The Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace will be holding a Service on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. We remember the slaughter of the innocents in Herod’s time and raise our prayers to stop violence against innocent children caused by wars and conflict around the world today. We continue to insist that “War is not the answer.” Waging peace is the answer.
When: Thursday, December 28th, 2023 at 6:30 PM CST
Where: Valley United Methodist Church (4201 Ashworth, West Des Moines, IA)
The service will also be live-streamed on the event’s Facebook page.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration required.
This ecumenical service is one of a series organized over the last several years by the Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace. This is a time to lament the terrible losses of war, pray for peace, and re-commit ourselves to the cause of peace-making worldwide.
The service has its roots in the Christmas story recounted in the Book of Matthew, 2:16-18: “When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’”
The service will emphasize deeply that all children need peace with justice. The purposes of the service are to remember the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem, ask for God’s mercy upon innocent victims everywhere, call upon God’s great might to frustrate the designs of evil, and pray for the coming of justice, love, and peace on earth. We will pray to strengthen our resolve to act against war.