Praise God for young people with their energy and desire to learn. May they seek out wise mentors who encourage them to adapt to new ways. May they find opportunities to use their skills in service of the world. May the church welcome young people to grow in leadership and explore new ways of being faithful.
Prayers of Gratitude and Intercession
MWC Prayer Network: Click here for more information about what the Prayer Network is and how to sign up. If you would like to share a prayer with us, please write to prayers@mwc-cmm.org.
07 January 2021
Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) is in the process of discerning God's directions for the coming five years: please pray for us to complete our five-year strategic plan preparation. The situation in the northern region of Ethiopia is in a better condition than one month ago. The MKC members and the community in those areas need trauma healing. There is also a request for peacebuilding training. Pray for us to get resources to do so. Humanitarian organizations are helping the people with basic needs. MKC Relief and Development Association is looking for resources to assist people in communities where MKC churches serve.
—submitted by Desalegn Abebe Ejo
07 January 2021
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?” (James 2:14). With these words, Iglesia Cristiana Menonita De Colombia speaks out against the killing of hundreds of farmers, social leaders, indigenous people, demobilized paramilitaries, and their families. They call the church to practice nonviolence as a way of life; incorporate themes of justice, reconciliation and peace in our teaching, preaching and singing; accompany those who are victims of violence; invite those who commit violence to accept the gospel’s call to repentance and a transformed life; practice solidarity. May we hear their call; may God strengthen us for the long work of seeking justice and building peace.
07 January 2021
“The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Lord, thank you for your patience with us. May we live out our repentence. As we receive your grace, may our lives may call others to come to you.
07 January 2021
Thank you, God, for MWC’s regional representatives who labour to represent the situation of churches in their region to MWC and represent MWC’s resources and opportunities to the churches. This work is more difficult now without large conference gatherings and opportunities to visit with church leaders. Give resources to meet the challenges when internet access is poor or relationships with leaders had not been previously established.
07 January 2021
Thank you, Lord, for the unprecedented scientific collaboration and focussed development and testing that allowed a vaccine for COVID-19 to be developed so quickly. We pray for justice in vaccine distribution. May world leaders prioritize not only their own citizens but an equitable distribution of vaccines around the world as a public health good.
Praise God for the sacrificial work of health care workers who have given themselves in acts of solidarity, generosity and kindness for those who are most vulnerable, afflicted and in need. Through their practical help and pastoral and psychosocial accompaniment, they show God’s love in the midst of crisis. Thank you for these lights of hope that bring comfort and peace. Renew their faith, trust and hope.
07 January 2021
Dear Lord, as we enter this new year, steady our hearts to spread the gospel of peace. May we follow your Spirit as we work for transformation and justice in this world. Lord, give us courage to proclaim this message in word and action, especially in places where there is corruption, persecution and natural disasters. Thank you for Jesus’ peacemaking example.
07 January 2021
We thank you, God, for sending Jesus, our light. We rejoice that “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light” (Matthew 4:16, NRSV). May the Holy Spirit continue to guide our way.
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21 December 2020
Pray for the upcoming Assembly in Indonesia. Pray for the planners as they adjust to a new gathering date and create protocols for a safe and enjoyable event that welcomes thousands of people to Semarang. Pray that the Spirit will be at work in the hearts and minds of all participants bringing unity in the Spirit.
15 December 2020
Pray for the 23 member and associate member churches in Asia (Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam). Christianity is a minority in many of these countries. Pray that MWC member churches who are suffering persecution and hardship may have courage and hope to persevere.
Praise God for the Asian churches: members of the Body of Christ. May they always be united and connected to us and to each other through the bonds of the love of Jesus and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. May they care for one another, accept one another and equip one another to witness to God’s glory in this world.
09 December 2020
- Give thanks that Anabaptists around the world are united in faith in God’s kingdom across language and cultural differences.
- Give thanks for the growing networks in the MWC family: mission, service, health, peace and education.
- Pray for sisters and brothers everywhere who are struggling with weakness due to illness, violence, disaster or injustice. May we embrace them. May God’s power change everything for us all.
- Pray for MWC General Secretary César García, and MWC Asian Representatives Agus Mayanto (Southeast Asia), Cynthia Peacock (South Asia) and Jeremiah Choi (Northeast Asia), as they lead and minister to the churches in Asia and around the world.
01 December 2020
“At present, our hope is in God alone.” Leaders of MWC national member church Meserete Kristos Church in Ethiopia call the global Anabaptist family to pray with them. “We need peace to continue bringing the good news of Jesus Christ.” MKC has four congregations and almost two dozen church planting centres in the Tigray region where the federal and regional government have been in armed conflict for two weeks. Reports of 10,000-25,000 people have fled to neighbouring Sudan and Eritrea. Join MKC in fasting and prayer for peace, individually and collectively.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
23 November 2020
Lord, may we abide under the shadow of your strength. In the midst of this pandemic, may we take shelter in you, placing our trust in your deliverance. Lord, address our fears; help us face the threats of job losses, hunger and disease with courage and hope. In your love, deliver us.
(Inspired by Psalm 91)
09 November 2020
Mennonite World Conference and Anabaptists around the world are commemorating 500 years since this renewal movement began in 1525. We acknowledge moral failures of our faith predecessor in the past. Nevertheless, we also celebrate that God has raised up a global Anabaptist people whose highest loyalty is to Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Like early Anabaptists, may we be energetic missionaries, reaching across national and cultural barriers to call for repentance and teach the peacemaking way of Jesus.
09 November 2020
Death has touched families and churches. Health care workers are worn out. The lack of personal contact and the loss of income due to the significant risk of contagion cause significant stress and misery in Anabaptist churches. Those who are not able to connect online – due to lack of knowledge or lack of tools – are extra isolated. “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit,” (Psalm 34:18).
09 November 2020
Lord, have mercy!
As a world-wide community of faith and life, we transcend boundaries of nationality, race, class, gender and language.
Empower us to live in the world without conforming to the powers of evil, witnessing to God's grace by serving others, caring for creation, and inviting all people to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
We seek to walk in peace by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we confidently await Christ's return and the final fulfillment of God's kingdom.
Amen
03 November 2020
“O God, who will roll away the stone from the hearts of wounded Beirut and its affected citizens!” The Middle East Council of Churches raises a call to prayer for Lebanon.
The 4 August 2020 explosion damaged 85 percent of the country’s grain stores, left 300 000 people homeless, injured more than 5 000 people and killed almost 200 people. Three Christian hospitals and many churches and Christian schools were damaged. Many people have lost hope; this trauma adds to economic and health care challenges. Lebanon also hosts a large number of refugees. Mennonite Central Committee serves refugees in Lebanon with education, food and psychosocial care. In this crisis, MCC is working with Lebanese Popular Aid for Relief and Development (PARD) to provide food for the most vulnerable people. Pray for the churches who struggle to respond to the physical and spiritual well being of their neighbours when all have lost so much.
09 October 2020
“But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’” (Exodus 14:13-14) Bahati Safari Mutabesha, leader of the Mennonite Brethren church in Malawi, takes courage from this verse and calls for prayer for the church to reach its mission of bringing hope, peace and reconciliation.
09 October 2020
“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” To allow both MWC staff and attendees to properly plan for the event, MWC has chosen to postpone Assembly 17 until 2022. Pray for wisdom as the Assembly planning teams adjust to the new date. Please continue to pray for the healing of the world, and for the Assembly.
09 October 2020
May God grant us resilience to be good neighbours and to show grace to others as the pandemic stretches on.
May God grant governments wisdom to respond to citizens needs and to make procurement decisions as vaccines become ready for use.
May we stand in solidarity with each other around the world as we grieve losses, economic and personal.
Pray for those who respond to the pandemic with violence and greed. May God rattle their understanding and may the Holy Spirit turn their hearts to compassion and generosity. May anger at differences – racial, religious, economic – turn into curiosity to learn. May the power of Jesus bring healing to the wounds that drive their violence.
Pray for food supply lines to be efficient and equitable. The combination of factors like poor harvests impacted by climate combined and disruptions to production, transportation and economic activity due to the pandemic could cause widespread hunger in some regions. Pray for a global effort to make food available to all populations.
21 September 2020
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