One of the common challenges facing our communion of churches in North America is leadership. Six of 10 national MWC member churches in North America have undergone or will experience senior staff leadership changes in the coming year. Congregations are aging – including their leaders. We are facing a wave of pending pastoral retirements. National churches are concerned about engaging younger generations and are trying to develop emerging leaders‘ programs (e.g., mentorship, coaching, bi-vocational) and job networks for those interested in Anabaptist theology and pastoral ministry. We invite you to pray for current leaders, and that new leaders would be raised up to guide the church in the years to come.
—submitted by Gerald Hildebrand, MWC regional representative for North America
Photo: Patrick Fore/Unsplash
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Myanmar is in the worst situation due to wars. The civil war is intensifying and spreading across the country. There is inflation and lack of employment. Due to the disruption of trade routes and insecurity within the country, a third of Myanmar (more than 18 million people) are in need of food. Among them, more than 200 Mennonite families are in dire straits.
The war between the Myanmar military and the revolutionaries continues with losses for the government. The military junta announced 12 February 2024 that every citizen (ages 18 to 35, regardless of gender) must serve in the military. Young people are banned from leaving the country and face a 5-year prison sentence for refusing conscription. That law will cause suffering for all citizens. Unrest is growing. Some young people many flee to avoid military service. Others seek refuge in the revolutionary groups.
The conscription law poses a special challenge for our Mennonite youth. They are also afraid to attend church and venture outside.
Our country faces many problems, but on the other hand, God is also opening a great door for the spread of the gospel and peace movement. We are doing great in here by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Please pray for us and for peace in Myanmar.
—a message from the leaders of Bible Missionary Church, MennoniteMWC mourns with our brothers and sisters in Myanmar
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For the DR Congo, pray for families who are scattered, especially fathers who are separated from their children due to war and the widowed women who struggle to have enough to survive. Pray for the soldiers who use sexual violence as a weapon: may God touch them to respect their fellow human. As the election results from December are settled, may the government and the people learn to love each other as neighbours even across party lines, and may the leaders develop a heart for the poorer citizens whom they govern. Pray for the Mennonite Bible training institutions to have partners to improve their service.
—submitted by Robert Irundu, Communauté Mennonite au Congo
Photo: Siaka Traoré
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High rainfall caused the collapse of one of the irrigation dams in Central Java. The resulting flood submerged many residential areas, many farmers‘ rice fields, and even cut off access to highways connecting several cities in Central Java. Pray that this will handled well, so that the displaced people can return to their homes, their damaged rice fields can be re-worked and access between cities can be restored, as well as aid supplies to the victims can be distributed properly. No GKMI congregations are in the affected area, but nearby ones are responding with aid and offering shelter.
—submitted by Agus Mayanto, MWC regional representative for Southeast Asia
Photo: Irma Sulistyorini
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Recently Ecuador has experienced situations of extreme violence and social disorder, and the government has responded with militarization. We pray that the families and communities that are experiencing situations of violence in any form – extortion, robberies and all kinds of insecurities – may find peace in God, that the ecclesial community may be the arms of the Lord and ears to listen to how people feel, and that the churches may know how best to witness to the values of the Kingdom of God.
—submitted by Pablo Stucky, MWC regional representative for South America – Andean region, and Marina Plua, Ecuador
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We pray for peace in the whole world: not only regarding wars which are cruel to humanity and also to the environment, but also corruption and ambition for power which harm people. God, deliver us from temptations to violence and power.
Photo: ¡sa Steinarsd—ttir/Unsplash
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Pray for peace in Ethiopia, that the authorities may make decisions and take actions that will bring unity among the different highly polarized ethnic groups. Pray for the churches, that they will be strong and follow the Prince of Peace in their attitudes and actions as they face a lot of opposition. Pray for the leadership in the Seminary and the faculty and students, that a spirit of true Christian brotherhood and sisterhood might prevail and protect the unity that Christ gives. Pray for the students whose education has been disrupted due to violence in their home region, financial difficulties and psychological distress. Pray for those millions who are still suffering from famine in some parts, and for those who are seeking to help them in their desperate need.—MKC newsletter
Photo: Tigist Tesfaye
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Pray for migrants in Latin America. Some countries are both providing shelter to those who have fled and causing others to find new homes. Praise God for churches who are providing for the physical and spiritual needs of people on the move, even as they face their own challenges to have enough.
Photo: Canva
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Pray for parts of East Africa affected by heavy rains and mudslides. Earlier in December, some 80 people were reported to have died in Tanzania after mudslides carried large rocks and uprooted trees, reaching depths of up to 8 metres. In the village of Hanang, Tanzania, the church remains standing but nearly all the houses were destroyed. Mennonite churches in Kisumu and Migori, Kenya, suffered excess rains. Flooding in Kenya continued to worsen throughout December with many deaths reported in northern Kenya.
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Church attendance in Canada and the USA has shifted significantly since before the pandemic. Some people have changed congregations, others have stopped attending at all; some congregations have changed denominations; some congregations have grown, others shrunk: all need wisdom to discern the ways they are called to change to meet today’s challenges and the ways they are called to strengthen and renew convictions and practices.
Photo: Karla Braun
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The countries of the Sahel, particularly Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, are in tension with ECOWAS. The risk of clashes still persists through threats from both sides.
—submitted by Siaka Traoré, MWC regional representative for Central West Africa
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Pray for the preparations to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism in Zurich in 2025. May it be an opportunity of reflection to celebrate the movement’s strengths and repent of its failures while also seeking reconciliation with those who have been estranged.
