Prayers of gratitude and intercession

  • Pray for peace and stability of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Pray for the healing of people affected by the recent conflicts in the country and full recovery of communities.
    Pray for brothers and sisters persecuted because of their faith in some parts of the country,
    Pray for MKC to contribute to the holistic transformation of communities affected by ethnic-based conflicts.
    Pray for people affected by drought in southern, southeastern, and eastern parts of Ethiopia.
    —from the Meserete Kristos Church, Ethiopia
    Photo: A worship service at Central Legetaffo Meserete Kristos Church, Ethiopia. Photo: Tesfatsion Dalellew. 


  • Pray for the churches and servants of God to be protected from persecution in India. 
    —Submitted by Vipin Chandra Bansiar 
    Photo: Vikal Rao 


  • We pray for the violence, inequality, and corruption in Colombia, that the churches may be instruments of peace, justice, and reconciliation for the people of Colombia. 
    —Submitted by Adaia Bernal 
    Photo: Iglesia Pan de Vida Comunidad Menonita Soledad Atlantico 


  • It has been more than a decade since the war in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo was to end. Each day there are more victims of kidnapping and the rape of women by foreign armed groups. A number of churches live in complete insecurity. 

    In addition, there is the trauma experienced by several local churches of the Mennonite Church in Congo (CMCo) in the Kasai region where a number of young Mennonites died as a result of the sad Kamuena Nsapu war. Let us pray for stability and evangelization efforts among young Mennonites in the Kasai region. A number of young people gave their lives to Jesus Christ during Bible camps for young Mennonites in the Ilebo zone (district), abandoning fetishes they had used as protection against Kamuena Nsapu. 
    —Submitted by Robert Irundu 
    Photo: Shalom Bukavu DRC


  • As Nepal goes into an election this year, pray that a good person may be elected. Pray for Nepali churches to have equal rights in the country and financial support for churches. Pray for opportunities to earn for those people who don‘t have jobs. In the midst of challenges, pain, financial problems and temptation, pray for believers to hold up their faith in Jesus Christ. 
    —Submitted by Hanna Soren 
    Photo: Henk Stenvers


  • Easter prayer/declaration 
    (Inspired by Psalm 118, 1 Corinthians 15) 

    The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever! 
    The Creator is our strength and sustainer; Lord Jesus is our salvation. 
    We are made alive in Christ who has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. 
    He has put every enemy under his feet and destroyed death. 
    This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 


  • We mourn with our brothers and sisters in Myanmar who have been sheltering in forests or border regions for months after their towns and villages were destroyed by the military in the ongoing civil war. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says Myanmar is “caught in a downward spiral of violence.” Lord, no one is forgotten in your sight. Hear our cries for mercy. Be our strength and shield. Deliver us from great trouble.

    Photo supplied

    Click here to read more:

    Myanmar

    Prayer for Myanmar

    A pastoral letter to the church in Myanmar

    Mennonites in Myanmar face desperate situation


  • We pray that the shared desire to follow Jesus overcomes the political and social differences within congregations in Canada and the USA.
    Lord, make us faithful witnesses to our friends of all faith. May we speak boldly but humbly of the hope that is in Christ. 

    Photo: Karla Braun


  • Pray for the infrastructure development of the Mennonite Church Uganda Conference. Pray for the training of our church leaders. Pray that God will bring volunteers to reinforce ongoing evangelisation. Pray for the construction of the church headquarters. 
    —Submitted by Simon Okoth 

    Photo: Simon Okoth 


  • As Jesus said, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few—. We continue to call out to the Lord for a harvest, that God sends workers to gather the harvest since this is one of our Conference’s needs, and we ask this global community for prayer support in this regard. 

    —Submitted by Samuel Mart”nez Leal, El Salvador 

    Photo: Henk Stenvers 


  • “In times of peace, we maintained a positive relationship with brothers and sisters all over the globe. It has become a great encouragement for us to receive support from all corners of the earth,” says the leader of Associated Mennonite Brethren Churches of Ukraine. “Every possible assistance, even the small one, is essential for us, and none of us can express how grateful we are. We give glory to the Lord ceaselessly for your open and sincere hearts.—

    Lord God, we pray for peace in Ukraine. We pray for your love and sustaining hand for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, including the 20 Mennonite Brethren congregations who are providing aid for their neighbours: shelter in church buildings, food and spiritual comfort. We pray too for the people of Russia because as followers of Jesus, we do not regard any human as an enemy.


  • Psalm 119

    The heavens are telling the glory of God; the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 
    Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 
    There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 
    yet their voice goes out throughout all the earthÖ

    God, when we look around us, we seek to find you. 
    The heavens declare your glory, the psalmist proclaims. 
    Yet in our changing world, it can be hard to see the stars through polluted skies, or glory in parched air and rainfall that never comes.

    Give us eyes to glimpse heaven’s glory all around us in a fractured world.

    May we remember: 
    That the same spirals of the Milky Way are part of our DNA 
    That the constellations of our communities that come together in love and care for all your creation is a way of displaying our knowledge of you.  
    That our patterns of coming and going, tending and nurturing, proclaim the work of your hands.

    Give us your wisdom as we seek to honour and reflect your glory, in ourselves, in our communities, and in our world. 
    Amen

    —Anna Vogt, MCC Ottawa director and member of the Creation Care Task Force  

    Photo: Anna Vogt