JUNE DAYS OF PRAYER

Within NCCK churches there is a very special 10-day period of prayer. The period of

June 15 to June 25 is special to Koreans, hallowed by our pain and our hope. On

June 15, 2000 the first Accord between North and South Korea was issued by

Presidents Kim Dae Jung and Kim Il Sung, promising cooperation and a new future.

June 25 marks the beginning of the Korean War in 1953. NCCK uses this time as

days of prayer for peace and reunification in Korea. A booklet of prayers for each

day is published. A public prayer service was held on June 24. This year’s prayers

for the 24th and 25th are printed here:

Prayer for International Cooperation to Help Ease Tense Relations in the Korean

Peninsula – June 24

God of Love, We believe that people who are bound by the love of Christ in God’s

kingdom can overcome barriers between people throughout the world. The people of

the kingdom of God have different languages, histories, and cultures, but we believe

that we suffer together in mutual hardship, building solidarity and praying for a new

world. In the division of the Korean Peninsula and the pain caused to its people, we

believe there are sisters and brothers in neighbouring countries who pray for the

relief of this division.

God, the creator of all humankind! We earnestly pray that Christians in many

countries will unite, becoming one in their prayer for the peace and reunification of

the Korean Peninsula. Help us transcend pursuing profit for our own country alone,

and work for the universal good of all humankind. Our prayer is that peace on the

Korean Peninsula will resoundingly be unfolded over the whole the earth, and all of

history will be moved by prayers for peace in the heart of God. As the leaders of the

countries surrounding us have been a precious heritage for peace and cooperation in

the past, let us again work together to bear beautiful fruit for God.

God who shows us a new history! When we are faced with a crisis, give us the

wisdom to change through increased solidarity and cooperation in peace. Without

concentrating on our concerns, let us seek the truth and justice of God, and think

with the mind of God. Everywhere in the world let the Lord’s people make peace and

walk hand in hand with each other to see a beautiful history on the Korean

Peninsula.

With the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

we pray. Amen

Our prayer and pledge of determination for peace and reunification – June 25

God who already knows our situation and circumstances, in this year of 2013, the

60th anniversary of the armistice, help us not let the reality of division into south

and north continue for 70 and 80 years and more. As we have received your call as

apostles of peace, by your Holy Spirit make us capable of fulfilling your task to

transform the armistice into a peace treaty and achieve eternal peace on the Korean

Peninsula. It will not be by our efforts but as we are endowed with belief by God’s

supporting help.

God of peace, first please help the churches in south and north stand in upright faith for Christ more than for politics and ideology and help us to prioritize our thinking to love God and love our neighbour. Before south and north can become one, first help us churches become one in mutual forgiveness and love as Christians. We have to achieve peace first - please guide us first to become witnesses of the joy of reunification. Help us to realize deeply that it is not the peace which the world gives, but peace which the Lord gives. Let us know peace not as an idea or a theory, but perceive it as a fact of existence, and please let that deep peace become rooted deeply in our life. In the believers of south and north, let us experience the existence of the Lord and let us discover peace and reunification as we face the path of truth and let us walk the path of joy without fear.

God of love, please protect our minds by your love and give us grace through a passion that does not get tired of facing the truth for this period of time. With the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.