Prayers of gratitude and intercession

At the burning bush, Moses learned that God is attentive to circumstances of the oppressed: “I have observed the misery of my people…. I have heard their cry on account of their taskmastersÖ. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them.— (Exodus 3:7-8a, NRSV)

God of the Exodus is paying attention to world events today. In response to yet another police killing of an unarmed black man in the USA, protests have broken out in North American cities and elsewhere in the world. Looting and vandalism have occurred. Police in the USA have fired rubber bullets and tear gas even upon journalists reporting about the protests.

We lament systemic racism that leads to killings and daily indignities for people of colour. We grieve the violent actions by both protesters and law enforcement. We confess the lack of equity and justice that at times from characterizes our own responses. We acknowledge the long, intercontinental roots of racism that include complicity in the slave trade.

We reaffirm the following Mennonite World Conference Shared Convictions: “As a world-wide community of faith and life we transcend boundaries of nationality, race, class, gender and language… The Spirit of Jesus empowers us to trust God in all areas of life so we become peacemakers who renounce violence, love our enemies [and] seek justice…—

Creator God, reach into our hearts and our troubled world to bring repentance and right relationships!

We are mindful of the many persons – doctors, nurses, family members, friends – who are caring for those who are suffering from COVID-19. We give thanks for their self-giving, and pray for their safety and on-going energy. May the Risen One be there at the bed side, in the hospital, along with them.

We pray for those who are facing hunger due to food shortages, harvest disruptions, and the effects of climate change on local food production. May God provide and may those with many resources share with those who have less, on both local and international levels.

Pray for pastors who continue to serve their congregations where members have lost their jobs and are no long able to give financially. Praise God for provision from unexpected places despite hardship.

Praise God for the businesses that have been able to switch production lines to make personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer. Praise God for volunteers who have helped to sew masks and prepare food packages those people without an income.

Pray for families who are mourning lost loved ones. Pray for church leaders who need to find creative ways to provide meaningful rituals for mourners in a time of social distancing.

Pray for Communauté des …glises des Frères Mennonites au Congo (CEFMC) which continues to struggle with the loss of an older generation of leaders. Since January, the conference has mourned the loss of 5 pastors. Pray for the families and congregations mourning the loss of Reverend Muyombo from Kikwit, Reverend Mavungu from Kinshasa, Reverend Ndala from Kinshasa, Reverend Mukidi from Panzi, and Reverend Kasombo from Kajiji. May God comfort those who mourn.

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). May the Spirit show us how to continue to be one body despite our physical separation at this time. May we continue top put our trust in Jesus Christ our hope.

Social isolation increases the vulnerability of many people. Pray for those who do not have safe homes to shelter in.

Planting and harvesting is disrupted by the global pandemic, and some farmers are eating their seed stock out of necessity. Pray for an equitable distribution of food in the months to come, and that wealthy countries would not look only to their own interests.

Starting 23 February 2020, India has gone through reprehensible violence that has resulted in 45 deaths. Vested political interests and forces of hate have driven rioting on the streets, homes and mosques of the national capital.

We urge the global church to uphold the people of Delhi in prayer for peace and harmony to prevail and for violence to cease. Pray for families who have lost loved ones. Pray for congregations in the Delhi national capital region to open their hearts and facilities for the afflicted and to come to the aid of the helpless and distraught.

Pray for the authorities to ensure the rule of law and the security of vulnerable people of Delhi also for political parties to discipline members who make inflammatory remarks.

—Vikal Rao, Mennonite Church India leader and MWC Deacons commission member

Loving God, who walks alongside the neediest and the little ones of this world, we give many thanks for helping us to accompany our refugee and migrant brothers and sisters. We wish to assist them with bread, with comfort, with a willing and attentive ear and heart. We also desire a more just and humane world where we all have a place to be with dignity and joy. Thank you for your faithfulness; at no point has the oil run dry. Just as you did for the widow and the prophet, you have generously provided. We also thank you because we have felt your presence more closely, and we have become more aware of your being God with us.

—Refugee and Migrant Peoples Project, Iglesia Menonita de Quito, Ecuador

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We are so thankful for the good rains that are covering the whole country of South Africa. They have come late for good crops in areas, but we are glad to get water. The countryside is good and green. We are very thankful. We do need our dams to fill up though.

—submitted by MWC regional representative for Southern Africa Barbara Nkala

Pray that MWC member churches would be open to the moving of the Holy Spirit. May our churches experience individual and corporate renewal. May our hearts turn away from the allure of individualism, toward the call of God to act interdependently as God’s shalom builders in our communities.