Litany of Peace

One:   Dear Lord, I praise you for your amazing dream of peace and ask you to bless all of us here with that dream.

Peace Givers:   Lord, please give us the chance to spread that dream through our gifts and talents, so we can make this world a better place.

One:   Even though I am only one person, with your guidance we can make a difference.

Peace Givers:   Lord we ask for your strength, so that we may set an example and live peace through all that we do. We ask you to give us your guiding light so we may show to others your love which brings peace.

One:   God I ask you to give us your love, and your peace so that our hearts and minds can settle and so that we may live out your amazing dream. I ask you to watch over us, and please protect us all, and to help us live through peace.

Peace Givers:   For Lord, we may want to act against our neighbor, or our friend, or our enemy, please give us some of your strength to not act against them, but to forgive and act in peace.

All:   Lord we ask you together to bless us with your love which is the strongest love and strongest peace any of us can ask for.

One:    In our Lord, we pray, with love from all our hearts,

All:   Amen.

Congregation Pledge of Nonviolence - download .doc file

Making peace must start within ourselves, in our families, and in our congregation. Each of us, members of ______________________________, commit ourselves as best we can to become nonviolent and peaceable people.

Respect Self and Others
To respect myself, to affirm others and to avoid uncaring criticism, hateful words, physical attacks and self-destructive behavior.

Communicate Better
To share my feelings honestly, to look for safe ways to express my anger, and to work at solving problems peacefully.

Listen Carefully
To listen carefully to one another, especially those who disagree with me, and to consider others' feelings and needs rather than insist on having my own way.

Forgive
To apologize and make amends when I have hurt another, to forgive others, and to keep from holding grudges.

Respect Nature
To treat the environment and all living things with respect and care.

Recreate Nonviolently
To promote athletic and recreational activities that encourage cooperation and to avoid social activities that make violence look exciting, funny or acceptable.

Act Courageously
To challenge violence in all its forms whenever I encounter it, whether at home, at work, in the congregation, or in the community, and to stand with others who are treated unfairly.