As a sports chaplain I am truly sorry for the difficult circumstances the sports world has found itself. There are no words to comfort, but I want to support nevertheless.
People to pray for
As a chaplain I have been praying for the general conditions, but also for specific sports people I have become aware of (mainly via sports news).
- Young gymnasts and their parents/entourage in Tartu and also their families in Ukraine – to get together again and meanwhile have a good support in Estonia
- Two Ukrainian volleyball players from Pärnu club, their close ones here in Estonia and their families in Ukraine – to have peace of mind and hope
- Estonian football players who were supposed to play in Ukraine, but had their season interrupted and probably experienced high-level stress – have a peaceful sleep at night, keep hope to have new possibilities to play
- Estonian handball clubs hosting Ukrainian players
- young biathletes from Ukraine who will take part in the competition in Otepää upcoming week – to feel the support and have an enjoyable event despite the difficulties
- Hillsong Church Ukraine – as I have visited the church myself, they are especially close to me and it is encouraging to see via their social media, how they are managing to support in spite of challenging times.
- Journalists who are experiencing high-stress situations when covering (sports) news.
In case you want to add people to the list, please let me know via this form here or at the email address spordikaplan@spordikaplan.ee.
I am open for individual meetings and pastoral counseling
In case there is a need for individual meetings, as a chaplain I would be willing to meet and support in any way I can. Please connect spordikaplan@spordikaplan.ee
You can pray as well
You can pray in three ways (but this is not limited of course, just some ideas).
- You can speak to God as freely and openly as you want. God is great enough to bear all our tricky thoughts and difficult feelings. He has never wished for pain or suffering and when the war started, He was the first one who cried.
- You can use Bible verses to pray, for example Psalm 91:1-8:
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
- You can use Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace (I use this prayer every morning via mobile app Hallow)
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.
Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!
Amen.
