Pray for Japan on Sunday, November 30, 2014

Pray for Japan on Sunday, November 30, 2014

Lectionary Selection: Isaiah 64:1–9

Prayers for Japan:

Loving God,
We give thanks for the Christian partnerships across the oceans, that make possible the work of Your mission in the world.
Help us to be ever mindful of Your hand that shapes us, that leads us to share the Good News in our own communities and those afar.
We give thanks today for the Christian witness in Japan, reaching out to share your love to those who are lonely or who have lost hope, and to those who still suffer after the tragic tsunami and nuclear disaster.
We also lift up the ministry of the Bazaar Café, which extends the Christian “table” and a community of support in Kyoto.
We pray for the Christian witness in working for peace and justice.
We especially pray for the people of Okinawa – may their voices for peace be heard.
Help us to know that we are partners in this work of bringing wholeness and healing throughout the world.
In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

Mission Stewardship Moment from Japan:

One of the joys of my work is to have guest speakers come to my class to share their story with my students.  This semester, I had the following guest speakers:

Makoto, from the Christian Buraku Liberation Center – speaking on the realities of discrimination toward the “Buraku” people in Japan, and the work of the center to overcome discrimination.

Masayuki, a young Christian man from Okinawa, taking a year off of school to travel throughout Japan to call attention to the issue of military bases in Okinawa, and to bring people to envision peace.

Reika, who works at the Bazaar Café, our coffee house ministry near the University. She shared her life story – a childhood of abuse and neglect, leading to her struggle with addiction. She then told about her finding the Bazaar Café and encountering a community that helped her overcome her addiction.

Each of these speakers tell the story of Christian witness in Japan – to speak out against age-old discrimination that still exists, to tell the story of people who are still bearing the brunt of a militarized world and yearning for true peace, and to offer a Christian community where those who have no where else to turn to, can find love, be recognized as a child of God, and be healed.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support of Christian ministries in Japan.

(Prayer and Mission Moment by Martha Mensendiek)

Mission Partners in Japan:

More information on Japan:
http://globalministries.org/eap/countries/japan/

Global Ministries Missionary in Japan:
Martha Mensendiek, a member of Church of the Crossroads, United Church of Christ, Honolulu, Hawaii, serves with the Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. She teaches social welfare.