“Peace be with you – Shalom”! These were the first words uttered by the Risen Jesus to his disciples (John 20:19). My hope for this term at Newington is that we as a faith community can create opportunities to pray for peace – peace for God’s people is both a gift and a task (a calling).

Recent and continuing events in the Middle East – the escalating violence in Iraq, the shocking individual atrocities broadcast to the world; calculated to generate fear and sponsor hatred, the continuing horror of the civil war in Syria and the evil advance of ISIS in Turkey and Northern Iraq – these and other tragedies leave many people in shock and grief, without words left to express emotions we feel.

When minds are troubled and hearts are yearning for peace, we must remember, God’s faithful pray. We want to invite our neighbours to turn to the God whose heart breaks for every life lost, and for every innocent person trapped within a war-torn community.

God, in Christ crucified, suffers with those who are suffering. The Spirit of God gives hope to everyone who turns away from violence to choose to love thy neighbour. Just as we listen compassionately to the culture around us, may we also be quick to tell the Good News, deliberately and creatively in silence, words and actions, proclaiming God hope for the world in the darkest of times.

Rev David Williams
College Chaplain