Daily Prayer for Peace
Daily Prayer for Peace
1:00 p.m.

Map of Syria

Flag of Syria
Syria

Would you like to learn more about Syria?
Visit Lonely Planet.
 
Gathering in Silence
Call to Prayer
Lighting of Candle

Invitation
  We greet you in the name of God who calls us to peace. Each day, we pray to God for peace in our world. In addition, each day we pray for a different country.

Today we will hold up the people of Syria in our prayers. Located in the Middle East, Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire for four centuries. The country came under French mandate in 1920 and gained independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. A rapidly growing population, industrial growth, and water pollution are major issues. Hospitality is a cornerstone of Arab life. Wherever you go in Syria, you are likely to hear the word, tafaddal (loosely translated as welcome) and you will frequently be invited into people's homes for food or a cup of tea.

For your peace, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the world, for the well-being of all peoples, and for the safety of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For our mental, spiritual, and physical well-being, let us pray to the Lord.
 
Scripture Reading: Psalm 117 IP
  Praise Our God, all you nations,
extol God, all you mighty ones.
For God’s love toward us is great,
God’s faithfulness, eternal.
Alleluia!
 

Prayer for Peace by Scott Liston, Independence, Missouri
  On this day, Lord, we come with one accord. We realize how wonderful is our opportunity to share with you our feelings about peace. These feelings are mixed with concerns. They are surrounded with hopes and desires.

Within ourselves we admit we stand before you in ignorance of just what peace is. The peace we understand is that which we sense is nearby. Yet we know that peace is not just for us. It is for all of your creation and that peace is not out of our reach or our sight.

We would like to raise our voices and "Shout the Tidings of Salvation" to those who have never heard before. We would like to stretch our arms to include those who know not your kingdom. We want to make our hearts so large that we will give more of ourselves to follow the example of sacrifice set by your son.

O, Lord, if we cry out "PEACE, PEACE," let not the words be wasted in the winds of war, to be wafted about among the machines of destruction. May words of peace be picked out of those winds by persons who are beating their machines of war into plowshares which will produce the whitened fields ready for harvest.

Give us wisdom to discern how to enlarge our capabilities to reach out to those who are hungering after righteousness. If there are those who do not know what it means to have this kind of hunger, then Lord, let them have peace. Let them know peace. Let them know we desire to be peacemakers. Then bless them with a righteous desire to be peacemakers.

Our Father, hear our prayer. Let there be PEACE! AMEN!
 

Hymn -  We Would See Jesus - Hymns of the Saints #218
 
Prayers of the People
Please join us now, praying the Prayers of the People. During the moments of silence, you are invited to pray silently or meditate.
  God of all that is, all that ever was, and all that shall come to be: We praise you. We give thanks for this time of remembering your goodness, your loving care, your guidance and your plan for creation to be at peace.
The People Pray in Silence
  Forgive us when we have not remembered, and have been guilty of actions and thoughts that did not promote peace.
The People Pray in Silence
  This day, O God, we remember Syria and its people who struggle daily for peace and acceptance and justice. Fit a blessing to their needs, and open our eyes that we may see how we can foster peace and acceptance and justice for all people.
The People Pray in Silence
  We would also remember the concerns and petitions of those gathered here this day. Hear us, we pray.
The People Pray in Silence
  Please use this space to pray for any current concern or event in our community, city, state, nation or world that you feel needs to be held up to God for prayerful consideration.
The People Pray in Silence
  May your name be praised and all nations bow before your majesty, Great God of all nations. Amen.
 
Sending Forth
  We conclude our service today with Ministry of Music. We invite you to remain in the quiet of this place to pray or meditate for as long as you may wish.

And now, Great God, direct us and guide us into paths of peace, for we truly desire to be peacemakers and peacekeepers. Amen.
 
Ministry of Music