One... Lest we Forget

Prayers for Anzac Day

Welcome to our ‘One’ series.

Here we offer two sensory prayers each based on one single object. These are prayers for one person to pray, offering one word or one sentence in praying for peace in our world. We call these prayers intercession because we pray to God for the needs of others.

The emphasis throughout our ‘One’ series is to pray for the needs in our world. You can read the introductory post here. We might think we’re only one person and that we can’t make a difference in our world. In a world obsessed with bigger and better, we turn to Jesus and find many of his stories and teachings were about small things like a bit of yeast, a single pearl, a fishing net and making a difference by showing love to one another.

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. John 13:34 (CEV)

Let us be people who love one another. Let us pray for the people in our world. Sometimes praying might not feel enough, but God welcomes our single offerings.

Anzac Day

This weekend, in New Zealand and Australia, we mark Anzac Day on Monday. On the 25 April 2015, Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed at Gallipoli in the first World War. The large number of casualties or loss of life for the Anzacs in the great war, resulted in the establishment of this day of remembrance in the 1920’s. In the years since, Anzac day has become a day of remembrance for all wars fought. Dawn services are held in towns and cities across both Australia and New Zealand.

For the church, it is an important opportunity to reflect on the notion of sacrifice, the ultimate example of which we have in Christ, and to pray for peace in our world. In commemorating ANZAC Day in the church, we do not seek to glorify war, but to give thanks for those who have laid down their lives for us, and to come alongside and pray for those who bear the costs of war, both physically and emotionally. – from Anzac Day Worship Resources, Uniting Church Australia

This week’s prayers

In our first prayer we start with One teabag.  In the early 1900’s New Zealand and Australia were both tea-drinking nations. Apparently, here in New Zealand we imported three times the amount of tea per head of population compared to Great Britain! Around our countries, a traditional Anzac day service will be followed by cups of tea and Anzac biscuits.

In our second prayer we start with One Anzac biscuit.  These biscuits made from rolled oats and golden syrup are consumed all year round, in both New Zealand and Australia. However, many people make a special effort to bake a batch over this weekend as a sensory way of remembering.

One Teabag

Hold your single teabag and smell the tea before placing it in a cup. Boil the jug and pour the boiling water over the teabag. There are many different rituals of making and drinking tea, however there’s something about sharing a hot beverage like tea with others that seems universal. Over a cup of tea a connection is forged. In the space and pace of drinking tea together confidences can be exchanged, apologies made, forgiveness offered, and peace may be restored. Drink your tea and ponder on the conflict and wars currently being experienced in our world. Offer your prayers to God as a single word or one sentence for peace.