The Canadian Council of Churches urges continued Christian witness against Russia’s war against Ukraine.

We encourage church leaders to use the prayer from our statement:

Holy, Holy, Holy God of life, justice and love, You who hear the cries of the suffering and remain faithful, We come before You in prayer, united with our brothers and sisters in Christ—those near to us and those across Canada

Today we lift before You, with particular urgency, the people of Ukraine: women, men, elders and children created in Your image and likeness, now enduring the suffering of war, trauma and grief.

We lift before You the children who have been forcibly taken from their families. Protect them, preserve their identity and bring them home.

We remember also prisoners of war, held in captivity and far from comfort and care. Be near to them, strengthen them and guard their lives.

We remember Your Church — its clergy and faithful, worshipping under threat. Sustain them in courage, witness and hope.

We commend to Your compassionate mercy the land of Ukraine itself—its cities, villages, and homes, its rivers, fields, mountains and seas — part of your beautiful world now scarred by violence, destruction, and loss.

God of justice and truth, we pray for a just and sustainable peace and for righteousness and justice to prevail over evil and hatred.

Bring an end to this war, bring peace, justice and healing to Ukraine. And turn the hearts of those who perpetrate this war toward repentance and restoration.

In these days of lament, O Lord, we live in hope that you will strengthen Your Church with your holy faithfulness and creativity to act with compassion, courage and generosity as instruments of your active healing. Grant that we might participate with all that we are in the beating of swords into ploughshares so that for all people and creation justice will roll down like water and righteousness as an ever-flowing stream.

This we pray in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen