The International Day of Peace was celebrated during a Taize worship service at the Presbyterian Center today. Download International Day of Peace 2009 Worship Service [Word doc].
The service included a minute of silence at noon, a prayer written by Jessica Hawkinson of the Presbyterian United Nations Office, and the new hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, "God of Mercy, You Have Shown Us." Carolyn is pastor of Limestone Presbyterian Church and wrote this hymn lamenting gun violence in response to a request from the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and other Presbyterians working to address issues of gun violence. Download God of Mercy [PDF].
David Gambrell, Office of Theology and Worship, designed the service. Jon Brown, Mission Interpretation, and Mike Schroeder, also in Mission Interpretation, provided music.
The closing benediction said:
The vision, God's vision, is for a world where peace prevails and the human creature and all creation know wholeness and well-being.
The challenge and invitation, God's challenge and invitation, is to live into that vision, seeking peace and doing justice.
The promise, God's promise, is that the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit will accompany and support us as we do.
Go in peace; go in grace.