|PIC1|MethodistChildren, the children’s ministry of the Methodist Church, has expressed its distress at the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and the suffering of the children who face the conflict daily.

“The distressing news coming out of Lebanon is of concern to us all,” read a MethodistChildren statement.

According to UNICEF estimates, at least one third of all the people injured or killed in the conflict are children.

The statement continued: “It seems outrageous that adults are prepared to tolerate this rather than find a non-violent solution.”

In a separate statement, Steve Pearce, Methodist Secretary for Children’s Work, said; “Children are bearing the brunt of this conflict, while adults fail to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The figures for the dead and injured show that one in every three deaths is of a child and that half of the injuries are to children.

“Children in these areas are exposed to the violence and hatred that is characteristic of war and could face serious difficulties in developing an understanding of what it is like to live in peace.”

|TOP|MethodistChildren is inviting children’s groups to take the time to create prayers for peace in Lebanon, “especially for the children who are frightened and hurt”.

It also appealed for the children’s groups to lead their churches in silent and spoken prayer and offered a prayer for use in full below.

The Methodist Church released a statement earlier in the week in which Anthea Cox, Methodist Co-ordinating Secretary for Public Life and Social Justice, called upon the British government to demand an immediate ceasefire and to distance itself from the US support of the Israeli military campaign in Lebanon.

|AD|Ms Cox said: “We welcome the Government’s call for a UN peacekeeping force in South Lebanon and urge the disarming of militias in Lebanon as part of a negotiated settlement.”


MethodistChildren suggested prayer for peace in Lebanon:

Banish war
God of Mercy
Maker of love and peace
Banish war from our world
and wipe away our tears.

Protect us from terror and violence
and keep us safe from weapons of hate
Help us to establish love, justice and peace
and so live truly as your holy people

We pray in the Spirit
and in the name of Jesus the Lord
Amen