The Quakers met for worship on Sunday, December 1, 2024, the Prisoners for Peace Day, and we remember the suffering of the prisoner of conscience Dmytro Zelinsky and other people who, following the call of their conscience, consistently refuse to kill in Ukraine and other countries of the world and suffer from repression. We are saddened by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the brutal crackdown on peaceful gatherings and arrests of supporters of European integration in Georgia, saddened by all the bloodshed around the world, including in Palestine and Pakistan. We asked God to send a glimpse of common sense to the Moscow ruler and patriarch so that they would stop nuclear threats, and we repeated our prayers for Ukraine to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We hold in the light all those who suffer from wars and other injustices, and wish for peace to come soon. We were glad to pray together with the representatives of peace advocating organizations Peace SOS (Netherlands) and World BEYOND War (USA and the whole world), as well as the Society of Ukrainian Philosophers and Religious Scholars. We felt the blessing and joy of sharing worship with our four-legged friends. We will meet for worship next Sunday at 14:30 Kyiv time.
Artem Denysov:
Frends, I ask you to hold in the light our neighbours from Georgia. Police uses tear gas and water cannons to disperse protests against attempts to reverse popular choice in favor of European integration. My wife and I have friends who lived in Georgia, who moved to live there. I feel pain in my heart seeing what happens with our neighbours.
May-May Meijer:
I would like to let you know, that I’m feeling for you and I support you and I am praying for you. And I will also pray for the people in Georgia. And I also like to let you know that I thought it was very special that you called to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; this was a wonderful sign of light during such a dark times. And you really are inspiration and a source of light.
Yurii Sheliazhenko:
I am thankful to Artem and May-May for ministries, especially for prayers for people suffering in Georgia. I hold in the light a Friend I personally know from meetings and worship of FWCC EMES Peace and Service Network, Mikheil Elizbarashvili, a Clerk of the Religious Society of Friends in Georgia. I wrote him that horrible treatment of protesters worried me, and I hold him in the light; he responded that situation is difficult, and it is unknown what is going to happen; he thanks for concerns and for upholding in the light Friends in Georgia.
It is sad to learn about religious and political violence in Pakistan. A journalist Matiullah Jan who covered fights between security forces and protesters against a ruling militarist regime was arrested but it is good to know that he was released on bail.
Friends, the sad bloodshed around the world continues. People die because of Russian brutal assault on Ukraine and Israeli strikes on Palestine. In Georgia, police violently disperce protests and detains participants; it is especially painful because there are members of Religious Society of Friends there. Let’s uphold in the light all victims of wars and injustices.
President Putin, who started the cruel war of aggression, threatens to strike on Kyiv with a new rocket with explosive force close to nuclear.
Patriarch of Moscow thanked to scientists for such a fantastic weapons and called on Christians to become warriors.
This is a despicable alliance of a criminal with anti-Christ, both deceivers of their flock and both are serving the devil.
Our Father in heavens, please send on them even a glimpse of common sense to make them repent.
George Fox wrote in his letter to a leader of nation and commander of army that son of God was sent to stand a witness against all violence and against all the works of darkness, and to turn people from the darkness to the light, and to bring them from the occasion of the war.
In the Revelation 13:10 it is said, “He that kills with the sword shall perish with the sword”. That’s why we follow the advice of George Fox: “Live in peace, in Christ, the way of peace, and therein seek the peace of all men, and no man’s hurt.”
I would also like to say that I was glad to see several Friends today at the training on human rights organized by Center for Civil Liberties, where importance of human rights was mentioned for peace in the world as well as the fundamental nature of the right to freedom of conscience, religion and belief. Human right to conscientious objection to military service was also discussed in the chat.
Let’s have a prayer for human rights defenders and support them, including through donations.
The New Testament reminds us about gratitude: “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18).
Artem Denysov:
proposed, following suggestion of John Reuwer in the end of previous meeting, to ask attendants to tell about themselves.
Yevhenii Raspopov:
Friends, I have wanted for a long time to be in such a community, to pray together. I even wrote some material about the Quakers, but I never participated in such meetings. I am a member of the Society of Ukrainian Philosophers and Religious Scholars.
Today there was an attack by Shahed drones in our area, shelling was heard. And before that, some inner voice called for prayer. Rockets and UAVs have been flying near for the past few days. And when you simply turn to God in this light and you see the answer that comes at the end of the prayer, immediately it feels as if everything stopped, everything normalized. And the main thing is to really hear this inner voice, when God speaks through it, telling you to listen and be attentive.
Thank you for the opportunity to be in this community today. Really glad to be here. It is nice to see that people from all over the world can share revelations, inner light from God with us. As Jesus said, the Kingdom of God is within you, and this is a great potential. We can turn to God in the most difficult times and understand that there is great hope, confidence, a solution to the complex issues that exist today in geopolitics and in all this chaos that we see.
May-May Meijer [website www.may-maymeijer.nl]:
I’ve been active in national politics in the Netherlands, and I was a member of the foreign policy committee, and we discussed diplomacy and the use of the military. But then I got psychosis and I suffered very badly and needed psychological therapy during years. God came to help me, when I went to the church.
I founded the peace organization, Peace SOS [website www.peacesos.nl], and then I learned about the Quakers. My peace actions were often supported by the Quakers. We wrote a letter to all the world leaders about Russian invasion. And then I met Yurii and I was very glad that Yurii helped to spread the peace letter. And then I found out that Yurii is also a Quaker, so I decided to join this meeting, and this is a second time I attend this meeting. And also I give guest lectures at the University of Amsterdam for students of religious studies, and I also gave a guest lecture for those who study psychology and religious experiences.
At the end of the meeting:
the participants expressed joy of sharing worship with our four-legged friends. Kristen wrote in the chat that animals are special messengers from God, and May-May noted that the previous time her cat came to have a look. We also saw the cats with Yevhenii and Yurii. John Reuwer wrote in the chat: “Friends, good to be with you, and hear the Quaker peace testimony proclaimed in your terrible circumstances. I must leave to attend my home Meeting.” May-May Meyer wrote that we are in her prayers and wished: “May peace come soon.” Farooq introduced us to his son Jeremiah and daughter Mary.
We hold in the light all those who suffer from all injustices, including the greatest of injustices such as wars, and we will meet for worship next Sunday at 14:30 Kyiv time.