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From: Dr. Nancy J. Kemper, Executive Director
Kentucky Council of Churches
To: Kentucky Media
Re: Prayer Services at Beginning of War against Iraq

For immediate release

To help the people of Kentucky in this time of national crisis and imminent war, the Kentucky Council of Churches is organizing prayer services to be held this week across the Commonwealth in as many towns and cities as possible. The bishops and denominational executives of the eleven member communions of the Council of Churches have endorsed the idea and will be asking their clergy to participate in the leadership of such prayer services.
An Ecumenical Service of Prayer will be held in ____________ at ___________________Church, located at
________________________________, in ___________________
on ________________evening, at __________p.m.

In a mass e-mail sent to all congregations or pastors for whom the Council has addresses, the statewide ecumenical body asked church leaders in every community to undertake three urgent actions: 1) to serve as an organizer for an ecumenical service of confessional and intercessory prayer, for the sake of holding their communities together in a time of deep controversy and potential strife over the merits of the war against Iraq; 2) to communicate with others in their towns and cities about "Shalom" workshops to be held during the first week of April by the Kentucky Council in a number of localities across the state to help educate clergy for ministry during times of national crisis and war; and 3) to consider starting support groups in their communities both for families who have a loved one in the military and deployed to the Middle East and for those who may feel that their opposition to the war leaves them without much support.
"The churches in the ecumenical movement learned a long time ago that even if we have profound disagreements and even if we dislike each other," said Dr. Nancy Jo Kemper, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Council of Churches, "that because of Christ we are not only able, but called by God to come together in prayer and worship and fellowship, reconciled by Christ." Further, she stated: "We have a special responsibility to help our communities at this time when there will be deep political antagonisms and distrust. As the majority religion in America, we need to practice hospitality and shalom, and be a witness against racial prejudice against Arabs and Muslims. We also need to witness that it is possible for members of congregations to hold disparate opinions about this war and still continue in the fellowship of peace and love within a single congregation."
Kemper said that the Council of Churches is working with faculty members from various seminaries across Kentucky to put together the workshops to help clergy deal with the issues that can cause division and strife in congregations and communities. The locations and dates of the "shalom workshops", which are still in the development stages, will be announced in the near future.

Click here for the pre-planned Call to Prayer order of worship that was used in Berea.
Click here to learn more about organizing a community-wide fast.
Click here for a list of local activities.
Click here for links to other peace resources.