Geneva, 1 July 2014

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

I write to extend my warm invitation for your Church to engage in a specific activity as we journey together on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, carrying forward the spirit of the Busan Assembly.

As you will remember, the assembly adopted the Statement on Peace and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula presenting a mandate for the WCC as a fellowship of churches from around the world to accompany the peoples of North and South Korea in their struggle for justice, peace and life. One of the concrete ways in which this statement was followed up was through an International Consultation on Justice, Peace and Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula which was held at the Château de Bossey on 17-19 June 2014. This consultation provided an opportunity for the Christians from North and South Korea to join with their sisters and brothers from the global WCC fellowship in prayers, worship, bible studies and discussions. It presented a powerful expression of the international ecumenical movement’s renewed commitment to the search for justice, peace, reconciliation and reunification for the people of Korea.

In order to carry forward the spiritual accompaniment of the Korean peninsula and the churches of North and South Korea the WCC is invited to join the Christians of North and South Korea in a joint moment of prayer. Each year, the National Council of Churches in Korea and the Korean Christian Federation jointly prepare a Prayer for Peace and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula. This prayer is used on the Sunday just before August 15 of each year, the day when Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial oppression, and ironically, the day when it was divided by external forces.

I would like to invite you to translate this prayer, which is attached, into your national language and share it with your congregations. It would be most appreciated if the prayer could be used for the Sunday of 10 August. The unity of the Christian churches around the world represented in the fellowship of the WCC praying with the Korean churches will, I believe, be a strong sign of solidarity and spiritual accompaniment for the people and Christians of North and South Korea.

With warm greetings in Christ,

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
General secretary

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Attachment: 2014 Joint Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula