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A pastoral letter for those affected by wildfires in Los Angeles
Beloved sisters and brothers: The raging fires in Los Angeles in southern California, USA, have impacted many communities. At publication time, the fires have destroyed more than 160 km2, claimed the lives of at least 24 with dozens missing or unaccounted for, and destroyed more than 10,000 structures, including homes and churches. MWC member churches
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Grieving a year of increasing violence in the Middle East
A pastoral letter on October 7, 2024 Beloved brothers and sisters of the global Anabaptist/Mennonite communion: With heavy hearts, we mark the one-year anniversary of terrible events that signalled the beginning of a new cycle of violence in the Middle East. We are heartbroken at the number of lives taken a year ago and since.
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MWC general secretary joins urgent call for peace
MWC general secretary César García joined more than 200 global Christian leaders to sign a letter calling “with heartfelt insistence, for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, for the return of hostages, and the release of Palestinian prisoners held without due process.” The letter acknowledges the loss of Israeli lives on 7 October 2023 and the
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A pastoral letter for Anabaptists in Colombia
“He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and defense.” Psalm 91:4 Beloved brothers and sisters The council of elders (Consejo de Ancianos) of Iglesia Hermanos Menonitas de Colombia calls on the global Anabaptist Mennonite family to support them in prayer. In mid-May,
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A pastoral letter for Anabaptists in Kenya
Beloved sisters and brothers: Our brothers and sisters in Kenya Mennonite Church have asked for prayer that the continuous rain in Kisumu County would subside. Weeks of heavier than usual rains for the season have wreaked havoc in many parts of East Africa, a region vulnerable to climate disasters. The existing flooding was made worse on Sunday
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MWC mourns with our brothers and sisters in Myanmar
Our Mennonite World Conference siblings from Myanmar have asked for the prayers of our global communion. They write: Our country’s civil war has been ongoing for more than three years. The death toll is rising every day. More than half of the country is under the control of the revolutionary armies. The junta’s military population…
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A reconciling response to war in the Middle East
October 2023 At a time of increasing bloodshed between Israelis and Palestinians, with mounting tension between nations of the Middle East and beyond, leaders of Mennonite World Conference make three urgent appeals: That member churches of Mennonite World Conference pray and act for an end to the spiral of violence and injustice1 in the Middle
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A pastoral letter for peace in the Holy Land
Beloved sisters and brothers: Over the weekend the world was shaken by Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israeli lives. This crisis quickly escalated with air raids, land battles, random killings, kidnappings and war propaganda. No one is more disadvantaged by this escalating situation than the civilians who just wish to live a normal life without fearing
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A pastoral letter for Anabaptists in West Africa
In recent weeks we have been made aware of the escalating violent conflict in West Africa along the Central Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, affecting our brothers and sisters in the Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso (l’Église Évangélique Mennonite du Burkina Faso).
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Pastoral letter regarding persecuted Anabaptists
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26) Beloved sisters and brothers: An MWC member church in an African country is not recognized by the government and thus operates in difficult circumstances. Recently, the BBC reported that a pastor from this MWC
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Pray and act for peace
“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4) Christians are called into prayer and advocacy for peace. In a global context where war and violence abound, the practice of peace has become even more
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A pastoral letter regarding Ukraine
We call on Anabaptist-Mennonites around the world, and all who confess Christ as Lord, to join in praying for the peace of Ukraine. We grieve violence and we reject efforts by any nation to dominate another. We pray for leaders of Ukraine, Russia and allied nations as they respond to or participate in this crisis.
