VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 9/11/09)—On Monday, September 21, or the Sunday preceding it, churches and communities throughout the world are invited to join together in prayer and observance for the International Day of Prayer for Peace. For 2009, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has chosen a theme focusing on the Caribbean and an idea of "One Love: Building a Peaceful Caribbean."
The annual International Day of Prayer for Peace, proposed in 2004, invites people from across the world as well as across religious divides to observe or pray for peace on September 21. The day runs concurrently with the International Day of Peace, a United Nations' initiative that "is meant to demonstrate the power of prayer and other spiritual practices in promoting peace and preventing violent conflict."
American Baptist Churches are encouraged to participate in or host an ecumenical prayer for peace event in their local community. Churches can find prayers, song lyrics and other resources in English, Spanish, French and German here.
Odyssey Networks invites American Baptists to sign-up to join in Prayer for Peace for one minute on September 21. To register your participation, please visit their website at www.odysseynetworks.org.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 (NIV)
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.