posted 4 Dec 2018, 21:37 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 4 Dec 2018, 21:37
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International Witness Update and Prayer
Thailand
Tom and Christine Poovong (MC Canada Witness workers in Khon Kaen,
Thailand) recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. We
give thanks and praise to God for their married life together and for all
workers and their marriage relationships. Pray for all of our workers that
God’s grace and perseverance would be evident in their marriages as they face
unique challenges of living and ministering cross-culturally.
United Kingdom
An update from Mike and Cheryl Nimz, Anabaptist Network in the U.K.
“It isn’t feasible for us to travel all over the UK to continue on
with the connections we have made and so we have suggested and the Anabaptist
steering group has agreed that having regional ‘ambassadors’ is the way
to go.
One ambassador will be Simon Ramacci. He is a
student from Essex and believes working for peace is at the core of the gospel.
He works part-time for St John Ambulance and he had such a problem wearing the
red poppy [Simon was being made to wear a red poppy] that he put forward his
case for the white poppy to his managers and they agreed that he could wear his
white poppy for peace. This is a huge
deal in the UK. Simon said finding Anabaptism has helped his faith grow.”
Prayer
Venezuela
Pray for Erwin Mirabal, president of the Evangelical Mennonite Church
of the East in Venezuela, as he leads the denomination in desperate times. May
church members demonstrate God’s love through the sharing of food, providing
health care and following Jesus’s way of peace. ( Photographer: Linda Shelly.)
Read more here: Lamb with Lion's Strength.
Congo
Praise God for the vitality of the Evangelical Mennonite Church of
Congo as evidenced in church planting and baptisms. Pray for Jean Felix Cimbalanga
as he provides leadership for the denomination, and for Pastor Mimie Kanku and
her husband, Bellarmé Ngalula, as they minister in a new congregation in
Bandundu. ( MCC photo/Mulanda Jimmy Juma.) Related article: Mennonites Supply Food to People Displaced by Violence in Kasai.
(*The above two items regarding Venezuela and Congo first appeared in
Mennonite Mission Network’s December 2018 Prayer Vine.)
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posted 22 Nov 2018, 13:27 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 22 Nov 2018, 13:27
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 Tany Warkentin and her children- who
are in Burkina Faso to join the 40th Anniversary Celebrations of the
Mennonite Church’s Ministry in that country. Tany (and her late husband
Jeff) helped lead a Mennonite Church plant and a university student
residence in the capital city from 2006-2011.
 Donna Entz, who lived in Burkina for 30 years, joins
Tany this month in Burkina Faso to celebrate the Mennonite Church
Burkina's anniversary. She will also spend three weeks with her son and
family in Mali.
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posted 1 Nov 2018, 20:13 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 1 Nov 2018, 20:13
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MC Canada Congregations Called to Prayer Photo by NY Post.MCA
is inviting all congregations to join in a nationwide call to prayer
for comfort and strength for our Jewish faith communities, particularly
those here in Canada and the USA. In the wake of the Pittsburgh massacre
of Jewish worshippers this week, all congregations in MC Canada are
being asked to pray this Sunday for Jewish faith communities that have
been impacted by this act of violence.
This
horrific act of anti-Semitism is one that we as a denomination strongly
condemn. While anti-Semitism has been a an ugly part of the history of
the Christian Church, we believe that our Christian faith and the words
of Jesus compel us to love all persons regardless of race or creed and
to denounce all forms of violence against each other. Please
join our sisters and brothers across the country in lamenting all forms
of violence against those who are different from us. Pray that those
who grieve may be enfolded in God’s comforting embrace and that God’s
healing power might restore shalom in communities whose peace has been
shattered by violence. May our prayers stand in solidarity with all who
call on God in this time of sorrow and grief. |
posted 10 Oct 2018, 16:13 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 10 Oct 2018, 16:13
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Thailand Anabaptist Gathering (Oct. 8 - 12): Tom & Christine Poovong (MC Canada Witness workers) and Jason Martin (MC Canada Director, International Witness) are curretly attending. Pray that all participants will be inspired for continued ministry in South East Asia.
MC South Korea Annual Gathering: prayer for the upcoming Mennonite Church South Korea Annual gathering this weekend, Oct. 12 – 14.
Joanne and Werner DeJong: Remember Werner and Joanne DeJong in prayer in their continued interactions with students, mentoring and teaching at Meserete Kristos College. May the students be inspired by teaching on Anabaptism and encouraged by the DeJong’s commitment to demonstrating God’s love through relationship building.
Executive Minister: MC Canada is currently in the processing of hiring a new Executive Minister. The candidate interviews were held last week. Your prayerful support for this discernment process is deeply appreciated.
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posted 21 Aug 2018, 14:50 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 21 Aug 2018, 14:50
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- Pray for a smooth transition for the Tshimanga family in making a new home in Nova Scotia, developing new friendships and for a good integration for Emmanuel and Joshua into school.
- Please pray for the English ministry of Sook Kyoung Park (wife of Bock Ki Kim). During the summer months the number of Sook Kyoung’s students has decreased to half. Despite the smaller size of group her students continue to enjoy English learning and appreciate their relationship with Sook Kyoung.
- Meserete Kristos College (in Ethiopia) invites prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide in the selection and enrolling of students especially as it anticipates the coming fall semester. Pray also for those providing training and instruction to students.
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posted 8 Aug 2018, 19:35 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 8 Aug 2018, 19:35
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A Prayer for the Danforth (by Tim Reimer, Pastor, Danforth Mennonite Church in response to the shootings on Sunday, July 22, 2018)
Oh God of Love,
Maker of human neighbours and neighbourhoods,
Hear our prayer
from the Danforth, for the Danforth. Hear our cry of anguish and disorientation;
Our sidewalk cafes are shattered and scattered;
we are suddenly lost in our own home town.
Calm us!
Hear our cry of fear,
we run, we hide, from guns
Protect us!
sometimes – we confess--
we call for even bigger triggers.
Forgive us!
Hear our cry of grief,
We want to walk with the bereaved,
even just one lonely neighbourly step.
Comfort them! and us.
Hear our cry of confusion,
Why does one man’s loss of head and heart,
spray deathly lead through house and home?
Heal him!
Answer us!
Call us!
Call us to courage, to imagine peace.
We hear your impossible call to respond in love,
We hear it within ourselves,
We hear it beyond the darkness, blood, and rage.
Rebuild! Be remade! Oh God of Love,
Remake us on the Danforth
into a new neighbourhood of Peace. Amen. |
posted 23 Jul 2018, 12:19 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 23 Jul 2018, 12:19
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- Pray for MCA's Vision 2020, a re-visioning process that will guide us into 2020 and beyond. Help us to listen, to be open to God's leading, to discern His call, and to live it out. Pray for pastors and congregational leadership who will participate in the process.
- George and Tobia Veith have returned home for a brief visit to family and their home congregation. Praying their visit to Canada will provide the rest and peace after a busy and hectic ministry schedule.
- Keep the Nicolson family in prayer as they continue to adjust to life in Canada after serving several years in Burkina Faso. Pray that the worship service at Holyrood Mennonite Church would be wonderful time of encouragement and affirmation both for the congregation and for the Nicolsons.
Please keep the Otto/Rabus family in your prayers. They are settling in to a new home in Lethbridge, Alberta where Jennifer has recently begun a teaching position at the University of Lethbridge. Pray for Greg and Jennifer (and their young sons, Alex and Ian) as they transition to life in Canada after 6 years of Witness work in Germany.
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posted 11 Jul 2018, 16:30 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 11 Jul 2018, 16:30
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- Pray for MCA's Vision 2020, a re-visioning process that will guide us into 2020 and beyond. Help us to listen, to be open to God's leading, to discern His call, and to live it out. Pray for pastors and congregational leadership who will participate in the process.
- Please pray for Steve Henrich during his trial Aug 7-10 and for our larger community as we continue to discern how Christ is inviting us to flesh out our commitment to Indigenous rights and our repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery. Pray for peaceful engagement with this issues, seeking resolution involving dialogue with indigenous communities in keeping with UNDRIP. This dialogue should also include all levels of government, industry leaders, and other stakeholders in seeking a resolution together.
- Please join Dann and Joji Pantoja, Witness workers in the Philippines, in special prayer as they grieve the recent passing of Joji’s mother, Aurora Francisco Bautista (84 years of age). Pray also for Joji’s siblings and for the grandchildren that God’s peace would surround them all during this time of grief and loss.
- Pray for the families of Eva Tumbay, Jeannette Wright, Glorious Davis as continue to morn the losses from the tragic accident on September 22. Pray also for Janet Wright Gaye for physical and emotional healing.
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posted 20 Jun 2018, 15:00 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 20 Jun 2018, 15:00
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- Pray for MCA's Vision 2020, a re-visioning process that will guide us into 2020 and beyond. Help us to listen, to be open to God's leading, to discern His call, and to live it out.
- We are thankful that the Nicolson family is visiting the MC Canada/MC Manitoba offices this week. Continue to pray for Lillian, Norm, Nadine and Kenneth, as they live into “re-entry” transition from many years of life in Burkina Faso to Canada.
- Please keep the Gregory Rabus and Jennifer Otto and their two boys, Alex and Ian, in your prayers as they transition to life in Canada after serving 6 years cross-culturally. Gregory, Jennifer and boys will settle in Lethbridge, Alberta in mid-July.
- Pray as Mike and Cheryl near the completion of their itineration, that they would continue to enjoy good health, perseverance and establish new relationships. They will be returning to United Kingdom in mid July.
- We invite all congregations and members of Mennonite Church Canada to join with us in prayer as we seek an EXECUTIVE MINISTER. We invite applications and nominations for an individual who will work cooperatively with the Executive Staff Group to nurture, represent and inspire a unified vision of MC Canada
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posted 7 Jun 2018, 09:46 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 7 Jun 2018, 09:46
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Points of Prayer- Pray for the women attending the retreat June 8-10. May this be a time and place for bonding across churches and cultures. May the women be challenged by Rachel Miller Jacob's message on Ordinary Forgiveness.
- We invite prayers of peace and God’s grace for Lillian, Norm, Nadine and Kenneth as they transition to Canada after 20 years of ministry in Burkina Faso. They arrived safely in Grand Prairie on May 31st.
- Please pray for NAIITS conference that hearts are open to learn from the wide diversity of peoples who will be offering their gifts; that we would share our gift too; and that we would come home ready to pass on what we have received to our congregations.
- Witness workers, Hippolyto and Miriam, invite prayer “for the Grace Community Church so that the Lord may keep her faithful in unity as she is still struggling to build herself as a Pentecostal Peace Church and a strong member of Mennonite World Conference in South Africa.”
- We invite all congregations and members of Mennonite Church Canada to join with us in prayer as we seek an EXECUTIVE MINISTER. We invite applications and nominations for an individual who will work cooperatively with the Executive Staff Group to nurture, represent and inspire a unified vision of MC Canada
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