Pray for the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, May 17, 2009

Pray for the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, May 17, 2009

Lectionary Text and Prayers for the DRC:  John 15:9-17

Loving God, as we turn our hearts this week towards our brothers and sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we ask you to teach us what it truly means to love one another the way that Jesus has loved each one of us. We thank you for our fruitful partnership with the Community of the Disciples of Christ in Congo (CDCC) and the Church of Christ in Congo which brings all of the Congolese Protestant denominations together. We ask that you would continue to show us ways to make our journey together more fruitful.  Amen

Rev. Bonanga, the President of the CDCC, shared with Sandra Gourdet the following information:

  • Greetings and blessing to all the Disciples and UCC constituents in the U.S. and Canada
  • Prayer for the various Global Church Partnerships that have been established or that are in process… Michigan Region, Indiana Region, Missouri Mid-South Conference…
  • Prayer for the Mbandaka District Council meeting which is being held at the moment.
  • Prayer for the DRC that peace would continue to gain momentum in the country.
  • Prayer for Rev. and Mrs. Bonanga as they travel to Indianapolis for the General Assembly this summer and for  Rev. and Mrs. Illumbe as they travel to the Indiana Region for congregational visits and the General Assembly.
  • Prayer for General Assembly and Administrative Council of the CDCC which will be held in August 2009.
  • Prayer for the ongoing communication challenges that the church is experiencing due to the lack of communications equipment.
  • Prayer for the transportation challenges that church staff constantly face as they seek to visit remote locations by motorized canoe, motorcycle, bicycle and by walking.
  • Prayer for those affected by tornados in the Mbandaka district and praise for the repair of buildings that were damaged through funds that were channeled through Global Ministries.
  • Prayer and praise for the progress on the rebuilding of a portion of the Bolenge hospital of which the dedication will occur sometime within the next year.

Note: The Indiana Region and the Mbandaka District have proclaimed the week of May 17-24 as Partnership Week, in observance of the first anniversary of their partnership agreement. To access the worship resources they are using this Sunday and other types of Congo resources, go to: http://www.indianadisciples.org/congopart.php

Global Ministries International Partners in the DRC:

  • Church of Christ in Congo: is the ecumenical Christian organization that brings under one umbrella more than sixty Congolese Protestant denominations. Global Ministries has been in partnership with the Church of Christ in Congo since its inception and was one of the founding members of the organization through the Disciples of Christ. This Christian organization is even more relevant today than ever before.  After a bloody war that counted more than 4 million deaths, countless rapes and traumatized survivors, the people of Congo look to the church for its leadership in national reconciliation and peace.   Core values of the ECC are reconciliation, justice, peace, struggle against corruption, and respect for human life.  It also encourages the mentality of power as a service to others and not a privilege reserved for self interest. The Women’s Department recognizes that women are that part of the population who are the most affected by the war.  They are also the ones most easily manipulated by politicians and predators.   Therefore the Women’s Department is determined to be engaged in the reconstruction of the country on principles based on love and forgiveness, respect of human lives and values as well as good governance. http://ecc.faithweb.com/
  • The Community of Disciples of Christ in Congo (CDCC): was founded in 1889. The church has been affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States since its inception.  The church functions with 22 ecclesial regions located in the Equator, Bandundu, East Congo, Lower Congo and Kinshasa regions.  Its 358 congregations serve 650,000 members.  The church has 6 general hospitals, 9 maternity centers and 42 functioning health centers. The communities where the congregations are located are confronted with many socio-economic problems.   They are all struggling from the effects of a civil war that included the involvement of surrounding countries as well as some international involvement.  Health care, education and development programs suffered greatly during the war and during years of systemic corruption before the war.  One of the devastating effects of the war has been the rapid increase in the number of HIV/AIDS patients, particularly in the Equator with more than 7 million inhabitants and where the largest numbers of Disciples are located. 
  • The Protestant University of Congo, Kinshasa: is a church-related institution with four colleges, [Business, Law, Theology, Medicine.] The enrollment for the academic year 2006-2007 is over 5000 students. It is the outcome of a century-long effort by the various Protestant missions and the Congolese “Eglise du Christ au Congo [ECC]” to provide university level education, in a Christian environment, to Africans from any nation, but principally in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  All nationalities and faiths are considered for enrollment.  The goal of the university is to provide university level education for all enrolled National and International students, and prepare them to serve the needs of their community and the African Christian Churches. http://upcpublicrelations.org/

Global Ministries Missionary in the DRC:

None at the moment