Praying for peace in Gaza

The NCCA, along with our Member Churches and many other Church organisations hold in our hearts and prayers those in Gaza. Please hold in your thoughts and prayers, those living in the region. Please continue to pray for our aid partners working for peace and safety, pray for them and their work amongst the affected communities.

 “ everyone at NECC is alright but the situation in Gaza is very horrible, we hope this conflict to end soon! we are not able to tolerate more conflicts and escalations, we hope to live in peace and safety. Please keep Gaza on your prayers.”

Near Eastern Council of Churches’ (NECC) Department of Services to Palestinian Refugees.

Ecumenical prayer vigil for peace in Gaza

There is an ecumenical prayer vigil across the globe on the 24th of every month, that will continue until we all can celebrate a just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Prayer of Approach

Spirit of the living God,

come afresh on your holy land.

Help your people to restore broken relationships.

Give them patience to break down barriers of suspicion and mistrust;

ability to discern personal prejudices and the courage to overcome fear.

Teach them to respect each other’s integrity and rights

so that your kingdom may be established on earth.

For Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

^{Rt Rev Riah Abu El-Assal, from In God’s Hands, WCC}

Lighting a candle for peace

In the name of Christ, who is our peace,

we light this light for peace in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel.

Readings

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.’ For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good. 

- From Psalm 122 New Revised Standard Version.

 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

 - James 3, 13 -18 New Revised Standard Version.

Prayers of Intercession

God of peace, encourage those who seek to establish a fair and just peace in the Middle East.  Bless their efforts as they work to end conflict. Lead those who engage in violence to put down their weapons and to live in peace with one another. 

God in your mercy,

hear our prayer. 

God of justice, bless those who work for peace through justice.  Strengthen their resolve in the face of seemingly endless violence.  Guide the leaders of the peoples of the Middle East to know your will and to support a just peace for all of your children. God of love, lifting up the holy land for all humankind, breathe love and compassion into our prayers with a desire for nothing other than peace:  peace in our hearts, peace for all creation, and especially peace in the land that is called holy. 

God of mercy, even as we long to understand that which is often beyond our comprehension, we lay before you the hearts, minds and bodies of all those suffering from conflict in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, and from the ongoing occupation. Shower upon all the people of this holy land the spirit of justice and reconciliation. 

God of the nations, give to all our people the blessings of well-being, freedom, and harmony, and, above all things, give us faith in you that we may be strengthened to care for all those in need until the coming of your son, our Saviour and Lord.

Amen. 

^{From ACT Palestine}

Silence

May our silence speak the peace of God.

May our silence sing the peace of God.

May our silence bring about the peace of God.

Amen.

Prayers from Christian Aid (UK)