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 peace are blowing in the wind

Presbyterians participate in Lenten devotional activity

by Donna Frischknecht Jackson, Presbyterians Today | Special to Presbyterian News Service

Buds appearing on the tree mingle with the prayer ribbons that Northbrook Presbyterian’s congregation in Beverly Hills, Michigan, are placing during this season of Lent. (Contributed photo)

A biting March wind blows, but that doesn’t stop a member of Northbrook Presbyterian Church in Beverly Hills, Michigan, from taking off her gloves and quickly tying her prayer ribbon to a tree on the church property. Her prayer is for peace, for wholeness, for healing of not just the local community, but for the world. She ties the ribbon securely to the limb and steps back, the patches of lingering snow crunching beneath her feet, and smiles. Hers is not the only ribbon fluttering in the wind, but one of many placed by church members who are also spending this Lenten season journeying toward shalom.

Like other congregations throughout the country, Northbrook is using Presbyterians Today’s Lenten devotional, “The Way to Shalom,” as a guide to help them delve more deeply into the meaning of shalom, the Hebrew word for “peace.”

Written by the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, director of the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C., and his colleagues — Catherine Gordon, associate for international issues; Christian Brooks, representative for domestic poverty issues; Sue Rheem, representative to the United Nations; and Ivy Lopedito, a mission specialist for the United Nations — the devotional explores how in the Bible shalom can also mean tranquility, security, well-being, health, welfare, completeness and safety. Shalom can also be a “hopeful blessing that you are filled with God’s perfect peace and well-being,” Hawkins said.

“It is a prayer that you will have health, prosperity and peace of mind and spirit. Shalom denotes fullness and perfection, an overflowing joy that moves from your innermost being and is expressed in the way you live your life and engage with others,” Hawkins said, adding, “How can we receive this gift of shalom and, in turn, bestow it upon the world?”

One way of receiving and bestowing this gift is to understand shalom’s multifaceted definition. Another way is to commit to praying for that peace to be seen and felt in the world. Enter the prayer ribbon being tied onto Northbrook’s tree on a weekday in Lent. As part of the devotional, congregations are invited to create a prayer tree (or railing, wherever there is a place to tie the prayers to) as a visual call to prayer out into their community. And for communities like Northbrook, where signs of spring in the way of flowers peeking through the hard ground always seem slow in arriving, having strips of colorful ribbon is a sure way to dot the scenery with much-needed life.

Northbrook’s prayer tree, though, is not being adorned by members only. Those in the larger community have also taken notice and are adding their own prayer ribbons to the tree. For the church’s newly installed minister, the Rev. Ben Larson Wobrink, the prayer tree has been a blessing to him as well.

First Presbyterian Church in Oregon, Wisconsin, got resourceful with its Lenten prayer “tree.” Rev. Kathleen Owens says the congregation is enjoying the Lenten activity, especially as it provides an opportunity to see one another in a time of virtual-only worship. (Contributed photo)

“As a pastor making the transition to a new call, during a pandemic no less, the prayer tree has become a focal point for our congregation to gather — safely — in prayer. It’s been especially powerful to see the community respond,” he said.

In Oregon, Wisconsin, the Rev. Kathleen Owens of First Presbyterian Church has also seen a wonderful response to the Lenten activity of creating a prayer “tree.” Without a main tree on the property to tie ribbons on to, the pastor improvised with a metal rod holding a circle of mesh on which to attach prayers. Tree or mesh, it just doesn’t matter. “Our congregation is enjoying the opportunity to stop by the church building as we continue to gather virtually, and neighbors who are not part of our church are also adding their own fabric and prayers,” she said.

Celia Gray, a member of Paw Creek Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, has created her own prayer tree this Lent for her neighbors to enjoy. (Contributed photo)

Peace prayer trees are not showing up only on church properties. Other Presbyterians are creating their own prayer trees on their front lawns such as Celia Gray, a member of Paw Creek Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. While acknowledging she isn’t a “crafty” person, Gray has been enjoying the Lenten practice of adding prayers for those in her neighborhood to read. She laughs, though, that as more ribbons are added, the trunk of her tree is now beginning to look like it’s donning a skirt.

Robyn Myers, a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Anacortes, Washington, was inspired by “The Way to Shalom” Lenten devotional to revisit the spiritual practice of painting inspirational messages on rocks and hiding them throughout her community for others to find. (Contributed photo)

Robyn Myers, a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Anacortes, Washington, is not turning to prayer ribbons to spread the message of shalom to her neighbors. Rather, Myers was inspired by the Lenten devotional to revisit a prayer activity she holds dear to her heart — rock painting.  At the start of the Lenten season, Myers went to the beach and began collecting rocks. She has been painting them with inspirational words and hiding them around her community for others to find.

“I just decided to ‘take it on’ for Lent and thought it was a way to express the shalom message from the Lenten devotional,” she said.

Donna Frischknecht Jackson is editor of Presbyterians Today.