated that no force can extinguish the spirit of a people who refuse to be broken.  The Conference of European Churches called for prayer and action as well. “In these difficult times, we remain committed to the path of justice and reconciliation,” said H.E. Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, president of the council. “Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace.” World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, in a message on 21 February, called for prayers for the end of the war and for just peace.  On third anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine, WCC reiterates call for ceasefire (WCC news release, 21 February 2025) Appeal of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) on the Eve of the Third Anniversary of the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine Statement of the the Conference of European Churches: A call for prayers and action for peace in Ukraine Address of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the Third Anniversary of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, March 3 and Sunday, March 9, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, March 3, 2025 - That the Body of Christ claims a renewed sense of unity.
• Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - That we celebrate the gifts and talents that God has given us.
• Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - That people take seriously God's call to be good stewards of creation.
• Thursday, March 6, 2025 - That fathers and mothers in every American household would exercise godliness.
• Friday, March 7, 2025 - That students would have a passion for God.
• Saturday, March 8, 2025 - That nations work to secure and enhance international peace.
• Sunday, March 9, 2025 - That we choose to show generosity and compassion to the poor and the needy.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, February 23, 2025

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: Depending on your experience, you may wonder if healthy relationships are even possible. There’s a lot of brokenness in the world; therefore...

Sunday's Message - Keys to Healthy Relationships: Affection

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Sunday's Message - Keys to Healthy Relationships: ...: Depending on your experience, you may wonder if healthy relationships are even possible. There’s a lot of brokenness in the world; therefore...

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, February 24 and Sunday, March 2, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, February 24, 2025 - That governments recognize that their nations will be judged based on how they treat the poor and the powerless.
• Tuesday, February 25, 2025 - That children be protected from those who are not seeking their best interest.
• Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - That peace be restored in the Middle East.
• Thursday, February 27, 2025 - That businesses, unions and government officials would be ethical in all tax reporting and financial transactions.
• Friday, February 28, 2025 - That people are sensitive to the vulnerability of their neighbors.
• Saturday, March 1, 2025 - That loving families would be valued and protected by all authorities in this nation.
• Sunday, March 2, 2025 - That people reflect the love and mercy of God in their daily lives.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, February 16, 2025

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: On Sunday, February 16, Jess Quinn led our worship service. Below is a  video of the service and the service bulletin. Y ou can stream the s...

American Baptist Churches USA - Join us for "Reimagining Sabbath" Today at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT!

Join us for a Virtual Wellness Leadership Workship Today! Reimagining Sabbath Tuesday, February 18, 2025 8:00-9:15 p.m. EST / 5:00-6:15 p.m. PST What changes in the way we see our work if we understand Sabbath as the pinnacle of creation? Join lecturer and author Kara Martin as she torches the myth of work–life balance and recovers the biblical idea of having a rest–work rhythm, which enables us to flourish in our relationship with God, as well as flourishing in our work. The term “Workship” was introduced by our presenter, Kara Martin, who is the author of “Workship: How to Use your Work to Worship God,” and “Workship 2: How to Flourish at Work.” After the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in small group discussions and ask the speaker questions. This is a great chance to connect, learn, and grow alongside fellow leaders, all from the comfort of your own space! Register Here   Learn more about the Presenter: Kara Martin Kara Martin is the author of Workship: How to Use Your Work to Worship God and Workship 2: How to Flourish at Work and co-author of Keeping Faith: How Christian Organizations Can Stay True to the Way of Jesus. She is an adjunct professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Boston. Martin is also a visiting fellow with the Mockler Center for Faith and Ethics in the Public Square and on the Board of the Theology of Work Project in the U.S. She has worked in media and communications, human resources, business analysis, and policy development roles, in a variety of organizations, and as a consultant.

American Baptist Churches USA | P.O. Box 851 | Valley Forge, PA 19482 US

Looking into the lectionary - A guide for churches supporting nonprofits

March 2, 2025 Transfiguration Sunday  Luke 9:28-36  The longer I stay in ministry, the more quickly the calendar turns over. Some of the days remain quite long, but the years have gotten short, the seasons pushing against each other more and more each time they come around. It was only just Advent. This year, even though Lent is late on the calendar, it feels once again like it has arrived prematurely. It couldn’t possibly be here already. It couldn’t possibly be Transfiguration again, could it? For the preacher fighting a losing battle with time, the Gospels don’t offer much help when it comes to innovative preaching the Transfiguration year after year. The varying accounts of Jesus’s mountaintop revelation barely differ. The distinctions are in the details, not in the headlines. This means Transfiguration Sunday can be somewhat daunting for regular preachers. What new thing could we possibly say? What new breath could we possibly find? Is anyone else just a little tired of Transfiguration? Other than the disciples, I mean. They are, apparently, exhausted. It’s one of the small details of Luke’s account – but uniquely his contribution to the story – that our disciples are dozing off on the mountaintop just when the scene gets good. Different translations parse the complex Greek in different ways: maybe they’ve already fallen asleep; maybe they’re just resting their eyes; maybe they’re fighting it off with every ounce of their remaining energy — but the particulars seem less important than the impact. Even in the presence of the astounding miracle of Transfiguration, these disciples have gotten a little tired. It’s understandable. They’ve been working hard. Ministry is toughgoing; these disciples have been on their feet for weeks. Just that morning, they climbed a whole mountain. Certainly, we could forgive them a nap. But I’m not sure that’s what Luke wants from this moment. ... Thank you to this week's writer Matt Gaventa. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship — March 2, 2025, by Matt Gaventa How to help better: A guide for churches supporting non-profits by Charissa Howe  A priestly kingdom and a holy nation (March 2, 2025) by Tara Bulger  The fastest way to lose the next generation at your church by Nicole Doyley PC(USA) joins religious freedom lawsuit challenging ICE enforcement actions in churches by Rick Jones and Mike Ferguson Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration by Sarah Hinlicky Wilson Want the worship resources for February 23, 2025? You can find them here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... A free Ash Wednesday liturgy Written by Anne Apple. Liz Theoharis: Organizing and building power Teri McDowell Ott speaks with Presbyterian Pastor Liz Theoharis on uniting and organizing poor and low-income people into a powerful force. Presbyterian Church of Okemos, Michigan reaffirms baptism vows for a boy named Zach, a beloved member and transgender youth Zach’s mother: ‘When our congregation said in unison, “We see you,” I thought my heart would burst.’ — Mike Ferguson Stated Clerk and Executive Director joins other national faith leaders in public support of sanctuary movement The Rev. Jihyun Oh says PC(USA) recommits to compassion, accompaniment, safety and full dignity for migrant and immigrant siblings. — Layton Williams Berkes Beyond thoughts and prayers: Prophetic witness, righteous rage and sacred tears Public theology can potentially fill gaps in understanding within the intersections of race, gender, faith, and grief, writes Desiree McCray. Have You Got Good Religion? Black Women’s Faith, Courage and Moral Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement AnneMarie Mingo highlights Black churchwomen’s moral leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, showcasing their faith, courage, and theo-moral imagination. — Hunter Farrell The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward The Anti-Greed Gospel pairs theology with practical approaches: economic solidarity, creative anti-violence, and prophetic storytelling. — Sterling Morse Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA) announces shift in approach to global ministry engagement New plan further integrates missional and ecumenical partnerships within the US and around the world. — Rick Jones Grief touches every corner of our lives — not just in moments of death but in quiet farewells, conflict, and lost health. Grieving Change and Loss invites you to embrace the wilderness of loss and rediscover the horizon of hope offered by Christ’s resurrection.

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, February 17 and Sunday, February 23, we'll lay before God the needs listed below.

• Monday, February 17, 2025 - That we reject the politics of division and hatred and join together as we work to solve the problems we face.
• Tuesday, February 18, 2025 - That the body of Christ America would fervently pray for our nation and its leaders.
• Wednesday, February 19, 2025 - That people put the needs of others before their own wants.
• Thursday, February 20, 2025 - That we unite to deal with the gun violence within our society.
• Friday, February 21, 2025 - That we remember those who died in service to their country.
• Saturday, February 22, 2025 - That World Vision be able to address real human need around the world.
• Sunday, February 23, 2025 - That Russia and Ukraine find a peaceful resolution to their conflict.

Sunday's Message - Keys to Healthy Relationships: Acceptance

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: Sunday's Message - Keys to Healthy Relationships: ...: Depending on your experience, you may wonder if healthy relationships are even possible. There’s a lot of brokenness in the world; therefore...

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, February 9, 2025

Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community: The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service ...: Depending on your experience, you may wonder if healthy relationships are even possible. There’s a lot of brokenness in the world; therefore...

Looking into the lectionary - Marketing Jesus: Prayer apps and TV ads

February 23, 2025 Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany Luke 6:27-38 Luke’s counsel towards love and non-violence in Luke 6:27-38, paralleled in Matthew 5:43 and Romans 12:20, is one the most distinctive directives in Christianity, laying the foundation for the long-held belief that early Christianity was pacifist to the core. Texts like these also played a formative role in the reflection of luminaries like Howard Thurman and Martin Luther King Jr., who found in them biblical support for non-violence as a form of resistance to evil. It may seem odd to characterize Luke’s version of enemy love as “resistance”: “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your shirt.” At first glance, this doesn’t look like resistance but more like “doormat Christianity” because it seems so passive. In her book Dear White Christians, Jennifer Harvey tells a story about her mentor, James Cone, the prominent Black liberation theologian who often critiqued both integration and passive nonviolence. When White folk would ask him, “Do you believe in violence?” Cone would expose the assumption behind this question because it never took seriously the oppressor’s violence, answering, “Whose violence are we talking about?” This story illuminates reflection on Luke 6:27-38, a text in which Jesus counsels enemy love. You see, Jesus’ admonition to love enemies is anything but passive. To understand this, it is important to understand the biblical notion of love — which is not primarily a feeling (as if you could command a feeling). Love is not something you feel but something you do, regardless of how you feel. What Jesus has in mind is action for the common good in socially marginal situations where a power imbalance demands creative tactics for change. So when Jesus says, “If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also,” he is not counseling passivity but rather a creative response to an abuse of power. I’ve learned from community organizing that if someone is using power against you, they either expect you to be passive or fearful — so do neither. Love in this situation entails finding a way to work for the common good. Turning the other cheek is, indeed, forcing the common good. In the ancient world, if a person in power struck an inferior on the cheek, they most likely used a back-handed slap, aimed not to injure but to dishonor and humiliate. Thus, Jesus advises turning the cheek, forcing those in power to hit you with an open hand like an equal, recognizing your dignity. ... Thank you to this week's writer Roger Gench. Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship — February 23, 2025, by Roger Gench Marketing Jesus: Prayer apps, TV ads, and faith in the digital age by Patrice Gaines On ambition (February 16, 2025) by Chris Burton PC(USA) faces backlash over mission co-worker layoffs by Chris Currie The theology of a sticker: love, belonging, and the space we create by Maggie Alsup  Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration by Sarah Hinlicky Wilson Want the worship resources for February 16, 2025? You can find them here. Grief touches every corner of our lives — not just in moments of death but in quiet farewells, conflict, and lost health. Grieving Change and Loss invites you to embrace the wilderness of loss and rediscover the horizon of hope offered by Christ’s resurrection. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... A free Ash Wednesday liturgy Written by Anne Apple. The Stated Clerk and Executive Director wants Presbyterians to know about recent efforts to make civil society less disruptive The Rev. Jihyun Oh writes to siblings in the PC(USA). As immigration issues grow, so does a Chicago church’s ministry Lincoln Park Presbyterian’s support of immigrants expands through partnerships in the face of growing crises. — Rich Copley We’re all invited to the freedom party Silence sustains oppression, writes Teri McDowell Ott. What will we contribute to freedom’s call? The Wounds Are the Witness: Black Faith Weaving Memory into Justice and Healing Yolanda Pierce’s "The Wounds Are the Witness" explores Black faith, memory, and justice, urging us to reclaim our wounds as a path to healing and action. — Nannette Dixon David Lynch, divine wisdom, and finding beauty in a chaotic world Brendan McLean reflects on David Lynch’s surreal art, biblical wisdom and divine mystery. For DC airport chaplain, disaster training becomes reality Airport chaplain Nace Lanier, among the first to respond to the midair collision near Washington's airport, joined a team 'to holistically care for the hurting and confused.'