Ecumenical Prayer for Peace Fills Gloria Dei

Last Sunday Gloria Dei hosted an Ecumenical Service of Prayer for Peace in Ukraine, and the response from the community was deeply encouraging. More than 125 people gathered, filling the sanctuary with prayer, music, and a shared longing for peace.

We were honored to welcome nine clergy representing congregations from the United Church of Canada, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Baptist traditions, along with Father Mykhailo Ozorovych, our guest preacher from the Ukrainian Holy Eucharist Cathedral. The service began with the hymn “God, Our Help in Ages Past,” accompanied by the majestic sound of the pipe organ. Its familiar words and soaring music set the tone for an afternoon grounded in faith, remembrance, and hope.

Together we prayed in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, who continue to endure an illegal war and defend their freedom.   At the same time, we held the people of Iran in prayer as they suffer a war they did choose. A particularly moving moment came at the end of the service when the Iranian Vanchoir offered a patriotic song of hope, “I Will Build Again My Country for You,” a powerful expression of resilience and longing for freedom.

The service concluded with “This Is My Song, O God of All the Nations,” sung to the tune of Finlandia, reminding us that people everywhere share the same hopes for peace:
“So hear our song, O God of all the nations, a song of peace for their land and for mine.”

We are also grateful for the generosity of those who attended. The freewill offering totalled $2,903, which will support therapeutic camps for children in the Carpathian Mountains, helping bring healing and hope to children affected by war.

We give thanks for everyone who participated and for the powerful witness of Christians and neighbors standing together in prayer for peace. May the prayers offered that afternoon continue to echo—bringing comfort to those who suffer and strengthening our commitment to work and pray for a just peace for all peoples.