Bishop Ward reflects on the International Day of Peace and making this week an International Week of Peace through everything we do. Visit umcmission.org/Find-Resources/peace-day for a beautiful prayer for peace.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God”. This week is designated in our world The International Week of Peace, and so, I invite our prayers for peace in the world and in our communities and in our lives.
God’s gift of peace to us is a precious gift, and we long to live peacefully with one another, as we live in peace with God through Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit.
As you view this video, I am a part of an international conference for women giving witness to peacemaking. The conference is happening in Bethlehem in the Palestinian territories in Israel. With me at this conference are 4 young clergywomen, Laura Fine Ledford, Katie Paul, Sara Beth Pannell, and Sarah Martindell.
We are here engaging with United Methodist Women, the General Board of Global Ministries, and others from around the world. We are visiting in Palestinian communities and we are hearing of their stories. We are with them in solidarity, in this time in their life.
We are here to give witness to the desire of God’s people to live peacefully with one another, to repair the great wounds of war through healing presence with one another and to depart to tell the stories of this region so that we will be connected in profound ways in faith and in our life together.
The United Methodist Women meet very soon for their annual meeting. Peacemaking has been a part of the ministry of United Methodist Women for over 135 years. Missionaries are in many places in the world as a result of the generosity of United Methodist Women.
United Methodist Women continue to focus on the very important mission of being engaged with children living in poverty, with young people, and especially with women in the world.
Thank you for your witness for peace this day, your prayers for peace in your family, in your community, and in our world, and may we as United Methodist people be a witness for peace day by day by day.