Over 500 people packed St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines for an Ecumenical Prayer Service for Peace, held on November 24th. Sixteen church leaders, including bishops and judicatory heads from ten different denominations joined in prayer and song and spoke out in support of nonviolence and peace. United Methodist Bishop Gregory Palmer received a lengthy standing ovation following his keynote message in opposition to war in Iraq. Bishop Palmer said, in part, "I stand opposed to this war. I stand opposed to a preemptive strike. I stand opposed to any strikes at all. I stand in a place where I risk being called less than a patriot because I am ultimately a citizen of another commonwealth.We are citizens of the unfolding reign of God. There is the ultimate accountability.God's ways are always the ways of peace, justice, equity, reconciliation and hope."

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