The following collection of resources for the Pacific focus comes from a variety of denominations and countries. We encourage you to use them freely, taking note of the copyright information when given. Please cite the World Council of Churches if no other source is provided.

Download the Pacific Focus Resources in pdf (76 KB). 

• Prayers
• Poems
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Atua of All

Prayer for ~ Peace for Our Planet

    (....bold print the People's Voice)

God,
We humbly pray to choose peace within, so...
that peace will come to our homes, schools,
communities, cities, and so nations.
And so we will raise hands only to greet each other.

God and Creator,
We have prayed this many times,
But, our fear still holds us so tight, so closed -.

....Reach into us beyond all fear and open us to love ourselves and each other.

God of Enough..
When we are afraid to lose what we have -

....Let us offer it up to the One who gave it freely, and share.

God of Peace,
There are peaceful patterns and paths open to us -

 .... Let us use them to see that all are fed, housed and find wholesome work, education, and health care.

God of All,
You love each one of us beyond our understanding.
You know our stories -

....Give us courage to bring balance and rhythm to our lives and so bring peace to our planet home. 

In the name of the God of Peace, may it be so! 

And let the People speak with one voice -

....Amen!

  _{-S. Diane Trollope  - Sudbury, Canada}

 Atua of Heaven and Earth

Oh Heavenly Father,

Let us live happily in the Pacific without hate amongst those who hate. 
Let us dwell unhating amidst hateful men and women.
Let us live happily in good health amongst our Pacific brothers and sisters who are sick 
Let us dwell in good health amidst ailing men.
Let us live happily, without yearning for sensual pleasures amongst those who year for them.
Let us dwell without yearning amidst those who year.
Let us live happily, we who have no impediments.  We shall subsist on joy even as the radiant gods. Let us live happily, sharing, understanding, supporting and helping to hold fast to our customs, traditions and cultures of the Pacific. 
Let us live happily in accepting other Pacific Island nations views and comments on most critical issues that deal with the entire Pacific.
Let us live happily in loving one another in Jesus name.

For this we pray, Amen.

_{- by Cherie Ripley}

 Atua of Justice

Lord,
God of justice and peace
who stands with those who are poor,
who asks us to be the voice of the voiceless,
we call upon you
for those who have suffered the injustrices of war and greed.

From the depths of our being we cry to you, Lord

Hear our cry, and listen to our prayers.

For those of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
Bikini and Enitwetok,
Kwajalenin and Mururoa,
Fangataufa adn Christmas Island,
Johnston Island and Monte Bello,
Emu and Maralingaö
Those Pacific people whose precious land and sea have been ravaged by nuclear explosions.

From the depths of our being we cry to you, Lord.

Hear our cry, and listen to our prayers.

Fro those who are suffering this day from disease, genetic malformation and the loss of those they love, as a result of nuclear radiation.
May their spirits not be broken by their bodies' pain.

From the depths of our being we cry to you, Lord.

Hear our cry, and listen to our prayers.

For those whose land and sea are today being put at risk through
radio-active pollution, from dumping of nuclear wastes, and
the passage of nuclear ships.
May their livelihood and health be preserved and may they live in peace and hope.

From the depths of our being we cry to you, Lord.

Hear our cry, and listen to our prayers.

We pray that your promise of justice may become reald
to those for whom we pray.
May they be released to live in freedom and love.

From the depths of our being we cry to you, Lord.

Hear our cry, and listen to our prayers,
for you are gracious, and there is in you
that which is to be feared, that which forgives,
that which strengthens, and that which comforts.  Amen.

_{- Intercession from the Pacific Conference of Churches (adapted)}

This is ALOHA

A

A is for 'Amo ‘Amo is for the first "A" in ALOHA because it means to carry a burden on the shoulders. This word reminds us of the heavy weight of responsibilitywe have to "aloha kekahi i ke kekahi". This responsibility stems from a heart filled with compassion for all things but especially those who are poor and oppressed in life. The ‘auamo is the pole used to rest on the shoulders that carries the burden tied to both ends. The burdens are balanced which reminds us that not only do we have the responsibility to "bear one another's burdens" but our kuleana includes malama and aloha ‘aina, to care for the land, the ‘aina, wai, and kai.

L

L is for Li'a Li'a is defined as a strong desire, or yearning as in the yearning for peace and justice. This yearning for peace and justice is what makes ALOHA more than just a sentimental warm feeling inside. It is the honest truth that needs to find expression in the actions and not just thoughts about ALOHA. ALOHA in its most perfect form is the reality of peace and justice. When there is peace and justice ALOHA becomes a yearning for peace and justice. This yearning is echoed in the timeless words of "Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘aina i ka pono!"

_
O

O is a word made up of a single letter and it fittingly indicates that there is only one answer to the question of life and that answer is "yes". O means to remain true, to endure, to survive, to continue, to exist! To say o means to choose life. This life is not one to be lived in isolation, but in a community, or in ‘ohana with others. To understand ALOHA, one must understand what it means to declare O in the face of adversity, discouragement, and even death. The O of ALOHA erases any doubt that Aloha Ke Akua.

H

H for Hili means to braid, plait, or to string as flowers for a lei, so that we must imagine the many diverse peoples in our communities, and in the world being woven together into a beautiful rainbow quilt; or strung side by side in a wonderful, colorful, and fragrant lei of life. ALOHA is understanding and living this reality that we are all connected to one another, our lives are intertwined even as our roots go deep into the ahupua'a of this honua. Hili is the unifying imperative of ALOHA.

A

A for Alu begins with the understanding that there are things in this world that separate, divide, discriminate, and destroy. Alu is the response to divisive and destructive natures and energies. It is the antithesis to division. It seeks to bring together, to foster cooperation, to combine, to consolidate. It reminds us that the very nature of Ke Akua is to reconcile, restore, and redress. The alu of ALOHA seeks to address the brokenness in the world around us, in our families and in our communities, to bring together the things that have been separated, to tear down the walls that separate, to oki to set free those who are held captive. This is ALOHA!

Original text written by Rev. Dr. Kaleo Patterson of Kaumakapili Church and used with permission by Kapiolani Community College - Hookipa Me Ke Aloha. First published in the E Ho'i Mai I Ka Piko Hula - the1998 World Invitational Hula Festival Publication, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1998. Revised for use by the Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center by Dr. Haaheo Guanson, Executive Director. For more information see pacificpeace.org

A child's prayer

Le Atua e, oi le lagi, fa'afofoga maia
I lo'u nei sao ma se taumafaiga
E uiga i le lalolagi ma ona mafatiaga
O le tatalo lenei mo oe le TAma

O le lalolagi ua tumu i le leaga
Ua tumu fo'i i matou i le agasala
O upu leaga ua matou tautala ai
Fa'amolemole, fa'amagalo mai

Ia e foa'i atu le malosi i e ua mama'i
Aua o oe le Atua lava e to'atasi
Ia e fafaga i e ua fia aai
Fafaga i le manuia ma le tomai

Ua faigata ma vevesi le olaga
Foa'i ia le filemu i le lalolagi ma ona tagata
Ia latou iloa le uiga o le fealofani
Mo i latou aemaise le tatou lalolagi

Ia filemu taua ma mafatiaga o le olaga
Fa'asaga loa i le Tusi Paia, aua "e poto le tautai ae se le atu i ama"
Ia filemu fo'i lo tatou va
Aua o oe o le Atua le Tama 

The Power of 'PULE'

P

P as in the word pupukahi, means to united in order to progress, as in harmonious co-operation, as in the harmonious cooperation of mind body and soul.   Pupu is  a clump of grass representing the coming together of single blades of grass, or  the drawing together or drawing tight of the many lines as in a fishing net.  Kahi is the oneness of the clump of grass, the interconnected-ness of the woven upena fishing net.  To pule is to progress towards coming together, moving towards oneness, unity and harmonious cooperation in all living things, with the earth below and the heavens above. Pupukahi is to make peace with oneself and all things

U

U as in upu is the yearning, the  desire, the recurring thought, the firm attachment, the never ending hope.  It is the expectation, it is the longing for, it is to keep thinking with anticipation.  Upu puts away anger and hatred.   Upu dissolves resentments and jealousies.   Upu is the desire to end the cycle of violence in the world.   In pule we yearn for justice and mercy.  In  pule we lift up others in  "aloha kekahi I kekahi"  and "aloha ke Akua".

L

L is for lani which means the expanse of the  sky, the mysterious heavens above.  Lani is spiritual food in a time of deep hunger. The ua or rains that fall from the lani nourishes the hungry aina and invigorates all of life.  In pule we look to the lani for wisdom and strength when we are weak. We look to the lani for hope in the midst of despair and disappointment.   We look to the lani for healing and restoration, for the sunlight by day and the moon at night, and that in life all things are possible with Ke Akua.   

E

E  is for ‘eo, which means to be full of food as in a calabash. ‘Eo is the vision and hope that every child on this earth shall  have enough to eat and a safe place to sleep.  It is the hope of creating a culture of peace and nonviolence for the children of the world.  Pule is the cradle in which every child sleeps, it is the food for a hungry world.  In pule we envision the fullness of life.  We are the calabash to be filled with good food to share with others by the way we live, and the choices and actions we make and take.  ‘Eo is the fullness of time and love's infinite capacity every moment of every day. This is the power of Pule! 

 _{- by Kahu Kaleo Patterson, Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center}

Ulu from Heaven Series (56 KB) by Kaleo Patterson - A series of stories about the 'ulu or breadfruit tree for Sunday School.

WCC NEWS: Pacific is focus of world churches anti-violence initiative - Churches around the world will pray for the peoples of the Pacific as an international church initiative against violence focuses attention on the region this year. Pacific churches themselves will pray and reflect together on how best to promote peace in their communities...

Fiji Times: World Churches to Pray for Pacific People - An international church effort initiated against violence focuses attention on the Pacific region where churches around the world will pray for the people of the region.

Samoa Observers:  World to Pray for Pacific People - Churches around the world will pray for the people of the Pacific as an international church initiative against violence focuses attention on the region this year.