May our hearts and souls hold all of our global brothers and sisters in prayerful attendance while each of us struggles with the realities and consequences not only of the pandemic but of severe and violent oppression, economic disruption etc.

May our hearts and souls be opened to the small everyday miracles and huge kindnesses in the world directly surrounding us.

May our hearts and souls be filled with patience and gentleness towards all the people working so hard to help ease our way out of this pandemic.

May our churches find new and hopeful ways of being church in a world that changes rapidly.

May our focus be not on quantity but on quality, on gentle kindness instead of targets, on prayerful silence instead of barricades.

Pray for the emerging Mennonite Brethren conference in Ukraine (Association of Mennonite Brethren Churches in Ukraine – AMBCU).

Pray for the churches and for the small groups doing Bible studies and worship.

The churches are also meeting on Zoom.

Pray for those that are suffering from the virus. Pray for people suffering economically and the churches distributing food.
 

Reports from church leaders in Southern Africa

• Praise God for good rains. Most families will have enough food from their own fields this year.
• Let us pray for peace before, during and after upcoming elections in Zambia.
• BIC Church Zimbabwe is planning to hold District Councils in May 2021. Pray also for the BICC Zimbabwe General Conference this year to become a reality this year (Proverbs 16:3).
• Pray for the BIC church school students and all the schools in Zimbabwe to be protected from COVID-19 infection (Psalms 91: 9-10).
• Pray for profitability in the church business units as they begin to recover after the lockdown.
• We thank the Lord that BICC South Africa managed to get a piece of land.

Waves of infection, an extra-contagious variant, high deaths have resulted in a humanitarian crisis in Brazil. Pray for Anabaptist-Mennonite churches struggling with reduced finances to continue to show love to their neighbours. Pray for wisdom about how to hold church services in a low-risk manner.

Pray for the increased attention of congregation members from the three Mennonite synods in Indonesia to support Assembly 17 in July 2022. Pray for the efforts of Indonesian research centres to produce a COVID-19 vaccine to support the government’s target of reaching 70 percent of the population by the end of 2021.

We call upon the Lord for India and for all nations in pandemic distress:

Living God, how long can this tsunami of suffering and death prevail? Reach down from on high to draw your children out of mighty waters.

Bring healing and salvation.

Sustain exhausted pastors, medical staff and other caregivers.

Comfort those who mourn, and supply what each nation needs to come through this torment.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer!

Since the military seized power in Myanmar in February, waves of protest have been violently suppressed, with reports of more than 400 citizens killed. Even before the pandemic, poverty affected many households. The political situation has led to even greater economic turmoil, and many households have no financial income. Most church members are in a food crisis.

“Greetings from the crying land of Myanmar,” writes an Anabaptist church leader in Myanmar to the global family. “This is a special request for you to pray for our country, particularly for the vulnerable 400 families of our church people in Yangon and delta region. We believe that prayer can make a difference. God bless you all.”

As a world-wide community of faith and life we transcend boundaries of nationality, race, class, gender and language. We seek 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. (Shared Conviction #7)

Blessed are the meek, Jesus said, for they will inherit the earth.
Lord, may we live out your kingdom in humility and patience.

Blessed are the merciful, Jesus said, for they will receive mercy.
Lord, may we have compassion on each other, especially on those with whom we don’t agree.

Blessed are the peacemakers, Jesus said, for they will be called children of God.
Lord, we desire to be known as your people by our love for all and our ability to walk calmly into conflict seeking to understand and transform.

Lord, teach us to be your salt amid divisions, especially those within churches and families, and to be your illuminating justice, especially where there is systemic discrimination against those who are poor or people of colour.

Lord, your have formed your people with diversity within the body of Christ. Yet this gift sometimes seems unwelcome. Our brothers and sisters hold different opinions and practices that make us feel uncomfortable. Continue to teach us through your Spirit to learn unity without uniformity.

Lord, you call us to speak to each other honestly and directly when there is offense. Give us courage to do so with grace and compassion. Guide us also to search our own hearts for ways we have failed and lead us in repentance.

Lord, you have placed us as your caretakers upon the earth. Show us your glory in the world around us, in its abundance and its fragility. Forgive us for our selfish consumption. Teach us humility in our dominion and remind us how our actions affect those around us.