Offering our shoes and boots for peace
At Luther Place January 1, 2012 we came together for worship offering our shoes and boots for peace; this is how we marked a New Years declared end of the war in Iraq. Listen to the full sermon: “New Years Peace: Boots & Shoes for Peace.”
This is a poem/prayer that I wrote for New Years Peace:
We mark the end of war
In Iraq
Not even 6 hours old
A peace cobbled together
years in the making
those of us that stayed home
hardly familiar with its horror
unless those we love
put on their war boots
and went.
so many of us side liners
are relieved by war’s end
yet do we get
that war dust
still clings to so many boots
lives changed for ever
even in homecoming ?
Can we mark the start of peace
January 1, 2012
a peace brought to life
in our prince of peace
God with us
Emmanuel
Shalom
Can we promise today
Wherever we tread
This new year
That we offer our shoes
And boots for peace?
And if we fail
When We fail
Can we Seek the forgiveness
Of the one whose cross
Marks the reality
Of how difficult peace truly is.
Can we still be bold to pray this day
May peace prevail
May our shoes and boots
Walk for peace
Work for peace
Run for peace
Dance for peace
All ages together
Longing for
Gods promise of peace
In our 2012 days.
Teach us how, holy one.
Bear us up.
Give us the courage
To face the war
in our world
And in our own hearts.
We need your grace
To live into
Your wholeness
Your Shalom.
We offer today
Our shoes and boots
Our prayers and pleas
For peace.
Amen.
PKB
