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United Prayers for Peace
Congregations from five denominations in the Central Southland district of Winton met in late February to combine their prayers for peace as Iraqis faced the likelihood of war.
"Church leaders had encouraged people to pray for peace, so this was our response," says Rev Neville Jackson of the Central Southland Presbyterian Church in Winton. "We had Presbyterians, Anglicans, Catholics, Salvation Army and a Christian Fellowship group."
About 50 people, including lay people and ministers, took part in the prayer. It included the use of visual images of Iraqi civilians, a scripture reading, extemporary and responsive prayer, and the lighting of candles. People were invited to take home sprigs of rosemary as reminder to continue praying at home.
Rev Jackson said that amongst those present were people with a range of views about the war, some believing military intervention in Iraq to be necessary, and others desperate to avert it. "We were all united in the sense that we trusted God to work it out, and in our compassion for the innocent who would be affected."
The Anglican church in Winton remained open from 12 - 2pm each day through the following week for people to offer further prayers for peace.
The Central Southland parish is a recent amalgamation of four previous parishes - Centre Bush, Forest Hill, Oreti and Winton-Lochiel. By combining parishes it has been able to form a team ministry, running both traditional and contemporary services and achieving sufficient mass to have an impact in the community, comments former Moderator Rob Yule.