Grace and peace to each of you.

Dear Congregation,

Grace and peace to each of you. I know you join me in being horrified and heartsick at the news of the attack of Israel by Hamas terrorists this past weekend. The resulting deaths, injuries, atrocities inflicted upon, and the kidnappings of men, women, and children in the midst of living their ordinary, daily lives is beyond tragic. As pictures and stories that make these people real to us come out in the aftermath, we grieve deeply for them and their loved ones. The evil present in this situation is almost beyond our comprehension.

We are also horrified by the deaths, injuries, and destruction being inflicted on the ordinary people of Gaza and their infrastructure as Israel retaliates militarily. The blockade imposed prevents food and other necessities from being brought into Palestinian families, causing their suffering. Thousands of Palestinians have become refugees overnight.

I’ll leave it to the experts to speak about and write on the factors that have resulted in this terrible reality. What I’d ask us to do, today and every day, is to pray and work for peace. Every Sunday since I came here over five years ago, we have celebrated Just Peace Sunday in September on the Sunday closest to the United Nations’ International Day of Peace.

We’ve answered the question, “Is Peace Possible?” with a resounding “YES!” We’ve supported the truth that peace and justice go together, distilled into the slogan “No Justice, No Peace; Know Justice, Know Peace.” I’ve challenged CCC to commit to becoming a Just Peace Church and I truly hope you will agree that there is no better time than now!

I invite you to join me in worship this Sunday when we will pray for peace together using the World PEACE PRAYER. Let’s pray at often ourselves every day.

In the love of the Prince of Peace,

Pastor Candy

WORLD PEACE PRAYER.

Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth,

Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust.

Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace.

Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe.