The ELCIC’s National Church Council met virtually from March 4-6, 2022. As part of their work, they issued the following statement.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) joins the World Council of Churches, The Lutheran World Federation, and the Canadian Council of Churches in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and global solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
We denounce any and every use of deadly armed force to resolve disputes that could be resolved by dialogue. We firmly believe that dialogue – based on the principles of international law and respect for established national borders – was and is the proper path for the resolution of tensions surrounding Ukraine. We call for an immediate end to the current armed hostilities, and for the protection of all human lives and communities threatened by this violence.
The ELCIC through its partnership with Canadian Lutheran World Relief calls on its members to respond through financial support to the urgent humanitarian needs in Ukraine.
We ask all members, congregations and related agencies to examine their financial investments to ensure they do not support Russian investments.
We urge all members and all people of good will around the world to join us in prayer for peace for the people of Ukraine and the region.
Loving God, you are our peace. We pray for peace between Russia and Ukraine. We pray for the people of Ukraine – those who are forced to flee, those who are trapped and unable to flee, those who are in need of aid, those who have died. We pray for Ukrainian and Russian soldiers, that they may be moved to lay down their weapons. We pray for world leaders, that they would be led into your ways of peace and justice. We pray for our whole world who watches and worries. God have mercy!
