To: The Leaders of all member conferences of the Seventh Day Baptist World Federation
Dear Seventh Day Baptist brothers and sisters around the world,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
We are living in difficult days. In addition to all the normal daily struggles, now, there is a corona virus pandemic. It has changed significantly the lives of many people around the world. The resulting death toll has advanced in many countries. And we have been forced to remain in social isolation for a while. This moment requires a lot of faith, peace and trust in God's control over the entire universe. A lot of people, including brothers and sisters, are facing anxiety, anguish and, sometimes, lack of courage.
Within the Seventh Day Baptist global family, the corona virus may have caused death to visit some of our church members, their families, or friends. In many countries, our Seventh Day Baptist ministries have been significantly curtailed by the ban of public worship or church services, forcing us to find creative and novel ways to minister to our flocks.
However, we must always remember that we are the Church of the Lord Jesus, called to be salt and light. In these difficult times, we must think that we have many opportunities to speak about our Lord Jesus, who brings salvation and peace, about God's love and control over every situation we live in, and about everything that happens in the universe. We have the opportunity to comfort those in need, and to donate time, food, and financial resources to their well-being. We have the opportunity to live the Gospel truly.
In this difficult time, God requires of us courage, faith and trust in Him. The other important thing is that we have to pray and plead for ourselves and for all those in need .
Let us be the Church that prays and intercedes for this world that suffers anguish and pain. So, I call upon all our member Conferences, and all our Seventh Day Baptist brothers and sisters around the world, to dedicate the two-day period, April 18 and 19, to pray and fast for this very difficult situation that we are all facing. Use any time slot during that period for fervent prayer, and fast during any window or portion of the period. We understand that in many parts of the world, churches are not assembling right now, but that does not mean that we cannot connect in some way to pray and fast. Use the technology and facilities that are available to you, and let us seek the face of the Lord regarding this terrible intrusion.
Download the letter here.
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Recording Secretary, Marcia Nembhard
