Celebration of Hope

The Canadian Council of Churches Invites
All Communities of Faith to Join in Prayer
on April 24th

In solidarity with the Ukrainian Bishops of Canada we invite you to join with The Canadian Council of Churches on April 24, which is Pascha (Easter Sunday on the Julian calendar), to proclaim together that Christ is Risen, that love overcomes fear, and that life overcomes death and destruction.

We invite all worshipping communities to pray for peace and to ring your church bells at 12 noon your time (or offer some other liturgical action appropriate in your community) as a sign and celebration of hope.

~ from the Canadian Council of Churches’ website

Three Prayers for Ukraine

Prayer I

O God of love, we pray for the people of Ukraine,
the frail and the elderly,
the women and children who are left alone,
grieving families with loved ones who have fallen,
and the multitudes who have lost everything.

O God of peace, how we long that violence will cease,
that the machines of war,
will be transformed into implements of peace.
Be with the leaders of this world,
that their decisions will be keenly oriented
towards a just and lasting peace.

O God of compassion, open our hearts,
to care for the refugees who may come to our shores
and the needy stranger in our midst.
For Christ’s sake. Amen.
The Rev. Dr. Das Sydney, President,
The Canadian Council of Churches

Prayer II

O Lord God of powers, and God of our salvation, O God, who alone work wonders:
look down with mercy and compassion on Your humble servants,
and out of love for mankind hearken and have mercy on us and on the land of Ukraine.

Visit Your mercies and compassions upon Your humble servants,
those who defend Ukraine and her much-suffering people,
and hear us who fall down before Your deep compassion.

For You are the health and victory and salvation of them that put their hope in You,
and unto You do we send up glory: to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever,
and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Adapted from the Byzantine liturgical tradition (“Prayer Service Sung in Times of War,” in Trebnyk, Book of Needs) 

Prayer III

God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine
today.
We pray for peace and the laying down
of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for
tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw
near to them.
We pray for those with power over war
or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and
compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious
children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince
of Peace.
Amen.

Church of England Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby
Church of England Anglican Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell