God of Light and Hope,

In you, we find love and solace.

We bring to you our grieving and distress

as we watch horror and conflict unfold before us.

As Christians enter the Lenten season,

we reflect with You on our own failure as peace-makers.

We seek to learn Your way of being.

We open ourselves with honesty

as we look to the reality of our living

and listen to Your voice guiding us and leading us to renewal.

We seek reconciliation and peace.

The events of Ukraine show the worst of humanity,

the greed, corruption and desire for power.

We see the devastation of community,

the desecration of peace and harmony,

and the purposeful destruction of good and innocent lives

and the land and waters in which they live.

These are the very values you call us to reject, and we seek to leave them behind.

Conflict has no winners, as it perverts the rules of love.

Power has no glory, as its corruption permeates throughout all peoples.

Dishonesty is a weakness and a cowardly way of engagement,

for it shows an inability to be true to self, and a lack of courageous humility.

These we abhor. These we see lived out today.

We choose not to live in this way.

We pray that those who do, will repent and change their ways.

We grieve with the innocent trapped in the midst of this perversion and corruption.

We give thanks for those who are embodying compassion, welcome and hospitality

through their action and assistance.

We pray for the peace-makers that they have the resolve, strength and voice to be heard.

God of all, we commit ourselves to peace and unity, to shed dishonesty, greed and hate;

for we long to live with Your Light and Hope and share this across all people and creation.

God of all, Hear our prayer.

Amen 

Rev Dr Melinda Cousins and Rev Anne Hewitt on behalf of The Leaders of Christian Churches in South Australia