Reflection on ecumenical peace vigil

Piccadilly Circus was as busy as ever when I emerged from the tube station on the afternoon of Sunday 22 October, but the inside of St. James’s, Piccadilly, was an oasis of calm amid the busyness of the city and the turmoil of the world around us.

People of all ages, backgrounds and cultures began to gather in this beautiful, peaceful place to participate in an ecumenical prayer gathering and peace vigil, motivated by the horrors of the situation in Israel / Palestine.

Those who had arranged the event had no idea how many people would feel this was an important way to spend their Sunday afternoon, but as we moved closer to the start time of three o’clock, the church steadily began to fill, as many came to pray and stand in solidarity together in these harrowing times.

The time of prayer and vigil was beautifully and sensitively led by Revd Dr Ayla Lepine and accomplished piano accompaniment for the singing of Taize chants was provided by Revd Lucy Winkett, the Rector at St James’s.

We were led through a beautiful and poignant liturgy by a range of voices representing different denominations and charities that had been instrumental in arranging the event.  We shared in prayers, in silence, and in sung chants and in every period of silence there was an opportunity to light candles which was always taken up by a steady stream of participants. 

Some of the words shared were quotes from those who are being directly impacted by the atrocities, including a survivor of the attack by Hamas, an inhabitant of Gaza City, a Council of Churches employee, and a hospital doctor.  It was my immense privilege to share a powerful and poignant prayer written by two mothers.

As we spent that hour together, it was deeply moving to see people of all ages step forward to light candles as an act of prayerful solidarity with those who are suffering and as a reminder of the light that can and does shine in the darkness.  It was powerful to see people giving each other space and time and patiently waiting for their own quiet moment of candle lighting – small but gentle and loving acts of kindness and consideration towards each other – a model of how we long for the world to be, treasure in the darkness.  At a time when we feel helpless, these small acts remind us that we can make a difference in the world and to the lives of others, and as so often, these things are better done together!

The prayer that I was invited to read included these words:

“You did not create us to kill each other, nor to live in fear or rage or hatred in your world.
You created us so that we allow each other to sustain your name in this world:
your name is Life, your name is Peace ………..
Please God have mercy on us. Hear our voice that we not despair,
that we will witness life with each other, that we have mercy one for another,
that we share sorrow one with the other, that we hope, together, one for another.” 

We may not be able to solve all the problems of our troubled world, but we can certainly make a difference to the worlds of those around us!  So, what can you do today to model peaceful living, to share someone else’s burden, to provide treasure in someone else’s darkness, to honour the name of the One who came to bring and to be peace?

Written by the Revd Gill Newton, President of the Methodist Conference