By Ramon Williams

Sydney, September 9, 1999 - The 5.15 PM Evensong Service in the Chapter House of St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral, Sydney, tonight was a special occasion. The Service, attended by the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev. Harry Goodhew, was a Special Service of Prayer for Peace and Reconciliation in East Timor.

Earlier, Archbishop Goodhew had stated: "I have been personally horrified at the reports we are receiving and have written to the Prime Minister and the Indonesian Ambassador expressing concern and calling for the taking of swift steps that will help restore peace and order in East Timor."

The service, led by the Precentor, the Rev. Canon Lawrence F. Bartlett, was attended by people from a wide range of denominations. The opening Psalm was Psalm 46 - "he makes wars to cease". The Bible Readings from Micah 4:1-4 and Mark 9:30-37 were also most fitting for such a service.

"They will beat their swords into plowshares ..." (Micah 4:3)

Archbishop Goodhew presented the Call to Prayer, reiterating the present situation in East Timor and calling for prayer for those involved and especially for those endeavouring to work out a solution.

The Litany for Peace in East Timor was led by Canon Bartlett who prayed for the military, militia, police, the Indonesian Army leaders, President Dr B.J. Habibie of Indonesia, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. John Howard and the people affected in East Timor.

Following the Service, a Caritas worker who had recently returned from Timor, emotionally thanked the Archbishop for his comments. She had worked in Guadacanal and Timor and declared to the waiting media, "This is not just killing. This is a slaughter! Every other means of ending this conflict has failed. Now we have turned to the only thing left - prayer!"