‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ Matthew 11:29
Lord we thank you that we can come to you and bring our concerns and our fears, our burdens and our joys. We thank you for the signs of hope within your body, the church. For those engaged in providing food, and clothing and sanctuary to those who have lost everything through war, or famine or fire or flood. We pray that you will show us how we can each play our part in caring for our sisters and brothers in need. We thank you for those who are courageous in speaking out for justice and peace. Show us how we can break our silence and challenge injustice when we recognise it. Show us how to comfort those who mourn. May we learn from the example shown us by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and live out our faith in humility and gentleness. Amen.
Please pray for all those affected by recent life-changing events.
Aniema Udofia, V-P West Africa Area, who was injured in a serious road accident recently. Pray for the Bishop Stephen of Nigeria whose wife Mrs Olufunmilayo Adetifewa Adegbite was tragically killed in the same accident.
The Grenfell Tower fire in West London killed more than 79 people. Many survivors are traumatised having witnessed such horror and lost everything. The emergency services have a hard task still searching through the charred remains of the tower. Local churches and people of other faiths and no faith have shown great generosity towards those who have become homeless.
Forest fires in Portugal have killed dozens of people. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Portugal.
Pray for wisdom for leaders in Europe as they discuss terms for Brexit.
Pray for World Officers of our Federation: Leu, Mataiva, Matilda, President Emerita Ann, and myself.
Pray for those Area Officers who are busy planning Area Seminars taking place in 2018, some of them travelling across their Areas for meetings with Unit leaders. For instance, East Asia Area President Ting as she travels to meet leaders of the church in Indonesia at the 7th Mission Conference of World Federation of Chinese Methodist churches in Hong Kong from 14-17 July.
Pray for Rebekah Daniel (India) who will participate in the World Council of Churches course, ‘Youth in Asia Training for Religious Amity’ 8 – 22 July in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Ligia Istrate (Romania) who will join ‘Sharing the Faith in a Multi-Cultural and Multi-Faith World’ 31 July-11 August in Bossey, Switzerland.
Pray for our representatives attending the ‘Intergenerational Dialogues on the Sustainable Development Goals’ at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on 1 August 2017.
We are ‘Chosen People: Called to Proclaim’. Let us not keep silent, but speak with humility and gentleness and, taking on the yoke of Christ, find rest for our souls. Amen.
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