Today is Hiroshima Day. It would be fitting to pray for peace for our world, and for nuclear disarmament and an end to the arms race. I attach a prayer, an extract from the Uniting For Peace resolution of the recent Assembly, and the details of the Sydney Hiroshima Day march which will be this coming Saturday. I assume there are similar events in other cities and perhaps elsewhere. If so, we should participate as a way of taking a moral stand and expressing our concern for the world that God loves and redeems.

I invite you to join in this prayer,

Gracious God, remembering the horrors experienced by the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we confess the violence and hatred, fear and resentment that pervade our world. Forgive us, and set us free.

We confess that we, and all humankind, so often put our faith in conflict, antagonism and violence, rather than in love and trust. Forgive us, and set us free.

We confess the madness of the arms race, and the hypocrisy of western nations that accept nuclear weapons being held by themselves or their allies but not by others. Forgive us and set us free.

We pray that your Holy Spirit may blow throughout the world this day, reminding all rulers and peoples of the horror of nuclear weapons and engendering in all a desire to stop nuclear proliferation, get rid of nuclear weapons (and indeed all weapons) and to end the reliance on military force to resolve political and economic disputes. Give to all humankind a vision of a world where weapons have been banished, and everyone works for the wellbeing of humankind and the environment. Lord hear our prayer

God who created this world and revealed your love for all people in Jesus Christ, empower us to work for peace with justice, cooperating with all people of goodwill. Lord hear our prayer

We join the cry that goes up around the world this day: Hiroshima, never again.

In the name of the Christ . Amen.

In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has shown us that each day we are forgiven and given a new beginning. God breaks the chains that bind us. Peace is possible. Thanks be to God.

You might also like to reflect on Together In Song Hymns 621, 663, 687, 689,

The recent assembly passed a resolution Uniting for Peace, which included the following (see http://nsw.uca.org.au/news/2003/assembly-justice-resolutions_02-08-03.htm for full text )

6. In light of the recent wars and in the face of impending war, the increasing global militarism and willingness to use military force, and those countries seeking to acquire or retain nuclear, chemical and/or biological weapons, to declare that:

a) Ownership, use, or threatened use of nuclear, chemical and/or biological weapons is evil.

b) Reliance on weapons for peace and security can never achieve a just and lasting peace. Security achieved through armament is sustained by fear of the enemy and can never see the world reconciled.

c) Genuine global security will only be achieved by working for an end to the trade in illegal weapons and the arms trade, preventing the proliferation of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction. (End of quote)

(A netfriend)