Installation and dedication of a Peace Pole on the Zion Lutheran Church property in Bashaw, Alberta, CANADA
October 16, 2022
After reading the article, “May Peace Prevail On Earth”, in the June edition of the Canada Lutheran magazine, one of our members, Freda, put forward the idea of us installing a Peace Pole at Zion.
On Sunday, October 16, 2022, about 25 members and guests gathered to install and dedicate the peace pole with the prayer, “May Peace Prevail On Earth ” inscribed in four languages – – – English, German as our roots are from the ‘mother’ congregation( St. Peter’s Lutheran Church), Scandinavian as several of our members have roots with the North Germanic languages and French as we are a bilingual country.
For the dedication we sang, Dona nobis pacem, as we proceeded from the sanctuary to the outdoors. As we prayed for people throughout the world, we used quotations from the following peacemakers:
-for the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, the quote by Oscar Romero, Christioan Martyr, El Salvador
-for the nations of Africa, the quote by Desmond Tutu, Anti-apartheid activist, South Africa
-the nations of Asia, the quote by Masahisa Goi of Japan, founder of the International Peace Prayer Movement
-for the Nordic Nations, the quote by Dag Hammarskjold, Sweden, Attorney General of the United Nations
-for the nations of Europe, the quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Germany, Pastor, theologian, and martyr
-for the nations of North America, the quote by Father Daniel Berrigan, peacemaker
-for the Indigenious Peoples and nations of the earth, the Cree Proverb
Each prayer ended with the congregation responding, “May Peace Prevail On Earth.”
All who were in attendance found it to be a touching and moving ceremony and enjoyed participating in the event as described. To celebrate, after the service we enjoyed a bountiful and tasty potluck lunch and much visiting.
I presented some of the facts that are listed on your website, and most were amazed that The Peace Pole Project began in 1976 and that over 200,000 Peace Poles have been dedicated in every country in the world. Congratulations to the World Peace Organization and keep up the good work. As you, we hope and pray for world peace as well.
God’s peace to all.
Leanne Walton