Anabaptist Mennonite churches around the world live out their faith by serving. Praise God for those who are the hands and feet of Christ, announcing good news, bringing aid and carrying comfort in difficult times. Pray for the June 2023 meetings of GASN* and GMF*. May those who travel have smooth journeys. May those who attend find encouragement and resources for their work. May the network be strengthened in order to serve together and to give support to each other. 

*Global Anabaptist Service Network

*Global Mission Fellowship

The Global Anabaptist Peace Network is preparing for face-to-face meetings in conjunction with the Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Festival (GMP III) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, in June. Praise God for this opportunity to learn from peacebuilders from around the world. Pray for encouragement and renewed energy for the work. Pray for a fast and generous visa process and for safe travels.

Let pray for peace and unity. Let us open our eyes to the needy people around them, and listen for God’s call to us to help provide for their needs. Let us pray for healing for those who are sick and in hospital, and listen to God’s call to visit them with love and encouragement. Let us pray for economies of our countries: may our leaders make wise decisions for the common good.
Photo: Rhoda Shirk

We pray about the political and economic changes in the Southern Cone of the Americas and the resulting social instability (especially in Bolivia and Peru). May the Anabaptist communities, churches and institutions be a light; may they promote dialogue, denounce injustice and respond to so much need.

—submitted by Adaía Bernal Collazo, Iglesia Menonita de Teusaquillo, Bogotá, Colombia

Praise God for the persistent efforts of Mennonite pastors in Ukraine. They bring hope to people in hopeless situation, showing the love of Christ. Recently, church buildings in occupied areas have been taken over by Russian forces. Church activities, including outreach to children and senior citizens, have lost their home. Pray that the Spirit of God would continue to strengthen Ukrainian brothers and sisters with hope in this time of suffering.
Photo: Charitable Foundation Uman Help Center, a Mennonite Central Committee partner, provides food and basic supplies for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. — UMAN/MCC

Thank God for the opportunity of Christian education to shape character and form a people of God.  

In some parts of the globe, school is well underway. In other parts, the school year is just beginning. Pray for receptive and eager students. May they be able to cross barriers to learning. Pray for wise and humble teachers and administrators. May their pursuit of knowledge honour God. May they be responsive to the needs of their students.  

Pray for GAEN – the Global Anabaptist Education Network, both Primary and Secondary, and Higher Education. As they prepare for their first in-person meetings in June, may they find vision and means to work together and support each other. 
Photo: Marive Catignas

We keep praying for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. As the Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure continue, the lack of power becomes life threatening in winter.  
Pastors continue their relief work and often travel to the war-ravaged cities to aid suffering people even as missile attacks continue. 
The church in Molochansk asks for help and prayer for the elderly. For many years, they cared for seniors in a church building converted to a nursing home. This nursing home has been confiscated by the Russian army and the residents evicted. The church cares for them in private homes now, but nursing is difficult and very expensive under war circumstances.   
Pray for those who serve as chaplains in the army. They serve in an environment where hate of the enemy is cultivated, where enemy soldiers are dehumanized. May they find the courage, strength and wisdom to resist these forces of hate and dehumanization. May they bring healing to the many traumatized by this war.  
Photo: UMAN/MCC

• Pray for peaceful solutions to those experiencing violent conflict, especially in eastern Congo and Burkina Faso.
• Pray for the many people in Africa who are experiencing hunger and drought, due to the impacts of climate change and the war in Ukraine
—Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday 2023
Photo: Siaka Traore

One thousand Christians from more than 20 villages in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts of Chhattisgarh state have fled violent mobs who attacked people and church buildings. Several congregations of Mennonite Church in are located in these districts. Members of the MCI Executive Committee visited the region to bring food and relief supplies, to evaluate the situation and to stand with the new believers in solidarity. The situation is very critical. We request for special prayers for the victims of the violence and to intercede for the country as a whole so that citizens of all faiths will inherit 2023 in peace and harmony. 
—submitted by Vikal Rao, Mennonite Church India, Chhattisgarh 
Photo: Vikal Rao