On this month’s Crosslight cover, prayer ribbons adorn the barbed wire fence of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
The ribbons carry messages of hope that the Korean War – which has separated families and divided a nation for nearly 70 years – will soon come to an end.
The synod’s NextGen youth travelled to the DMZ during their contextual learning trip and wrote prayers for peace, which you can read below.
They also met young people from the Presbyterian Church in Korea, visited cultural heritage sites and learnt about the history of Australian missionaries in Korea, which stretches back more than 120 years.
You can read about their journey here.
In her moderator’s column this month, new President-elect Sharon Hollis reflects on the contributions of the church’s culturally diverse young leaders at the 15th Assembly.
Honouring the church’s diversity was a theme that emerged from the 15th Assembly as the national decision-making body came to a resolution on same-gender marriage.
Marriage was not the only item on the Assembly agenda and landmark statements on sovereignty, domestic violence and other resolutions are also covered in our 15th Assembly wrap.
All of the August Crosslight stories are available here. Crosslight can also be read as a digital newspaper.
Anna Harrison,
Greensborough Living Faith Church
Father, we thank you for creating us in all our diversity; you are the God of many peoples, languages, histories, and cultures. But sometimes Lord our differences divide us, and we are sorry when we fail to love one another.
Even though we are so diverse, through Jesus we are one. In you there is no more Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, north or south, east or west.
Help us, Lord, to be reconciled to each other in you; to be your love, your light, your hands, and your feet in the World.
Grace Jung,
Korean Church of Melbourne
Loving and gracious Lord,
Thank you for leading the South Korean nation to the path of salvation. Although the nation is divided into two, and people are still enduring the pain of separation.
Lord, who knows our pains, we trust in you Lord that you will recover this nation.
Lord, you will know 25 June is the anniversary of the Korean War. I pray that all the pains and sorrow be comforted by your warm touch.
Many of your children, Lord, they are crying out to you. I believe you are listening to us. Lord I trust that you will comfort your children who are still suffering the pain of division of Korea.
Kezia Gitareja,
St Andrew’s Gardiner Uniting Church
Lord, Our Saviour full of mercy, we thank you for the peace that continuously thrives in this world. We thank you for the guidance you have given the leaders of North and South Korea to the path of togetherness, unity and love.
As we remember the traumatic Korean War, we want to pray for our human family, specifically our brothers and sisters on the Korean peninsula, who have been painfully separated from one another, who are still yearning to be united once again. Lord we hope that the process of reunification of the people of Korea will run smoothly, and quickly. Help them Lord to go through this long and painful tension with faith and belief. Please, oh Lord, fulfil their wishes and dreams.
Comments are closed.