Palm Sunday Procession for Peace and Prayer Service Held

Sunday, March 20, the annual Palm Sunday Procession for Peace & Prayer Service was held in Des Moines, IA. 

Led by a donkey, like Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago, a procession of approximately 75 or more people waved palm branches and bore messages of peace on banners or signs. 

The walk began at 2500 University, from the First Christian Church, and ended at 33^rd and University at the Des Moines Intentional Eucharistic Community.  The DMIEC filled up quickly, and people joined in the prayer service who hadn’t walked.

The program included gathering music, hymns (“Lead Us From Death to Life” & “We Are Called,”) multi-faith unison and responsive prayers, Scripture reading (Mark 11:1-11) , reflections by world-renown peace activist & Jesuit priest John Dear,  & recorded song by Dodie Stevens, “When?” for offertory.

John Dear is a priest, pastor, retreat leader, and author.  He served for many years as the director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and now is involved with Campaign Nonviolence/ Pace e Bene.  John has traveled the war zones of the world, and has been nominated many times for the Nobel Peace Prize, including by Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.  He is an author of 30 books.

Dear’s reflection focused on following the nonviolent Jesus during Holy Week.  He told his listeners that Gandhi gave credit numerous times to Jesus as the leader of nonviolence in the history of the world. He also noted that the culmination of Jesus’ life, death by a cross, was the ultimate act of nonviolence.

The Palm Sunday Procession for Peace and Prayer Service was planned by the Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace and was cosponsored by 45 organizations, churches, and individuals, including Iowa Peace Network.