Pray for Japan on Sunday, February 20, 2011

Pray for Japan on Sunday, February 20, 2011

Prayers for Japan: Matthew 5:38-48

Dear God,
   Thank you that in you we are one family.
      Teach us to see our likeness in your other children.
   Thank you for the blessings of each day
      And use us each day to bring your blessings to others.
   Thank you for walking with us in our daily struggles
      And grant us the compassion and the courage to walk with our neighbors in theirs.
   Thank you that in your mercy we can look to the future with hope
      And forgive us for the times when we let despair overwhelm us.

Dear God,
We pray for your Church in Japan.  We pray for the leaders that you may grant them Your wisdom to lead your people in this period of economic and social depression.  We pray for all the pastors, church workers and members that they may stand strong in their faith.  We pray for the schools that they may be true bearers of your light and your love.  We pray for your migrant children—especially  the Brazilians, Peruvians, and Filipinos—who, in the midst of their many struggles, witness to the joyfulness of their faith.  We pray for your blessings on all those working for peace and justice in this land.  Amen.

Mission and Stewardship Moment From Japan: A student speaks—

“Growing up as a Christian during my childhood, I believed in God very strongly.  I never questioned anything that was written in the Bible…However, when I was in high school, I started to realize that a lot of things written in the bible are very sexist …which is why I stopped practicing Christianity and started questioning many things in the bible.

…supposedly the first female on earth was made from a man’s rib.  When I was in Sunday school I never questioned this but as I grew older, I started wondering why.  I remember asking…one of my friends from church, and he said the reason for this is because women have a lot of flaws and are not perfect.  My friend also mentioned that Eve was the first human to make a sin which is why all humans sin and why Jesus died on the cross.  This led to the question: Why are we, women, blamed for the sins that all humans make?

 I stopped practicing Christianity as I grew older because I realized that my morals are more important than everything in the bible.  I noticed that many things that are said in the bible are very sexist and degrade women. This is the main reason why I took the Women in the Bible Class with Casilda Luzares and I would like to learn more about feminism in the bible.”

 (Prayer and Mission Moment offered by Casilda Luzares)

 Video Resources for Japan:

Global Ministries International Partners in Japan:  

  • Doshisha University: http://www.doshisha.ac.jp/english/ Martha Mensendiek is a teacher of Social Welfare at Doshisha University, Kyoto. Casilda Luzares teaches English.
  • Asian Rural Institute: The mission of the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is to build an environmentally healthy, just, and peaceful world, in which each person can live to his or her fullest potential. This mission is rooted in the love of Jesus Christ. To carry out this mission, ARI trains and nurtures rural leaders for a life of sharing. Leaders, both women and men, who live and work in grassroots rural communities primarily in Asia, Africa and the Pacific form a community of learning each year together with staff and other residents. Through community-based learning they study the best ways for rural people to share and enhance local resources and abilities for the common good. 
  • Emmaus Center: Rev. Jeffrey Mensendiek works as the Director of youth ministries at the Emmaus Center, Northeast Conference of United Church of Christ in Japan, based in Sendai, Japan. Ms. Sandra Lee-Takei works as a global mission Intern at the Emmaus Center as the assistant to the Director of youth ministries. 
  • Kobe College: http://www.kobe-c.ac.jp/ekc/index.html
  • Korean Christian Church in Japan: http://www.kccj.net/
  • Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University:
  • National Christian Council of Japan: http://ncc-j.org/english/profile.htm
  • Tohoku Gakuin University:
  • United Church of Christ in Japan: 

For more info about Japan, click here: http://globalministries.org/eap/countries/japan/

Global Ministries Missionaries in Japan:

  • Casilda Luzares teaches English at Doshisha University.
  • Martha Mensendiek teaches Social Welfare at Doshisha University
  • Jeffrey Mensendiek serves and the Director of youth ministries at the Emmaus Center.

Pray for Partners without Global Ministries Mission Personnel: Korea

God, we pray for peace and unity on the Korean Peninsula. We ask that your Church might be a Peacemaker in that process during these days. Amen

For more info about Korea, click here: http://globalministries.org/eap/countries/korea/