ideas for this Sunday, 23 Sept.

'Sunday 23 September 2007 – International Day of Prayer for Peace – is an opportunity for the people of Christ in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, in their families, in communities, and in international relations.
We can also bring to God in prayer those caught up in conflict, those working for peace, and political and military leaders who make decisions impacting the lives of millions.
Our Lord is the Prince of Peace who gives peace to our hearts such as the world cannot give. Therefore I call the Army to prayer for peace in the world. We can begin by shunning strife in our own personal lives and praying that God will grant us grace for this day by day.'
General Shaw Clifton

Foil sculptures
Give each person a sheet of tinfoil, ask them to model a gun or a sword.
Lead a prayer for those caught up in conflict, those working for peace, and political and military leaders who make decisions impacting the lives of millions.
Ask them to remodel the foil into something more useful like a bowl, spade, book.
Lead prayer asking for peace in our world.They could pray especially for those who live in countries where there is fighting.

What is a Christian to think and do in the face of significant disagreement and world-shaking events? I believe it is appropriate for people in every land to continue to discuss why and how this war is being pursued, even as we pray for a swift restoration of peace. As Christians talk and pray, it will be helpful to keep three foundational principles in mind.
God Is in Control
It is always distressing when nations contend with one another in war. Forces beyond our control sweep us along to uncertain ends, and many lives hang in the balance. At such times, we can find great comfort in the fact that God is sovereign and always in control, even over the hearts of rulers and the course of nations.
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases (Prov. 21:1).
When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.... It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another (Psalm 75:3, 7).
Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.... He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?' (Dan. 2:20-21; 4:35)
It is also comforting to know that God never exercises his power arbitrarily or unjustly. He is always good, and he always acts with perfect justice, even when his timing does not meet our expectations (see Ps. 145.9; Ps. 73; Prov. 16:4; Jer. 18:7-10).
I have found it helpful to pray aloud with these and similar scriptures, reminding myself of God's power and goodness, and acknowledging his rule over the nations. I encourage you to do the same. As our confidence in God grows, we can be freed from doubt and fear, and be able to see troubling events as an opportunity to proclaim Christ and serve others.
Our Leaders Need Our Prayers
Whether or not we agree that this war is necessary, each of us should pray frequently for President Bush and national leaders around the world, asking God to give all of them humility, wisdom, discernment, courage, and strength, so that they will do what is just, protect the innocent, and restore peace as quickly as possible (1 Tim. 2:1-2; Titus 3:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:13-17).
At the same time, no matter what country we live in, each of us should pray that our civil leaders would lead us in a careful and continuous examination of our national agendas and actions (Matt. 7:3-5). Leaders and voters alike are vulnerable to sin and error, which can lead any country astray. Therefore, we should repeatedly ask God to show us where our nation needs to change any policies and practices that do not satisfy his standards of justice, righteousness, and compassion (Psalm 82:3-4; Luke 12:48). As we humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, he promises to lift and guide us (1 Pet. 5:5-6; Prov. 3:5-7).
Each of Us Can Still Be a Peacemaker
Even when civil leaders decide to wage war, there is still much that individual Christians can do on a personal basis. We should seek accurate information, listen carefully to opposing views, and strive to influence national policy through prayer, respectful debate, and our right to vote. We can also act individually to heal relationships and promote personal reconciliation. In Romans 13, just a few verses before Paul describes the government's right to wield the sword, he describes the individual Christian's responsibility to be a peacemaker:
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.... Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:14-15, 17-21).
This passage echoes Jesus' teaching that we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:27-28, 35-36). Here are some practical ways that you can put these commands into practice in this time of conflict, regardless of where you live or what you think of the war in Iraq.
Mourn with those who mourn. All of us should grieve deeply with those who lose loved ones due to war or other forms of violence, whether in Iraq or other countries that struggle with deadly strife. We Christians should share not only our tears and words of comfort, but also our time, energy, and material resources to minister to them and help rebuild their lives. We should also pray that these events would make us more compassionate toward people outside our country who suffer oppression, persecution, and violence.
Pray for those who have done wrong. Praying for an enemy is not easy. Even when we get past our feelings of hatred and our desire for revenge, we struggle to know what to pray. Should we follow David's example and pray for justice to come upon them (Ps. 28:4), or should we follow Jesus' example and ask God to forgive them (Luke 23:34)? As we remember our own need for God's mercy, I believe we must do both. We can pray, "Lord, display your love for justice and prevent further evil by bringing guilty people to account in this life for what they have done. At the same time, Father, display your love for mercy and magnify the glory of the gospel by bringing these people to repentance and faith in Christ, so that whatever temporal judgment they face at the hands of men, they might experience the eternal forgiveness that you purchased for us by the infinitely precious blood of Christ."
Pray for peacemaking around the world. Even if war ended today in Iraq, it is ready to erupt tomorrow in a dozen other countries, including South Korea, India, Israel, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa.
Excerpted from article found at www.peacemaker.net/site/c.aqKFLTOBIpH/b.1172255/apps/s/content.asp?ct=1245969