What do you think could happen if churches everywhere prayed and acted together to nurture lasting peace? . . . among individuals, families, communities and societies? Well, that opportunity is here! And we invite you to join us in this collective effort, now held annually on and around September 21, and this year, emphasizing climate change.
In 2004, the World Council of Churches and the United Nations proposed the idea of an International Day of Prayer for Peace (IDPP) every September 21. Since then, this has become a special day of festive activity in virtually every denomination worldwide. LPF played a special role from the start: LPF leaders wrote the worship resource for the very first IDPP in 2004, used in 10,000 churches across the globe!
LPF has ideas and resources to help you and your congregation make the most of this occasion to share in meaningful worship, build understanding and encourage action toward planet nurturing. This year, Sept. 21 is:
The global “Day of Prayer for Peace” plus “The Largest Climate March in History,” and Nonviolent Actions in over 130 communities that connect reversing climate change with ending war and poverty.
The coming together of these efforts offers a significant opportunity to educate and encourage congregation members, and to energize and strengthen efforts on the crucial issues of climate change and peace.
A good place to start is to invite your pastor or worship committee to include a prayer in the service on the Sunday before or after Sept. 21. There is a wealth of resources to help.
Another possibility is to invite your social justice committee (or a few members with peace and justice interest) to share advocacy materials during the coffee hour after church. Again there are a variety of options. Here are resources and links on all of the above:
- Many groups are offering prayer and worship resources. Here are a few from several religious traditions: Education for Justice, Climate Crisis Coalition, Climate Prayer, Catholic Climate Covenant, Christian Aid, to mention just a few.
- The People’s Climate March (billed as the “Largest Climate March in History”): they offer posters and other resources and a long list of supportive groups. For the connection between climate change and peacemaking, here’s a link to LPF’s blog on the subject.
- Campaign Nonviolence members are planning actions that connect reversing climate change with ending war and poverty. “Over 110 nonviolent actions are planned across the country during the week of Sept. 21-27 … and that’s just the start!”
- Lutheran advocacy possibilities: We can start with the ELCA’s climate change conversation and urge Lutheran institutions to do what other denominations have done, divest from industries responsible for greenhouse gas emissions tied to global warming. We could also call on our leaders to follow the example of these Swedish Lutheran Archbishops, including their first female archbishop.
We’d be happy to hear from you to discuss this further. And we’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions. This has considerable potential and offers many opportunities. Let’s make the most of it!