“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4) 

Christians are called into prayer and advocacy for peace. In a global context where war and violence abound, the practice of peace has become even more urgent. 

The war in Ukraine has entered its second year; there is simultaneously escalating violence in Palestine; continuing military exercises threatening peace on the Korean peninsula; state violence in Myanmar; a fragile situation in Ethiopia; and war in several other parts of the world.  

Christian world communions – including Mennonite World Conference – are organizing a Global Peace Prayer on 22 March 2023 at 14:00 UTC.  

“As Anabaptists, peacemaking is one of our core convictions. We gratefully join this ecumenical event to pray to the Prince of Peace for courage to confront violence with shalom,” says César García, MWC general secretary. 

Interpretation is available in Spanish, French, German, Indonesian, Korean, Portuguese and Ukrainian.  

Last year, The Conference of European Churches, Baptist World Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Mennonite World Conference, World Methodist Council and the World Communion of Reformed Churches organized an online global peace prayer on 2 March 2022. This was attended by more than 5 000 people from some 150 countries.  

Find the start time in your local time zone 

Prayer on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the Russian government's war of aggression against the people of Ukraine

God of just peace,

we pray for all those who, in the midst of war courageously witness and walk the path of nonviolence.

Strengthen them and protect them – and let us help where we can.

“Deliver us from evil.”

—Submitted by The Board of the Association of Mennonite Congregations in Germany on the eve of the 2023 anniversary of the outbreak of war.