December 21, 2010

From the Secretary General, Canon Kenneth Kearon:

The thoughts and prayers of many in the Anglican Communion are focused on Sudan at this time, as the people of Southern Sudan prepare for a referendum to decide their future. The referendum will take place on 9 January next, and all are invited to pray and to focus their concerns on that war-torn country at this time.

Here are some prayers and background material which may help you to identify with Christians in Sudan at this time. If your Church has further material which you wish to share and to have included, do please send it to: clare.amos@aco.org.

In land area Sudan is Africa's largest country and it is the tenth-largest country in the world. Bordered by nine other countries, it is central to the African and Arab worlds. Under the British administration the the north and south were governed separately. In 1954, at the end of British rule, Arab north and African south were unified as one country. Civil wars lasting about 40 years ended in 2005 with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The CPA gave the south political autonomy for 6 years, to be followed in 2011 by a referendum to decide whether or not it should become an independent country. It is this referendum which is taking place on 9 January. A further referendum is also due then on the future of the border area Abyei which has been contested between the North and South, as well as popular consultations for the people of the Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile on their future.

The Episcopal Church of Sudan is a member Church of the Anglican Communion. Its headquarters are in Juba, the most important city in the South. It is a significant voice in the life of Sudan.[1] The Episcopal Church is neither pro- nor anti-secession, but rather pro peace and pro the right of self-determination, and is therefore seeking to ensure that the referendum of 9 January is carried out with due process, fairness and integrity. The Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, Most Revd Daniel Deng Bul of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, is working very hard to achieve this. In registering for the referendum (see picture) along with his Rowan Catholic counterpart, Archbishop Deng spoke of the importance of all people participating in the referendum process.

Archbishop Deng met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on October 7. A report of their meeting and the subsequent press conference, also including an audio stream, can be found online at http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/3007.

On the same day, in a BBC interview (online at http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9069000/9069191.stm), the Archbishop of Canterbury expressed his anxieties about the situation relating to Sudan.

On October 11 Archbishop Deng was part of an ecumenical delegation which met with the UN Secretary General in New York. (See http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/news.cfm/2010/10/13/ACNS4738

Prayers for Sudan

Archbishop Deng has issued a ‘Call to Prayer' for Sudan and the process of the coming weeks and months. The following prayers may be helpful for Anglican Christians around the world who want to respond to this ‘Call.'

Lord Jesus, you who said to us; "I leave you peace. My peace I give you." Look upon us your sisters and brothers in Sudan as we face this moment of referendum. Send us your Spirit to guide us. Give us the wisdom we need to choose our future where we will know your true peace. You call us out of slavery, oppression, and persecution so that we may have life in abundance. Grant us peace with one another. Give peace among ethnic groups. Help us to work together for the good of all. We ask this in your name, Jesus our Lord. Amen.

(Adapted from a prayer by Bishop Desmond Tutu, being used in Sudan for the 101 days of prayer before the referendum)

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God our Father, whose son Jesus Christ wept over your people who knew not the way of peace, and were as sheep without a shepherd, hear our prayer for the people of the Sudan.

Turn the hearts of their leaders to reconciliation and peace.

Bless their Archbishop and clergy, that they may be true shepherds of your flock.

Strengthen those who heal the wounded and feed the hungry.

Hasten the time when all nations will own your just and gentle rule and receive your gift of peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Prayer for Sudan used in churches of Salisbury Diocese, England)

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Let us encourage our hearts in the hope of God who once breathed the breath of life into the human body.

His ears are open to prayers; the Creator of humankind is watching; He reigns from his high place, seeing the souls of those who die.

Turn your ears to us: upon whom else can we call?br> Is it not you alone, O God? Let us be branches of your Son.

(Mary Alueel Garang, Episcopalian Christian of the Diocese of Bor, Sudan)

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Let us give thanks to the Lord in the day of devastation, and in the day of contentment.

Jesus has bound the world round with the pure light of the word of his Father.

When we beseech the Lord and unite our hearts and have hope, then the demons have no power God has not forgotten us.

Evil is departing and holiness is advancing, these are the things that shake the earth.

(Mary Alueel Garang, Episcopalian Christian of the Diocese of Bor, Sudan)

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Useful links and web references

The Provincial page for the Episcopal Church of Sudan on the Anglican Communion website can be found at http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/province.cfm?ID=S6.

The website of the Episcopal Church of Sudan is available at http://www.sudan.anglican.org/.

The 'Sudan Link' pages of Salisbury Diocese which has a formal link with the Episcopal Church of Sudan, contain useful information and resources http://www.salisbury.anglican.org/mission/the-sudan-link.

The Episcopal Church 'Season of Prayer for Sudan' webpages are available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sudan/.

The American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan website http://www.afrecs.org/index.htm.

The communiqué of a significant interreligious conference held in September 2010 which brought together Christians and Muslims through the work of the ecumenical Christian organisation PROCMURA can be found at http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/digest/index.cfm/2010/10/14/Christians-and-Muslims

The December 2010 issue of the Christian-Muslim digest produced by NIFCON, the Network for Inter Faith Concerns of the Anglican Communion, has a particular focus on Sudan. It is available at http://nifcon.anglicancommunion.org/digest/pdf/NIFCON%20Digest%204%202010.pdf

The following are the dioceses of the Episcopal Church of Sudan: Akot, Aweil, Bor, Cueibet, El Obeid, Ezo, Ibba, Juba, Kadugli, Kajo-Keji, Khartoum, Lainya, Lui, Malakal, Maridi, Mundri, Nzara, Pacong, Port Sudan, Rejaf, Renk, Rokon, Rumbek, Terekeka, Torit, Twic East, Wad Medani, Wau, Yambio, Yei, Yirol see http://www.sudan.anglican.org/map.php, for a map of the dioceses.

Anglican Communion News Service, London