Pray for Japan on Sunday, May 10, 2008

Pray for Japan on Sunday, May 10, 2008

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Japan: John 20:19-23

God we thank you for your promise of peace and the gift of the Spirit for doing mission in your world today. As we pray for Japan today, we ask that you migh enable the Japanese church to continue it’s faithful and creative witness to the Risen Christ. We also ask you to continue to teach us what it means to walk in solidarity with them as they carry out your mission. We…

  • Pray for migrant workers and their families in Japan, who work hard to make ends meet and to send part of their pay back to their families in impoverished countries.
  • Pray For the victims of human trafficking all over the world. Japan and the United States are two major countries to which people (especially women) are trafficked. Help us God that we  work together to bring an end to this modern form of slavery.
  • Pray that the witness of Ariticle 9 of Japan’s Peace Constitution will grow. That the Japanese people and government will see that the Peace Constitution is a gift to the world,  and that Japan can take a lead in furthering non-military means to resolve conflicts, which is what is most needed in our broken world.
  • Pray for the Christian church in Japan, which though small, continues to preach the Good News in this secular society.
  • Pray for small ministries such as the Bazaar Café, the Emmaus Center, and many social service organizations rooted in the Christian church, that they may continue to serve the most needy and the lonely.  Amen

(Prayer by Martha Mensendiek)

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
  • Unite Church of Christ in Japan

Global Ministries Missionaries in Japan:

Sandra Lee-Takei serves as a Global Mission Intern at the Emmaus Center.

Casilda Luzares teaches English at Doshisha University and is involved in pastoral ministries to migrant workers from the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.

Martha Mensendiek teaches Social Welfare at Doshisha University. She is also involved in the YWCA hotline and counseling service for migrant workers, and the Bazaar Cafe, a coffee house ministry of the Kyoto Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Jeffrey Mensendiek serves and the Director of youth ministries at the Emmaus Center.