Archive of Global Ministries Weekly Prayers

Pray for Zimbabwe on Sunday, April 13, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Zimbabwe: John 10:1-10

Loving Shepherd God, we ask you to wrap your embrace around the people of Zimbabwe today. During this time of political uncertainty after the presidential elections, help leaders in all sectors of public life to hear your voice of peace with justice. We pray particularly for the church in Zimbabwe and our Global Ministries partners there. We ask that you might give them courage in their witness to the fullness of life which Jesus wants all to experience in his name. Amen

(Prayer by Bob Shebeck)

Global Ministries International Partners in Zimbabwe:

• Christian Care: Christian Care was formed in 1967 by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches tasked to improve the quality of life of the disadvantaged, including refugees.  As an arm of the church Christian Care is called to witness the presence of God among the poor and disadvantaged who are burdened by oppression, poverty, ill health, lack of freedom or knowledge to make sustainable life-supporting choices.
  
  Before Zimbabwe's political independence in 1980, Christian Care was concerned with relief of families of political prisoners and the prisoners themselves.  This program reached out to about 5000 people.  Other relief program included drought relief, special emergencies, an essential service for people displaced by escalating war which peaked around 1975 with the establishment of protected/consolidated villages.
  
  Shortly after independence, Christian Care was heavily involved in post war reconstruction.  In 1985 the organization broadened its mandate to include rural development.  Projects to date have included disaster relief programs, dam construction and irrigation development, integrated rural development programs, water and sanitation, livestock restocking, HIV/AIDS, gender, advocacy and income generating projects.
  
• United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe: The United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) was founded in 1893 by the American Board of Foreign Missions, predecessor mission program of the United Church of Christ.  Global Ministries works closely with this partner church in the many facets of its ministry in Zimbabwe.  The denominational membership today is approximately 30,000 people in 47 churches and several preaching points and worship groups.  The UCCZ has worked ecumenically on important efforts in Zimbabwe and is responsible for many schools and several health institutions in the country.
  
  The church's mission is to promote Christian living and to relate humankind to the larger body of Christ through teaching, healing, stewardship, preaching, and farming.  The church revolves around the core values of hard work and self-reliance, and works to eradicate poverty and disease through technical and vocational life skills training for survival, and integrated participatory community-based development.
  
• Zimbabwe Council of Churches: The Zimbabwe Council of Churches has been in partnership with Global Ministries since 1964.  The council has twenty member churches, nine associate member churches, and two observer members.  The Zimbabwe Council of Churches' mission is to meet the needs of their communities, proclaim the gospel, develop their capacity to be self-sustaining, and to speak with one voice on issues of national interest.
  
• Zimbabwe Synod-UCCSA: The Zimbabwe Synod is one of five synods comprising the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa.  It is located in Bulawayo with congregations and schools throughout Matabeleland. The church's greatest constraint is the economic and political situation prevailing throughout the country.  As a result of this situation, ordinary Zimbabweans suffer greatly.  The migration of the youth and other members of the work force is taking its toll on the church and communities where the churches are located.
  
• United Theological College, Harare: United Theological College is an interdenominational institution whose purpose is to train quality pastors and teachers of the Christian gospel for churches in Zimbabwe and the region.  The College seeks to prepare students to understand and articulate the Bible's transforming holistic and prophetic message to individuals, families, groups and society at large.  The college recruits qualified and experienced Christian lecturers who are committed to excellence in teaching and research.
  
  United Theological College is the largest ecumenical theological training school in Zimbabwe run by seven participating churches namely:  Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe, United Congregational Church in Southern Africa, Uniting Presbyterian Church and African Methodist Episcopal church.  United Theological College (UTC) was founded in 1954 as an institution of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, situated on part of the Epworth Mission Farm and named Epworth College.  It became an Ecumenical Protestant Seminary in 1955 when the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe,  The United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe, the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa and the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (therein called the participating churches) resolved to co-operate in sponsoring the college for the training of pastors and other church workers.  In 1976 the name was changed to United Theological College. 

Global Ministries Missionary in Zimbabwe:

None at this time

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Angola:  Luke 24:13-35

Gracious God, as we continue our post-Easter pilgrimage with the Risen Christ, may our hearts burn within us to be agents of justice, peace and reconciliation. May our eyes be open to see the face of Jesus in each person we meet and in the faces of those whom we will never meet, but who are precious to You.  Help us to learn lessons of strength, grace and hope from our Angolan brothers and sisters in the Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola, as they rebuild their lives, their communities, and their country after nearly 30 years of civil war. Help us to stand with them as they see possibilities and hope in the challenges that they face. We particularly raise the following prayer requests:

• Help people of faith in Angola to keep their eyes on the prize of peace and reconciliation while taking steps toward the future, one day at a time, knowing that You will continue to make a way.

• Empower Your Church in Angola to be a positive force in September's national elections - the first since 1992 - by encouraging participation, mediating disputes, as needed, and raising a prophetic voice.

• Guide participants in DASEP's upcoming national forums on Health, Education and Training as they make plans and create projects to equip people for a positive future.

• Allow advocacy on behalf of women and children to curb domestic violence and to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

We lift our voices and our hearts, while thanking You for all that you have done and for all that You are about to do. In the Name of Jesus, hear our prayer. Amen.

(Prayer by Donna Dudley)

Photo: Luis Samacumbi facilitated a community discussion in the Mavinga area about the need to rebuild trust and heal broken relationships. He asked a person to destroy a sheet of paper and then to restore the sheet of paper. So, the young man is struggling to get the sheet of paper as it was before.

Global Ministries International Partners in Angola:

• Council of Christian Churches in Angola

• Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola

Global Ministries Missionary in Angola:

Donna Dudley is a new missionary with the Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola (IECA), serving as a Program Assistant to Luis Samacumbi, the General Director of Department of Social Assistance, Studies and Projects (DASEP). DASEP is the church's community outreach arm that addresses social issues that include: extending health care; opening doors for education and training; creating sustainable development projects; and working to further reconciliation and rebuilding within communities.

Sunday, March 30, 2008 Lectionary Text and Prayers for Laos: John 20:19-31

• for the children to go to school  with enough school uniforms and textbooks;
• for them to  have enough sticky rice to eat daily;
• and for the children in especially difficult circumstances to have access to services: medically, socially, psychologically, and spiritually

• Church World Service has been involved in ethnic minority communities that are caught in a cycle of poor quality education due to a lack of properly trained teachers. CWS has been building education centers and providing quality training to the under-trained community teachers in Vietnam and Laos.

• The Lao Evangelical Church is an organization of the Protestant Christian churches is Laos. They are working to develop improved educational options for the people of Laos; both through building schools in remote areas of the country that have none and also developing opportunities for advanced students to continue their studies in the Philippines (since Christians are at a disadvantage for getting into the National University of Laos). The Church is also challenged to find ways to make medical care more accessible to the poor. Hospitals will give limited assistance to the poor only if the patient can get certification of their poverty status.

Xuyen Dangers works with CWS in development and social work. For the last several years she has worked to develop Children's Development Centers to empower and educate children. She has also begun working with the faculty of the National University of Laos to establish a program for training Social Workers

• We thank you, Lord, for the holy moments at the Shalom Center during the summer programs (November-March) where your children have found hope, joy, mercy, and peace in the gentle embrace of a healing community.
• We pray for the sisters and brothers of the Pentecostal Church of Chile who proclaim their faith in the Risen Christ even as they face the daily challenges of poverty, domestic violence, financial debt, discrimination, and joblessness.
• We pray for the over 150 communities throughout Chile that have been placed in a state of emergency due to the severe drought conditions.  Please send showers of blessing to quench the thirst of this parched land.

(Prayer by Elena Huegel )

Global Ministries International Partners in Chile:

• Iglesia Pentecostal de Chile (IPC): The Pentecostal Church of Chile, in over 350 congregations through out the country, carries out a vibrant ministry among children, youth, women, and men.  The church combines evangelism, social action, Christian education, and faith development in projects that include the Bethany Home for the Elderly and the Shalom Center and activities such as street preaching and energetic worship services.
• Communidad Teologica Evangelica de Chile (CTE):
• Fundacion de Ayuda Social de las Iglesias Cristianas (FASIC):
• Centro Ecumenico Diego de MedellinTaller Piret :
• Fundacion Educación Popular en Salud (EPES): http://www.epes.cl/

Global Ministries Missionaries in Chile:

John Wallace serves as a long-term volunteer with the Pentecostal Church of Chile (IPC).  He assists in the preparation and administration of retreats at the Shalom Center.

Elena Huegel is a missionary with the Pentecostal Church of Chile (IPC).  She serves as an environmental and Christian education specialist.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for New Zealand:  Matthew 21:1-11

Loving God, we see in our Palm Sunday text that Jesus instructed his disciples to respond to any questions about why they were taking the donkey (on which Jesus was to ride into Jerusalem) with, "the Lord needs them." In that spirit, we pray for the needs of the South Pacific and its largest island nation, Aotearoa New Zealand. We pray for its indigenous Maori (Polynesian) minority, and for the large numbers of Pacific Islanders from around the region who have migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand. The Lord needs people with compassion who will stand alongside and hear the cries of these minorities who contend with discrimination and poverty. We pray particularly for Pacific Islander women, who experience their own forms of discrimination, especially for the theologically educated women of Manahine Pasefika, our Global Ministries partner, who seek to make their voices heard in their churches and to empower grassroots islander women. ‘The Lord needs us,' and we pray for those who most need signs of compassion in Aotearoa and the larger South Pacific. In the name of our liberator, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Global Ministries International Partners in New Zealand:

• Manahine Pasefika, the Association of Oceanian Women Theologians
• Associated Churches of Christ of New Zealand

Global Ministries Missionary in New Zealand:

Lydia Johnson is a Global Ministries missionary who works as editor and administrator for Manahine Pasefika, the Association of Oceanian Women Theologians. From 2000-2007 she was also involved in theological education in Aotearoa New Zealand.  Her work is now focused on publishing theological works and empowering study materials for church women, written by the members of Manahine Pasefika. 

Lord, can these bones live when they live every day in the Philippines in poverty?
Lord, can these bones live when they live every day in the Philippines in fear of being killed because they dare to speak a prophetic word against the poverty and injustice they see around them?
Lord, can these bones live when they live every day in the Philippines in an environment consumed by corruption that adds burdens to already overburdened lives?
Lord, we pray for food and shelter for those in the Philippines who have little.
Lord, we ask for security for those in the Philippines who now only know insecurity and violence.
Lord, we pray that those in the Philippines who already enjoy political and economic power will be content.
Lord, we pray that these weary bones can live.

(Prayer by Bruce Van Voorhis)

Congregations of our partner, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), are often located in extremely remote areas, far from roads, schools and services.  Rural people with little education or contact with the outside world band together to share worship of Christ, whom they know through word of mouth and prayer, more than through academic study.  Congregational leaders with little formal education give guidance to their communities of subsistence farmers, praying that someday they may experience greater connections with the wider family of faith.  Church leaders in the provincial capitols struggle to provide support to these isolated churches, who often have different languages and customs than those of the market towns and coastal areas.

Pray for the Human Resources Development work of the UCCP, that appropriate forms of training seminars and workshops can reach even the most remote communities, deepening and strengthening the faith of believers and widening their knowledge and understanding of biblical and theological wisdom.

• Dansalan College Foundation
• Northern Christian College
• Silliman University
• Southern Christian College
• Union Theological Seminary
• United Church of Christ in the Philippines

• Levi Oracion is a long-term volunteer and serves as a theology professor at the Divinity School of Silliman University in the Philippines.
• Nancy Molin Longatan, former Global Ministries missionary in Nepal and Japan, now serves as a long-term volunteer in the office of the Jurisdictional Area Bishop for North Luzon of the UCCP.  Nancy edits a monthly newsletter and assists with other administrative work and training programs in the Bishop's office.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Sudan: Psalm 23
"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for your rod and your staff- they comfort me." Psalm 23: 4

L:  In a makeshift refugee camp in Darfur, Western Sudan, a tear flows down the cheek of a defenseless mother as she strokes the arm and face of her starving child, her head is covered but her eyes convey a truth of overwhelming anguish.
P:  We will not stand idly by the blood of this child.
L:  In Darfur's open desert, a militia of fighters backed by the Sudanese government rides rampant on camels and horses, fanning the flames of ethnic strife. Villages and towns are scorched. Food and water - the withholding of them - are used as weapons of death. And innocent people of Darfur's African communities are forcibly abducted, enslaved, raped, and slaughtered in mass numbers as part of a systematic campaign to wipe out entire groups of peoples from the region.
P:  We will not stand idly by their blood.
L:  In the capital city of Khartoum, the face of a top official reddens in anger as he strongly denies evidence that the government of Sudan recruits and arms a militia to terrorize and murder black Africans, and blocks humanitarian access for relief workers in Darfur.
P:  And we say to him, "Do not stand idly by the blood of our neighbor!"
L:  In the eyes of the world community, the genocidal activity and terror perpetrated against millions of people of ethnic black African origin finally gain attention. We stand solidarity with every one of us and every one of them.
P:  And, in a moment of urgency and hope, we stand to remember that justice is our duty, to recognize the image of the Divine in every human life, to renounce inaction in the face of enormous tragedy, and, we pray, to rouse an immediate and effective response from the world at large on behalf of the victims of Sudan.  

Amen.

Source:  The Commission on Social Action of the Union for Reform Judaism and the National Council of Churches USA; adapted from Rabbi David Saperstein's remarks at the Sudanese Embassy on July 22, 2004.

Global Ministries works through  Week of Compassion and  One Great Hour of Sharing in responding to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. The main partner on the ground in Sudan for Disciples and UCC is Action by Churches Together (ACT) International which works together with Caritas Internationalis (CI) in a joint response to the Darfur crisis. ACT International is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organizations present in 200 countries and territories.

None at this time

God we thank you for the "fountains of blessing" that we recently witnessed in the congregations that were visited during the Disciples New Church Start Pastors trip to Honduras. We are grateful for Honduran pastors who are taking risks to reach out to gang members in their communities in order to share the "living water" that Jesus offers everyone. We thank you for Honduran congregations who are serious about meeting physical, emotional, economic and spiritual needs in their communities for the glory of God. We praise you for the vocational training programs of the Honduran churches that are providing young people with skills to be able to find a job to support their families. Teach us, O God, how to walk in faithful partnership where we share and receive the gifts of life in Christ. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen

(Prayer by Bob Shebeck)

• Christian Commission on Development (CCD): Ecumenical organization based in Tegucigalpa working on sustainable development projects with churches and communities in Honduras. http://www.ccdhonduras.org/espanol/
• Honduran Theological Community (CTH): Ecumenical theological education with a residence program in Tegucigalpa and distance learning cells throughout Honduras.
• Evangelical and Reformed Church of Honduras (IERH): Synod leadership is based in San Pedro Sula with 50 or so congregations spread out through the northern portion of Honduras.
• Association of Evangelical Institutions of Honduras (AIEH): Social action arm of the Evangelical and Reformed church.
• Mennonite Social Commission (CASM): http://www.casm.hn/

Global Ministries Missionaries in Honduras:

Bruce and Linda Hanson are assigned to the Christian Commission on Development (CCD) to serve the Honduran Theological Community (CTH).  Bruce is teaching HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care, while Linda is teaching theological courses. They are currently in the United States on home assignment speaking in congregations in Illinois and Iowa.

Kevin Howe is a Global Mission Intern working with the Christian Commission on Development (CCD) working in the area of communications and hosting groups.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Hong Kong: John 3:1-17
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16) Holy God, the whole world yearns to enter Your Kingdom of peace and justice. Yet, as You taught us, Your Kingdom comes through the Cross - the emblem of suffering and sacrificial love. May the people of Hong Kong learn the way of Jesus Christ, who came to serve, not to be served.  May the churches of Hong Kong follow the example of Your Son, who showed us that only in dying to self are we are born to eternal life.  May the churches and people of China show forth Your glory - not through our wealth but by our generosity, not through our power but by our compassion, not through our will but by Your will done on earth as it is heaven. Amen.

• For more compassionate action by the Hong Kong Government to assist the 1.2 million people living below the poverty line
• For citizens to embrace the privilege and responsibility to contribute to the future political development of Hong Kong
• For Hong Kong churches and Christians to be more aware of their prophetic call to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with their God

• Asian Human Rights Commission: http://www.ahrchk.net/index.php - An independent, non-governmental body, which seeks to promote greater awareness and realization of human rights in the Asia region, and to mobilize Asian and international public opinion to obtain relief and redress for the victims of human rights violations.

• Christian Study Centre on Chinese Religion and Culture: http://www.csccrc.org/ -Ecumenical research institute for study of the religions and culture of China, including Hong Kong

• Chung Chi College Divinity School: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/theology - Ecumenical seminary providing theological education for church leaders and laity. The school is supported by mainline churches and is part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

• Hong Kong Christian Council: http://www.hkcc.org.hk/ - Ecumenical body of mainline churches and Christian organizations. It works for a united Christian witness and mission in Hong Kong society.

• Hong Kong Christian Institute: http://www.hkci.org.hk/ - Christian center for education and advocacy on issues of social concern.  The organization promotes human rights, democracy and justice in Hong Kong.

• Hong Kong Christian Service: http://www.hkcs.org/index_e.htm - One of HK's largest social service agencies. It was started by mainline churches and provides Christian Service for "The Healing and Growth of People."

• Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China: http://www.hkcccc.org/ (Chinese version only) - Hong Kong church denomination with historic Congregational and Presbyterian roots. The Council has 65 congregations and is the sponsoring body for more than 50 elementary and secondary schools.

• Hong Kong Women Christian Council: http://www.hkwcc.org.hk/en/ - Organization to fight for social justice and women's rights, to promote feminist theology and to stand with marginalized communities.

• Judy Chan is a Global Ministries missionary serving with the Hong Kong Christian Council.  She is in charge of ecumenical radio broadcasting ministry, English publications and ecumenical partnerships in Hong Kong and overseas.
  
• Bruce Van Voorhis serves as missionary with the Asian Human Rights Commission located in Hong Kong.  He serves as a writer and editor with the Commission and is responsible for their media relations.

  ---

  Sunday, February 10, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Nepal: Matthew 4:1-11
The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'

Forgiving God:
We confess that frequently we eat the bread of excess...in a country where we are already satiated;
We confess that we often throw ourselves down from the temple of intellectualism...hoping that it will bear us up in a world in which intellectualism often miserably fails;
We confess that we frequently bow down to the god of capitalism...and coerce others to bow to that same god...under a "new world order"...which isn't really new at all.
Like Christ; grant us, as a community of living faith, the power to share our bread, our intellect, and our economy unreservedly with all Your fellow children...and, through Global Ministries, with Your children in Nepal.
We pray for peace in Nepal.
We pray for unity within the body of Christ in Nepal.
We pray for safe and meaningful employment in Nepal.
In name the name of our Lord, Amen.

(Prayer by Dale and Bethsaba Nafziger )

Global Ministries International Partners in Nepal:

• Nepal Council of Churches: Founded in 1999, the Council's goals are (1) to support members as they discern how to be Christian and Nepali, fulfilling both obligations in ways that help create interfaith respect and cooperation, (2) to encourage Christian youth to consider service professions and (3) to encourage church members to participate in mission and to be involved in issues related to human rights, social justice, and peace and reconciliation.

• Wonder Products of Nepal: Founded in 1999, Wonder Products is a private sector company making natural fruit juices, "trekkers food" (muesli, granola bars & trail mixes) and handicrafts for Ten Thousand Villages.

• "Top of the World": Founded in 2003; "Top of the World" (cottage industry) employs young women making frozen pizza and French fries in a safe working environment.  Top of the World Coffee, founded in 2007, maintains a similar ethos, aiming to "Place Nepal on the World Map for Quality Coffee" (refer to www.towcoffee.com).

Global Ministries Missionaries in Nepal:

Dale and Bethsaba Nafziger are missionaries serving in numerous capacities.  Dale serves as "Director of Manufacturing" in Wonder Products and CEO in Top of the World Coffee.  Bethsaba works in both Patan Hospital and Seemul Hospice as a nurse/counselor and also supervises the manufacture of frozen pizzas and French fries.  The Nafzigers serve in supporting roles in the local church they attend.  They have two daughters, Sushma (age 8) and Shova (age 10) who attend a local Montessori School.

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Hungary: Matthew 17:1-9 "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased: listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid."

Great and gracious self-revealing God, we recognize our tremblings of spirit as we view the world today.  We long for close encounters with You, the Holy.  We too are willing to fall to our knees in fear and awe before Your presence, knowing that such an experience puts all in a right perspective.

Help us to be a kneeling Church before You, if not in body at least in heart and  mind.

And then let us rise from our prayers, blessed by You to serve -

In the name of Jesus, the Christ ,

Amen

• The Reformed Church in Hungary is, in terms of numbers, the largest denomination in Hungary, after the Roman Catholic Church. The existence of the Reformed Church in Hungary dates from this Debrecen Synod of 1567. At present the registered number of Reformed Hungarians world-wide is about three and a half million. Of these, some two million live in Hungary. In consequence of the dismemberment of Hungary after World War I, many congregations-even whole church districts in Transylvania-were separated from the church and placed beyond the borders of this country. These believers continue to live in their old homes, but in alien linguistic and religious surroundings. In the United States there are some 70 Hungarian Reformed congregations in two separate church bodies. The Reformed Church in Hungary maintains close fraternal relations with Hungarian coreligionists living abroad, whether in neighboring countries or dispersed throughout the world, partly through the World Federation of Hungarian Reformed Believers, and partly within the framework of the Consultative Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Church. Reformed believers amount to about 21% of the Hungarian population of ten million. 1200 congregations live in four Church Districts and 27 seniorates.  http://www.reformatus.hu/

Coralyn and Laslo Medyesy are Global Ministries missionaries with the Reformed Church in Hungary, based in Budapest, Hungary. Coralyn is a Teacher of Social Work and Diakonia at the Nagy Koros School. Laslo serves as professor of theology in the Department of Theology of the Gaspar Karoli Reformed University in Budapest.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Kenya: Matthew 4:12-23
And he said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Holy God, the invitation to follow you comes after the radical and deliberate words of repentance. We therefore turn to you on this Rosh Hashanah (head of the year.) We come at a moment in the history of our nation, Kenya, that we have experienced the brutal pain of division, distracting the hope of the possibility of unity in our community. We have seen the innocent die, people uprooted and houses of worship become infernos for those who sought sanctuary. God, it is our prayer that the vale over our eyes would dissipate so that we could see and celebrate the uniqueness of the collage of people that you have created.

• A people of God intertwined together in a dynamic synergy.
• A family of God that walks joyfully in the path of remembrance, repentance and redemption.

This is our prayer and plea that justice will be our shield and defender may we dwell in unity, peace and liberty. *   Amen   

Prayer for:

• The many people that have lost their lives in the post election violence
• The resolution of the stalemate between political leaders
• The work of the church, ecumenical bodies as they work to heal the communities 

*Words of the Kenya National anthem

(Prayer by Phyllis Byrd)

Global Ministries International Partners in Kenya:

• All Africa Conference of Churches:
• National Council of Churches of Kenya:
• Presbyterian Church of East Africa:
• Project for Christian Muslim Relations in Africa

Global Ministries Missionary in Kenya:

Phyllis Byrd is a missionary with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. This is a joint appointment with the Presbyterian Church, USA and the Common Global Ministries Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. She served as a theological educator in Nairobi, Kenya.

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Australia: 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 "I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind, just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you." 1 Corinthians 1: 4-6

Loving God, may your grace, made known to us through Christ Jesus, enrich the people of that vast sunburnt land, Australia. Your great love and deep grace reconcile us to you. Grant the people of Australia your grace as they work towards reconciliation:
between indigenous people and "invaders"
between settled colonizers and recent immigrants
between Christians and people of other faiths.

May the testimony of Christ's love strengthen all your people in Australia and around the world, that we might walk together in your love and light this day and always. Amen.

• Merrill Kitchen, Principal, and the faculty and staff of Churches of Christ Theological College as they embark upon a new academic year
• Paul Cameron, CEO of the Victoria-Tasmania Conference, Churches of Christ in Australia, as he serves the churches and ministers in that area
• Students in Ministry commencing new church placements: specifically Natasha Collins, Renee Benjamin and Emma McCracken
• Newly ordained ministers in the Churches of Christ: specifically Simon Clemow and Steve Jackson
• Ian Smith, Convener of the Social Justice Network of the Churches of Christ, as he continues to bring issues concerning indigenous Australians and the environment to the fore.
• Mark Zirnzak, Director of Social Justice Ministries, Uniting Church in Australia, supporting his work to curb gambling in Victoria
• Helen Heath, Director of the Dandenong Interfaith Council, providing a Christian voice of respect and recognition for other faiths

• Churches of Christ in Australia: committed to making the love of God known to the world as revealed through Jesus Christ http://cofcaustralia.org/cofc-cms/
• Uniting Church in Australia: providing a witness for social justice and multi-cultural expression in Australia's diverse population http://www.uca.org.au/
• Churches of Christ Theological College: celebrating 100 years of ministerial education http://www.cctc.edu.au/

Ana and Tod Gobledale are Global Ministries missionaries who served as chaplains and lecturers at the Churches of Christ Theological College (Seminary) in Australia are currently on missionary itineration in the USA. Currently, their son, Mandla, attends Occidental College in Los Angeles, and their daughter, Thandiwe is working in Nepal.

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Cuba: Isaiah 42:1-9

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." Isaiah 42:1

God of Peace with Justice, we thank you today for your church in Cuba. We thank you that your spirit rests upon the leaders and members of the partners with whom we walk in this country. We ask that you will continue to give them courage and a hunger for justice. We pray specifically for the work of the educational institutions and training institutes that serve the church. We ask you to grow strong leadership through their work. We pray for the Pentecostal Christian Church and the Council of Churches of Cuba as they seek to be your servants in their context. We ask that you might teach us how to best support them in their struggle to live the Good News of Jesus as we advocate on their behalf in the places of power in our own country. Amen

(Prayer by Bob Shebeck)

Global Ministries International Partners in Cuba:

• Seminario Evangélico de Teología Matanzas                            

• Concilio de Iglesias de Cuba (CIC)

• Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostal de Cuba (ICPC)

• Centro Memorial Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Global Ministries Missionaries:

None at this time

Sunday, January 6, 2008 Lectionary Text and Prayers for Afghanistan: Matthew 2: 1-12

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage." Matthew 2:11

Just as the wise men paid homage to the baby Jesus, teach us, O God, to respect the lives of innocent children around the globe. Today, we pray particularly for the children of Afghanistan caught up in the crossfire of war. Help the international community to advocate for peace with justice for the vulnerable in this conflict. We pray also for our partners in Afghanistan: Church World Service and International Assistance Mission. We thank you for the various projects of these two organizations which reach out to provide homes, income generation, education, literacy, and healthcare in various communities. Bless the labors of the staff and may these programs and projects meet the needs of many in this New Year. Amen

(Prayer by Bob Shebeck)

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Church World Service - Afghanistan: Through Church World Service, Global Ministries continues to help the people of Afghanistan in three key ways. The Housing Program provides house building kits and livelihood kits (tools, seeds and livestock) to families. The Income Generation Project enables women, many of whom are war widows, to support their families through a quilt-making project. The Education Project provides school desks, chairs and school kits for students and also conducts teacher training and repairs war-damaged school buildings.

• International Assistance Mission - IAM, Kabul: IAM's emphasis is on service and capacity building. They have reached vulnerable Afghans -- even in the most remote regions - with the Noor Eye Care Program, community development projects, water and sanitation projects and micro hydro projects. IAM provides specialized healthcare and employs skilled Afghan professionals in their healthcare programs. IAM staff also provides hygiene education and works to improve mother and child health and nutrition.

Global Ministries Missionary:

None at the present time.

Sundays, December 23 and 30, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Israel-Palestine: Matthew 1:18 to 2:12

"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." Matthew 1:23

During this Christmas season Christians around the world will turn their thoughts to Bethlehem.  We pray that they will also remember those living under occupation today in Bethlehem and in the rest of the Palestinian Territories.  We pray for peace with justice and security for Palestinians and Israelis.  During this Christmas season, we know that God is with us and we ask God to be present and active in Israel/Palestine during this critical time.  Specifically we offer these prayer requests:

• We pray for the renewed Peace Process. We pray that these meetings will lead to a new course that will end the Occupation and produce a just peace with a viable Palestinian state and security for both Palestine and Israel. We hope that as these talks continue, results will be seen on the ground through the removal of checkpoints and a tangible loosening of restrictions on freedom of movement.

• We pray for all those who struggle with visa renewal in order to continue their work in Israel/Palestine. We pray for the clergy serving around the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza as they face new limits on their abilities to travel. The Israeli government has stopped granting re-entry visas to Arab Christian ministers, priests, nuns and other religious workers who wish to travel in and out of the Occupied Palestinian territories. We hold both these priests and their congregations in our prayers.

• During this holiday season, we continue to pray for the Palestinian political prisoners and their families. We remember the 12,000 prisoners held in Israeli jails, the bulk of whom are held in administrative detention with no charges pressed against them and no opportunity for appeal.

• We pray for all those who continue to utilize nonviolence, in the face of oppression, as they work for a just peace in Israel/Palestine.

This prayer was compiled by Krista Johnson from Waves of Prayer. To continue to learn of the most recent prayer requests from our partner, Sabeel, visit  Waves of Prayer and join in prayer with our partners each Thursday at noon.

View the  Sabeel 2007 Christmas Message

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Jerusalem) is an ecumenical grassroots liberation movement among Palestinian Christians. It's an ecumenical center for Palestinian Liberation Theology which seeks to make the Gospel contextually relevant. In Arabic Sabeel means "the way" and also a "spring of water." Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity, presence, and witness of Palestinian Christians.  The Center is located in Jerusalem where the majority of programs take place with participants from Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and surrounding areas.  http://%20www.sabeel.org/

• The  East Jerusalem YMCA was established in 1949 in a tent at Aqabat Jaber Refugee Camp, near Jericho and operates with all sectors of our Palestinian Society without discrimination.  The East Jerusalem YMCA operates a variety of programs and functions related directly to the needs of Palestinian society in Jerusalem, Ramallah, Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, Beit Sahour, Gaza, Nablus, Hebron, Jenin, and Tulkarem.  http://www.ej-ymca.org/site/

• The YWCA of Palestine is an ecumenical grassroots movement serving women of all faiths. The main aims are to promote women's full and equal participation at all levels of society through leadership opportunities and training; to work for social and economic justice through development and advocacy programs; and to mobilize women's collective power for action on issues of vital concern: women's rights, justice, equality, freedom, the dignity of human beings and integrity of their environment. Programs include vocational training programs; training courses in Computer skills, hairdressing and language; children and youth activities such as summer camps; social and cultural activities; income generating projects; and advocacy work in areas such as human rights.  The YWCA headquarters are in Jerusalem. There are three local associations in Jerusalem, Jericho and Ramallah, and three centers in refugee camps: Aqabat Jabr, Jalazone and Kalandia.  http://www.ywca-palestine.org/

• Rawdat el-Zuhur (Arabic for "Garden of Flowers") is a primary school for Palestinian children in East Jerusalem. Established in 1952, it aims at bringing up a new generation that is aware of the principles of good citizenship, and concerned for the environment; capable of thinking creatively, and analyzing logically and critically, offering and accepting positive criticism, and excelling in performance; and equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to assume leadership in a democratic society which they would develop and preserve. It serves mainly the lower income community. Students at Rawdat el-Zuhur can be supported through the Common Global Ministries Board's Child Sponsorship Program.  http://www.rawdat.org/

• Department of Service for Palestinian Refugees of the Middle East Council of Churches was set up in the early 1950s to help Palestinian refugees with their newly acquired status following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The Department set up branches in five different regions: Gaza, Jerusalem and West Bank, Galilee in Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon, with the clear mandate of working with the refugees, the poor, and the dispossessed.  http://www.mec-churches.org/main_eng.htm

• Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza of the Episcopal Diocese in Jerusalem was established in 1882 by the Church of Mission Society and is located in the Gaza Strip area of Palestine. It became a service ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in 1982, and continues to provide important medical and surgical care to all people of the Gaza Strip. Over 60 percent of the Strip's residents live in refugee camps, and a significant portion of the hospital's care is charitable as they serve a community of exceptionally poor citizens. Al-Ahli has also responded to the needs of the victims of crises, including providing medical treatment to those involved in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.

• Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) supports Palestinians and Israelis working for peace by monitoring and reporting violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, offering protection by accompanying local communities in daily activities, and by advocating with churches for a peaceful end to the Occupation. The programme, which began in 2002, is coordinated by the World Council of Churches (WCC).  http://www.eappi.org/

Global Ministries Missionaries:

• Krista Johnson serves as a Global Mission Intern with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem.  Though she was denied entry to Israel in November, Krista continues her work from Indianapolis, and hopes to return to Jerusalem to continue her ministry there.
• Marla Schrader lived ten years in the occupied Palestinian territories.  She continues to support the ministry and theological work of Jean Zaru, Clerk of the Ramallah Friends Meeting.
• Cathy Nichols serves as Program Associate in interpretation and writing for Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Brazil: Matthew 11:2-11
"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them." Matthew 11:4 & 5

We pray that those in power in Brazil have the vision to see the injustices, ears to hear the pleas of the poor for more jobs, better schools, the right to the land they live on; may they see the lack of public health programs, good hospitals and clinics so the lame, those crippled with illnesses, may be helped; may they understand that the lepers of today are all those neglected in the schools and health system, economically, sexually and racially. We pray that the politicians may exercise their duties as Jesus would want, then the dead, or those dying of hunger, thirst, and social/economic injustice will be raised and the good news of hope will be born.

• We pray that the challenge given the world by Dom Helder Camera, deceased Brazilian Arch Bishop, as he received the Peace prize in Japan in 1984, may be met by all of those in power the world over: "As long as one child in the world goes to bed hungry there will never be peace."
• We thank you, Gracious God for the wonderful community health workers throughout Brazil who go from house to house in the poorest areas of this large country, promoting good health through health education, practical advise and in doing so are sharing God's love.
• We pray that the terrorized dwellers of Canal do Anil will not be expulsed from their shantytown houses as threatened. We pray that all the people in this large country who live in shantytowns, and miserable rural shacks have the right to be owners of the land their homes occupy wherever they are and the urbanization necessary for decent and dignified living conditions be granted.
• We, the Community Health Educators of the shantytown, Canal do Anil, Rio de Janeiro, thank God for the opportunity given us to work with the infants in our care, that they might have a more healthy and promising future.

(Prayer written by Rev. Barb de Souza)

• Instituto de Estudos de Religião, ISER (Institute for Religions Studies) Involved in research and religious studies as they affect social/economic/racial/sexual policies. An ecumenical institution, which publishes books and articles about religion and religious issues, ISER is active in educational programs, such as health and sexuality, women's programs, special school programs for adolescents and action for the betterment in all these categories.
•  Association of Community Health Educators (AECS) A non-profit (NGO) Association formed in 1996 by the Global Ministers Missionary, Barb de Souza, and students of the training course for Community Health Educators.  In 1999, the City Health Dept. of Rio de Janeiro, signed a contract (renewable every 2 years) for the financial support of the Family Health Program in the Shantytown of Canal do Anil where these women had been working as volunteers since the founding of the Association. The family health program promotes health education and health care in economically poor areas.  The Association's family health clinic has 3 doctors, 3 nurses and 6 nurses assistants, 18 health educators, a dentist and 2 assistants, a social worker and administrator.  As of 2008,  the city's will provide financial support for the Association's rehabilitation center, with 3 physical therapists, a psychologist, speech and occupational therapist.
• Igreja Presbiteriana Unida do Brasil (United Presbyterian Church of Brazil)
•  Ascociacion de Igrejas Metodistas do Brasil (Association of Methodist Churches of Brazil)
•  Igreja Evangelica Congregacional do Brasil (Evangelical Congregational Church of Brazil)

Global Ministries Missionary:

Rev. Barb de Souza is a Global Ministries long-term volunteer with the Institute of Religious Studies (ISER) serving as an advisor and teacher of popular education in the areas of health and sexuality leading to women's empowerment.  She retired in 2002 after 16 years as a health education missionary for Global Ministries and in 1996 became president of Global Ministries' new international partner, the Association of Community Health Educators.

Lectionary Text and Prayers for South Africa: Isaiah 11:1-10
"... He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth..." Isaiah 11:3-4

We give thanks for our sisters and brothers in the UCCSA - South African Synod.  We especially pray for the ministries of the church which are seeking to help those suffering from HIV/AIDS, as well as those that assist the poor and disenfranchised to find hope and dignity.  Other prayer requests include:

• For the ruling party, the African National Congress, which meets in December to elect a new president for the ANC. This will have a great impact on who is the next president of South Africa, and thus the future of this new democracy.
• For the ministers of the UCCSA - South African Synod and the Secretary of the Synod, Mr. Aubrey Classen.
• For the UCCSA and all other organizations which are seeking to bring relief and hope to all of those infected and effected by HIV/AIDS, especially the Samaritan Care Centre in East London.

Global Ministries International Partners:

• South African Council of Churches: This council consists of the joint work of 26 member churches.  The SACC focuses its ministry on social justice, the integrity of creation, and the alleviation of poverty.
• Theological Education by Extension College: This college, supported by nine member churches, helps prepare students for ministry, whether lay or ordained.  The college is ecumenical and students come from Catholic, Anglican, Reformed, and African Independent backgrounds.
• United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) - South Africa Synod:  The UCCSA - South African Synod consists of over 250 churches, divided into 11 regions.  Within the Synod one can find many different cultures and languages, making the SA Synod an example of reconciliation in the new South Africa.

Global Ministries Missionaries:

Jonathan and Dawn Barnes are missionaries with the Kei Regional Council of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, South Africa.  They serve as development officers in the Kei region of the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Scott Couper and Susan Valiquette are missionaries serving in South Africa.  Susan serves as a Chaplain of Inanda Seminary (high school of the UCCSA).  Scott is the HIV and AIDS co-coordinator for the UCCSA KZN Region and serves at Bethel UCC.

Carla Giger is a Global Mission Intern (funded by Week of Compassion) serving with the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa as an Assistant Program Coordinator. She works on the Girls Against the Spread of Aids (GASA) program.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Loving God, we are reminded on this day of the importance of being ready. As we think of the victims of hurricane SIDR in Bangladesh, we thank you that many were ready for this disaster and evacuated successfully. We are also reminded of so many who didn't have access to the warning and evacuation process and who remained in harms way as a result. We pray today for...

• those families who are still grieving loved ones who were lost.
• the thousands and thousands who have lost their homes and who have been displaced.
• those who are struggling to meet their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter.
• our partner churches and organizations listed below, and so many others, who are seeking to respond to this disaster.

On this first Sunday of Advent, we pray, Christ Jesus, for your coming amongst those in difficulty and desperation in Bangladesh so that they might see a glimmer of hope in their world. Amen

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh: CCDB operates development programs throughout Bangladesh, serving 51,000 poor families. Programs include literacy training, loans to start small businesses, skills training and women's programs. It also provides disaster relief and rehabilitation assistance when needed.

• Church of Bangladesh Social Development Program, Dhaka: CBSDP is a development wing of the Church of Bangladesh.  Its goal is to uplift the status of people in the church community and reduce the social, economic and moral inequalities.  Their Community Development Projects aim to empower the rural poor people around issues of health, women's rights and human rights and to provide vocational development opportunities for youth and adults (especially including women).

• National Council of Churches of Bangladesh, Dhaka: The Jatiya Church Parishad or National Council of Churches of Bangladesh is a joint mission of the Christian communities in Bangladesh.  They are currently working to develop schools in the very rural and poor regions of the country.

• Christian Hospital at Chandraghona: The Christian Hospital Chandraghona was started as a Baptist Hospital in 1907 by the British.  It houses the largest church-based Nursing Training Institute in Bangladesh.  The Institute has 60 students in training at any given time.  Most of the nurses are trained for service in the community.  The Institute selectively recruits students from minority groups. Ninety-five percent of the students are from Tribal Groups or are Christians.  Eighty percent earn a self-supporting income within two years of graduation.

Global Ministries Missionary:

None at this time

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Colombia: Jeremiah 23:1-6
"I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord." Jeremiah 23:4

Since 1999 the United Nations has designated November 25 as the  International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (or on  Wikipedia.org) This Sunday, we urge you join the courageous Colombian women of the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace, who even at great personal risk will be calling for an end to violence against women and praying and acting for peace in Colombia.

1. Recognition of the dignity and value of all Colombian women.
2. For the widows and women victims of Colombia's civil war.
3. For the women who are part of the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace; particularly for those who live and are courageous voices for peace in war zones.
4. For the regional coordinators of the Women's Network, and for the important work they carry out under difficult circumstances.

1. Luz Amanda Valencia, the national coordinator of the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace.
2. Martha Cecilia Mendez, community leader and member of Galacia Evangelical Church in Santa Fe de Ralito (Cordoba) who has recently been threatened by a paramilitary commander.

• CEDECOL - The Council of Evangelical Churches of Colombia. Global Ministries partners closely with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission and the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace.

Michael Joseph serves in Colombia with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission of the Council of Evangelical Churches (CEDECOL), including the Christian Women's Network for Life and Peace. He is providing a pastoral critical presence to church and lay leaders who are living in life-threatening situations.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Botswana: Isaiah 12
"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2

God of our salvation, we approach you today in faith. We thank you for the strength you give to us when we put our trust in you. Today we pray particularly for our brothers and sisters in Botswana. We thank you for our missionaries and partners there and we ask you to give them the strength and might to carry out the ministry you have given them.

• Praise for a country that is one of the most stable democracies in Africa.

• Pray for a more equitable distribution of the wealth of Botswana. Many people in the rural areas struggle to make ends meet and are without jobs. 
• Pray for all those affected by the high rate of  HIV/AIDS in the country including a growing number of children who are orphans.
• Pray for the leaders of our partner organizations:

Botswana Council of Churches - Rev David J. Modiega
UCCSA - Botswana Synod - Rev Segola Keimetswe
Kgolagano College - Rev Rupert I. Hambira  

• Pray for Kgolagano College of Theological Education as it attempts to re-structure and expand its academic programs to become accredited with the Tertiary Council of Botswana, and to forge new partnerships with other institutions around the world.
• Pray for Sedibeng as it attempts to pro-actively serve disadvantaged youth in the community who are oftentimes de-moralized and lacking-self confidence.  
• Pray for the Tsholofelong Children's Program of the Botswana Council of Churches that reaches out to at risk children coming from various circumstances.

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Botswana Council of Churches founded in 1966 with 36 member churches.
• United Congregational Church of Southern Africa - Botswana Synod.
• Kgolagano Theological College.

Global Ministries Missionaries:

James & Jayanthi Wilson are missionaries with the Kgolagano College of Theological Education in Gaborone, Botswana.  Jim serves as a tutor of theology at Kgolagano College of Theological Education.  Jayanthi serves as seconded staff to the Sedibeng in Gaborone, Botswana.  She works in community development at Sedibeng.

Sunday, November 11, 2007 Lectionary Text and Prayer for Germany: Luke 20:27-38
"Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to God all of them are alive." Luke 20: 38

Living God, we thank you for the way you give life to all of your children around the world. We pray today for the country of Germany and our partners there, the Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK). We thank you for their commitment to the "Decade to Overcome Violence" campaign of the WCC and their struggle to bring to light behaviors that destroy life in their own country and around the globe. May we grow in our relationship with the UEK as we walk together in the fullness of life. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Global Ministries International Partner:

• Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK): The Evangelical Church of the Union (EKU) traces its origin to 1817 when, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III decreed that the Reformed and Lutheran parishes in his domain should be united in a single church. In 1981, the United Church of Christ's General Synod declared a relationship of full communion (Kirchengemeinschaft) with the Evangelical Church of the Union (EKU). The EKU was an historic union of the Lutheran and Reformed traditions in Germany and the ancestral church of many German-American pioneers who founded the "Evangelical Synod in the United States"-one of the UCC's antecedent traditions. In 2003 the member churches of the EKU voted to disband the EKU and join with other United and Reformed churches in Germany to create a larger body: the Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK).

Global Ministries Missionaries:

• Steve and Lisa Smith serve with the Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK), within one of its regional churches, namely, the Evangelical Church of Berlin, Brandenburg and schlesische Oberlausitz (EKBO).  Steve serves in the Ecumenical Council of Berlin-Brandenburg, as well as being active in the regional UCC/UEK working group.  Lisa serves as assistant to the Commissioner for Migration and Integration, as Manager of the EKBO's committee of the WCC's  "Decade To Overcome Violence" and as Pastoral Counselor for higher education students from developing countries.  She also does pulpit supply in her church district.

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• Pray for the churches, the government and the society as a whole as they work toward creating harmony in an increasingly culturally diverse country. May the proposed legislation forbidding forced marriages become one effective means toward that end.
• Pray for the struggling foreign students from developing countries and their families.  Help them to overcome financial and bureaucratic obstacles so that they can complete their studies and return to their countries safely and use their knowledge to bring about a more just and fair world.
• Pray for the World Council of Church's "Decade To Overcome Violence" to become more widely known, so that more churches will participate and contribute to its programs, thereby helping to prevent and deal with the consequences of various forms of violence.
• Pray that God will continue to promote dialogue, understanding and cooperation between the denominations and religions represented within Germany.

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Egypt: Luke 19:1-10

"Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham" Luke 19:9

God of Abraham, we thank you for the faith of your servant, Abraham, our common ancestor among Jews, Muslims and Christians. As we pray for Egypt today, we think of our brothers and sisters in the Christian community and their efforts to reach out to those in need regardless of their religious affiliation. We thank you for the various development programs of the Coptic Church in Egypt that bring health, education and economic empowerment to the "least of these". We pray particularly for the work of Kathleen and Paul, our Global Ministries as they welcome refugees in your name at St Andrew's Church. Amen

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services: Begun as a literacy project in 1950, CEOSS is one of Egypt's largest development organizations, providing integrated approaches to poor communities in areas of economic, agricultural and environmental development, health care, and education.

• Bishopric for Public, Ecumenical and Social Services: In 1962, the Coptic Orthodox Church founded the Bishopric of Public Ecumenical & Social Services (BLESS) to take the leading role in achieving development in poor and disadvantaged communities. This work has gone through various phases, the last of which is the Comprehensive Integrated Development (CID) at the community level, in 29 communities, as well as at the national level in the areas of youth and education.

Global Ministries Missionaries:

Kathleen Kamphoefner and Paul Pierce serve a joint appointment (Global Ministries, ELCA and RCA) at St Andrew's Church in Cairo, Egypt. They are the Refugee Program Coordinators working with Sudanese and other refugees from African countries in educational and vocational training programs that improve the opportunities for successful integration upon resettlement or repatriation.

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• Pray for St Andrew's Refugee Ministry as they provide assistance to many refugees who need to work within the Egyptian system for their housing, food, medical care and other basic needs. Pray for the various training programs which prepare these refugees for a new life.

• Pray for the Roundtable Program of the Bishopric of Public Ecumenical & Social Services (COC-BLESS) which directly targets 90,000 individuals - men, women, youth, children, church, and community leaders - in communities of Upper and Lower Egypt. At the national level, BLESS is focusing on one million young people and those unable to read or write through its work in the areas of youth and education. BLESS's programming is targeting: nine communities in the Upper Egypt Region; nine communities in the Middle Egypt Region; four communities in Cairo and the Beni Suef Region; and seven communities in the Lower Egypt Region. Two main goals of BLESS's work include the empowerment of people to discover and develop their potential and to improve the social, cultural, and economic conditions of their communities; and the empowerment of Coptic youth throughout the nation to participate effectively in church and society. Key activities include community organizing, provision of community education in issues of health, hygiene, sanitation, and the environment, and training and support toward economic development.
• Pray for the interfaith efforts of the Coptic Church. Through its various efforts, Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) encourages Muslim and Christian neighbors to work together toward common goals. With over 50 years of experience, CEOSS is a leader in grassroots community development, and serves as a catalyst for cooperation and capacity building among other area Civil Society Organizations.

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Ghana: Luke 18:9-14
"...for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted" Luke 18:14

God of all mercy, we thank you that you look favorably upon us when we approach you in humility and contrition. Help us to be aware of our arrogance, especially as it relates to the impact of our decisions on others around the globe. Teach us the realities of the interconnectedness of our world. As we pray today for our partners in Ghana, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, we humbly ask you to lift up our brothers and sisters in this land. Show us how to walk together in solidarity for Jesus' sake. Amen

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Christian Council of Ghana: founded in 1929 and has 14 member denominations
• Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana: one of Africa's oldest self-governing churches. It was founded in the 1840's by German missionaries and has strong roots in the Evangelical and Reformed tradition. It has approximately 600,000 members and more than 512 congregations. It is a significant church presence in the region of Ghana where it is strong, being the major church among the Ewe People.

Global Ministries Missionary:

None at the present time

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• Pray for the Christian Council of Ghana as they work in the area of education and providing scholarships for girls to attend school.
• Pray for the work of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana, especially for it's hospitals, schools, pastor training institutes, women's work and HIV/AIDS work.

  ---

  Sunday, October 21, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Micronesia: Luke 18:1-8 
"Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?" Luke 18:6-7

God of Mercy and Justice, we turn to you today and cry out for justice in our world. We pray particularly of the United Church of Christ in Micronesia. We ask that you might grant them persistence in their witness for Christ and perseverance as they seek justice for the "least of these" in their communities. We remember specifically today those who lost their lives in the senseless shooting that took place in the First Micronesian Congregational Church in Neosho, Missouri. Grant your peace and comfort to the families of the victims. Amen.

Global Ministries International Partner:

• United Church of Christ (Chuuk, Micronesia)
• Namoneas Congregational Church (Chuuk, Micronesia)
• Nukuno Protestant Church (Chuuk, Micronesia)
• United Church of Christ in Pohnpei (Micronesia)
• Ohwa Christian College

Global Ministries Missionary:

None at the present time

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• On Saturday, August 18th, 2007, the East Asia and Pacific Area Executive, Rev. Dr. Xiaoling Zhu attended funeral services with the families and loved ones of those killed August 12th during the attack at the First Micronesian Congregational Church in Neosho, Missouri, U.S.A.  More than 1,000 people attended the Saturday memorial service, which commemorated the three slain; Rev. Kernel Rehobson, Rev. Intenson Rehobson and Rev. Kuhpes Ikosia. Pray for the families of these pastors and the communities that they faithfully served.
• Pray for the students at Ohwa Christian College during this new school year.

Pray for the outreach efforts of the United Church of Christ in Micronesia.  

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Nicaragua: Luke 17:11-19 "Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and he thanked him." Luke 17:15-16

God we thank you for all those who teach us how to be grateful for your intervention in our lives. Today, we think especially of our partners in Nicaragua who work amongst the poorest of the poor. We thank you for the life-giving ministries of the congregations that make up the Christian Mission, CEPAD, and the Moravian Church. As they gather today to express their gratitude to you, may you bless them with the fullness of life. We also pray for the work of Medical Christian Action as they seek to bring healing in your name to entire communities. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

• Convencion de Iglesias Mision Cristiana de Nicaragua: The Christian Mission of Nicaragua, a grass roots national Pentecostal church, is committed to assisting the poor, not only with their spiritual needs, but also with development projects and leadership training.
• Consejo de Iglesias Evangelicas Pro Alianza Denominacional (CEPAD): The Council of Protestant Churches of Nicaragua seeks to serve the poor through community development, work for peace and reconciliation, and by promoting the values of the Kingdom of God.  http://www.cepad.org.ni/eng/index2.html
• Acción Médica Cristiana: Medical Christian Action provides community based holistic healthcare. Global Ministries supports several community water projects.  http://www.amc.org.ni/
• Iglesia Morava: The Moravian Church works with Afro-Caribbean and indigenous populations on the country's eastern coast.
• Centro Inter-Eclesial de Estudios Teologicos y Sociales
• Centro Ecumenico Antonio Valdivieso

Jorge Bardeguez just concluded his term of service. He was serving with Mision Cristiana coordinating their theological education program designed for the specific needs of the church. He was also professor at the Ecumenical Evangelical Theological Faculty (FEET).

• Nicaragua is the second-poorest country in the hemisphere after Haiti, and 75 percent of the country's people live in poverty, surviving on less than $2 a day. Pray for the programs of our partners which are seeking to uplift and empower the poorest of the poor in Nicaragua.
• Pray for the on-going relief efforts after Hurricane Felix. In the Moravian Church alone 80% of their 200 church buildings experienced some type of damage from the hurricane. Pray for the re-building efforts.

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Myanmar: Luke 17:5-10

"If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. Luke 17:6

God, we have witnessed in these past weeks "mustard seed" faith in the country of Myanmar. We pray today on this World Communion Sunday for this struggle for freedom and human rights that was so courageously led by Buddhist monks. We ask you to accompany those who have experienced the violent repression of those peaceful demonstrations and who are now injured or in prison. Help the international community to do what is possible to intervene on their behalf. We pray particularly today for our partners, the Myanmar Council of Churches. We ask that you might continue to grant them faith the size of a "mustard seed" as they seek to walk in your light and love during this time of "uprooting" and "planting". In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Global Ministries International Partners:

• The Myanmar Council of Churches is a Global Ministries Partner. However, it is difficult to participate in projects in Myanmar under the current military regime.

Global Ministries Missionary:

None at the present time

Prayer and Praise Requests:

Our prayers of support and concern are with the people of Myanmar, the country once known as Burma. The hopes and democratic aspirations of thousands, inspired bravely into peaceful witness by Buddhist religious leaders, once again swell against the cruelty and repression of their government. Their mounting demonstrations this past week beckon a change in political leadership, the end of abduction and torture of dissident and minority voices, and the release of political prisoners such as Nobel-prize winning opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, confined to home arrest for nearly seventeen years. Yet the world watches as the military government meets the prayers and protests of their people with bullets, batons and scores of arrests. More violent reprisals are sure to come.

The United Nations has dispatched a special envoy to the country and the United States and others in the international community have called for restraint from the Government of Myanmar, the "State Peace and Development Council". We welcome added pressure on the nation's leaders to find peaceful pathways to reach the dialogue and democratic participation necessary in this ethnically diverse land. Global Ministries encourages its friends and partners in Myanmar in their faithful determination to seek freedom and reform in their beloved land. For all the people of Myanmar-Burman, Shan, Karen and others-we will continue to monitor and pray for their struggle for freedom and human rights, and for the Government we pray for an end to their violence and that their hearts, hardened by fear and repression, will be softened to the petitions of its people.

• For the families of those who were killed during the peaceful protests.
• For those injured and imprisoned.
• For the courage of Buddhist monks who lead the demonstrations.

  Prayers of support and concern for the people of Myanmar (Burma)

Photo: Bari/CWS (P/A)-ACT Intl

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Pakistan: Luke 16:19-31

"They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them." Luke 16:29

God of the prophets, you have spoken very clearly to us down through the ages by your messengers. We thank you that Christians, Jews, and Muslims around the world share many of the same prophets. As we pray today for the country of Pakistan, we ask for ears to hear the voice of your prophets' call to love and serve you and all humanity. We pray specifically for communities which are still rebuilding their lives, homes and infrastructure after the devastating earthquake in October 2005 and the recent flooding in June 2007 with the help of Church World Service and the National Council of Churches of Pakistan (NCCP).  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Church World Service - Pakistan is involved in teacher training and relief/development work.
• National Council of Churches of Pakistan (NCCP) is an ecumenical organization through which a number of local denominations collaborate and support mission efforts.

Global Ministries Missionary:

            None at the present time

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• For peace and political stability amidst many challenges.
• For the faithful witness of the church in Pakistan.
• For those who are rebuilding their lives after natural disasters.

  Pakistan floods recovery: Rebuilding homes, health, and communities

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Lebanon: Luke 16:1-13

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much..." Luke 16:10

Faithful God, we thank you today for all that serve you faithfully in Lebanon. We pray especially for the two educational institutions who are our partners there: The Near East School of Theology and Haigazian University. Bless their faithfulness as they teach and train the leaders of this country and region. And as each student is faithful in the pursuit of their studies, may you grant them faithfulness in the fulfillment of their future vocation for the good of your church, the country of Lebanon and your world. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Prayer and Praise Requests:

Urgent request for prayer shared by Common Global Ministries Board member, Dr. Arda Arsenian Ekmekji, who serves as Dean of Arts and Science at the Haigazian University in Lebanon:

The week of September 23rd is the most crucial in the life and politics of Lebanon, I do not know if you chose it specially or it was just a coincidence.

First it is during that week that the parliament has to convene and choose a new President for Lebanon for the next 6 years. With the current conflicting parties, there is great fear that the elections will either be sabotaged or two different entities will be formed, each considering the other illegal. So we need all the prayers of the world to ask the Lord to fill our politicians with enough wisdom and tolerance to make them forget their individual interests and elect a reconciliatory, compromising leader.

If the elections do not take place, many fear that we will be on the eve of violent conflicts. Since it is during the week of the 23rd that the academic life is supposed to resume, many of us fear that if conflicts arise, Haigazian and NEST will not be able to start the academic year and fulfill its mission in Lebanon and the Region.

So we sincerely hope your prayers will focus on a peaceful transition to a new presidential term and for a successful academic year for our institutions. We also hope that our students will be able to conduct their studies in a safe and unthreatened environment.

Thanks for all your efforts and prayers
Arda

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Near East School of Theology (NEST) is an interdenominational Protestant theological seminary serving the Evangelical churches of the Middle East and Africa. To learn more, click on the following link:  NEST
• Haigazian University, which is supported by the Armenian Evangelical community and other partners in the service of the Kingdom of God, was established in 1955 as a liberal arts institution of higher learning using English as the language of instruction. To learn more, click on the following link:  Haigazian University
• Middle East Council of Churches is a fellowship of 27 member churches gathered in four families-Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Evangelical, and Catholic. Spanning the Middle East and North Africa from Algeria to Iran, 12 to 15 million Christians are thus represented in this all-inclusive Council. To read more, click here:  Middle East Council of Churches
• The Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East was formed in 1924 as a consolidation of the Armenian Evangelical movement which began in the 1820's.  It is comprised of 17 congregations rooted in the longer history of Armenian Christianity. Located in seven countries (Egypt, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Australia), the congregations and institutions of the Union have persisted in mission and in presence through the Middle East's political and social strife. The Union's headquarters is located in Beirut, Lebanon. To read more, click here:  The Union
• The Arab Group for Christian-Muslim Dialogue was formed in 1995, as an organization of "Christians and Muslims together - a charter for a dialogue of life and common action."  Headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, The Arab Group for Christian-Muslim is composed of Arab Muslim and Christian intellectuals, religious leaders and people engaged in public life. Its members are from Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the Sudan, and the Gulf Emirates. To read more, click here:  The Arab Group for Christian-Muslim Dialogue
• Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue (FDCD) represents a faith-based, integrated initiative rising from the community and aiming to restore dignity to marginalized, oppressed, and dehumanized individuals and communities. We strive to support communities of faith, both Muslim and Christian, to work alongside civil society organizations to address the challenges that face their communities, individually and collectively. To learn more, click here:  FDCD

Global Ministries Missionaries:

            None at the present time.

September 16, 2007

Lectionary Text and Prayer for Swaziland: Luke 15:1-10

"Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep that was lost" Luke 15:6

God of all joy, we thank you today for those faith communities around the world that teach us how to rejoice as they turn to you. We pray today for our partner churches in Swaziland which make up the Council of Swaziland Churches. We think particularly of the Kukhany Okusha Zion Church as they dance with overflowing joy during worship with their white robes, blue sashes and pastoral crooks. Help us to recover the joy of our faith as we turn anew to you this day. Teach us to be those shepherds that are always concerned for the least and lost in our world. In the name of the Good Shepherd, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Global Ministries International Partners:

• Kukhany Okusha Zion Church which has 36 congregations in Swaziland (3,500 member) and South Africa (7,000 members). To learn more, click here: Kukhany Okusha Zion Church
• Council of Swaziland Churches which was founded in 1976 and has 10 member churches and 26 staff persons.

Global Ministries Missionaries:

            None at the present time

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• Pray for the feeding program of the Council of Swaziland that ministers to orphans and vulnerable children as well as elderly people. 
• Pray for the fundraising efforts of the Kukhany Okusha Zion Church as they seek to build a ministry center in order to expand their work.

September 9, 2007 Lectionary Text and Prayer for Korea: Luke 14:25-33

"Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" Luke 14:27

God of grace and mercy, the cross that we are called to carry is often heavy. We pray this week for the church in Korea which has experienced in many ways the cost of discipleship. We ask you specifically to walk with those who have had to carry the cross of the hostage situation in Afghanistan and we rejoice with the families of those who have been released. We pray also for the entire Korean peninsula and the cross of division between North and South which they have had to bear for 62 years. We ask for your strength and wisdom as the church in both North and South Korea promotes peace and unification. In the name of the Risen One, Jesus, the Christ, we pray. Amen  

Global Ministries International Partners in Korea:

• Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea: http://www.prok.org/prok_engcon/contents.htm
• Hanshin University: http://www.hs.ac.kr/english/html/sub01_03.html
• Hanul Disabled Children's Center
• House of Early Dawn
• Sungnam Migrant Workers Center
• My Sister's Place

Global Ministries Missionaries in Korea:

            None at this time

Prayer and Praise Requests:

• Pray for the 300,000 persons who were displaced and the families of 200 people who died in the worst flooding in 40 years in North Korea (Pyunggang Province, Whanghae North Province, Pyungahn South Province, and even in Pyung-Yang). Serious food shortages due to destroyed rice crops and poor hygiene conditions are major concerns highlighted by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK).
• Praise for the international consultation on "the role of the church for peace and unification of the Korean peninsula" held August 9-11, 2007 in Seoul during the commemoration of the Korean Great Revival which began in Pyongyang in 1907. All the churches in Korea which belong to the NCCK and the Korean Christian Federation (KCF), as well as over 30 overseas representatives participated.  To read the closing statement, click on the following link:  Peace and Unification
• To read a Common Prayer of the North and South for Peace and Unification written by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the Korean Christian Federation (KCF), click on the following link:  Prayer

September 2, 2007 Lectionary Text and Prayer for Haiti: Luke 14:1, 7-14

"For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Luke 14:11

God of the humble, we have so much to learn from those around the globe who are often forced to sit in the "lowest places" in the banquet of life because we have unknowingly or selfishly taken the "place of honor". Today we pray for the country of Haiti, the poorest country in the wes