Global Ministries

Read:  1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

Christian friends and church members here in Thailand keep asking me about the United States in the current COVID-19 pandemic.  They are shocked and concerned that the disease is causing so much heartbreak and tragedy, and they want to know how to pray.

Lectionary Selection:  Acts 2:1-21

Prayers for Thailand:  

Why is it, O God of the Breath, that your Spirit blows where it will, and we never know what is coming next? Thank you for the living power of your Spirit, because when we are filled, we are free to follow and adapt, and even give thanks, when everything seems to be blowing and changing so quickly.

We pray with thanksgiving for the people of Thailand, who have long had the gift of adapting and thriving in a world of constant change.  Let their redoubled commitment to mutual encouragement and to “a cool heart” be a beacon to the world in this time of trouble. Let their concern for the larger world be a gift of hope, and let that hope be part of your work to draw all the people of the world together to be stewards of life and love and healing—throughout the whole wide earth. We pray through the Risen Christ, Amen.

The Southern Asia region, comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, is one of the most populous regions in the world. Although many of these countries have reported fewer deaths and confirmed cases, as per some analysts, it is hard to be definite about these claims in view of the limited testing and monitoring capacities. With the indefinite nature of the lockdowns, and with most services and industries shut, and with hardly any economic activity, millions of people who live on daily wages are now exposed to hunger and homelessness. Churches in this region, although small and many, are actively engaged in community awareness and in reaching out to the most marginalized sections with daily supplies.

The Southern Asia region, comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, is one of the most populous regions in the world. Although many of these countries have reported fewer deaths and confirmed cases, as per some analysts, it is hard to be definite about these claims in view of the limited testing and monitoring capacities. With current indefinite lockdowns and with hardly any economic activity, millions of people who live on daily wages are now exposed to hunger and homelessness. Churches in this region, although small and many, are actively engaged in community awareness and in reaching out to the most marginalized sections with daily supplies.

This morning as I walked to the elevator, all disguised in my sunglasses and anti-particulate face mask, I exchanged pleasantries with a neighbor who sounded a bit like an Aussie. (We’ve got some diversity in this building, with Filipino, Thai, Korean, European expats, and even a Detroiter.)

Statement of the Consultation of the Religious Leaders

We, a group of fifty (50) religious leaders and workers from Buddhism, Christianity (Catholic and Protestant churches), Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh faiths took part in an inter-religious consultation on “The Role of Religions, towards Migration, Migrant Workers and Human Trafficking." The program was organized by the Ban Sabaay Foundation in conjunction with an inter-religious network in Chiang Mai and ACT Foundation (Thailand) on Friday, February 28, 2020, at the conference hall, in the 75th-anniversary building of the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Lectionary Selection: Luke 14:25-35

Prayers for Thailand:

You ask us, Gracious God, through the words of Jesus, to “count the cost” of the holy journey. Help us to appreciate the freedom that comes from placing our life and our hopes in your hands, God of mercy. Let us, like the Christians in Thailand, be brave enough to appreciate “sacrifice,” and to trust that the Way of Jesus brings new life and beloved community. Then let us be that community for others, through Christ. Amen.

by Doug Smith

Last weekend, we hosted mission coworker Anne Gregory who was just back in the U.S. from Thailand. Anne grew up there and returned forty years later on a Global Ministries assignment. She told us that the favorite hymn of the Church of Christ Thailand, our UCC and Disciples partner church, is "That Cause Can Neither Be Lost Nor Stayed." As the song leader, she made sure everyone learned it at the Tall Oaks Grandparents and Grandkids Camp this year:

Sometimes mission co-c workers get a bad rap. Even back in the 1970s, many Christian groups decided to find a name other than “missionary,” to use for those who feel the call to do the work of the Good News in another culture.

Lectionary Selection:  John 12:1-8

Prayers for Thailand: 

O God, you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change. There is trouble and devastation all around this world, O God. We pray for the people of Thailand at a time when industrialization is harming the air. We pray for all leaders who are trying to find the best ways to respond. We ask, too, that all of us can be part of cleansing this earth that you have made, so that all living things may have a future. Give us the power to make sacrifices that honor you, and that honor this earth, our home. In all these things we thank you because of Jesus Christ, who never allowed obstacles to stand in the way of his work of compassion and redemption. Amen.