UN World Oceans Day - June 8

                                                (photo: Mark Tipple, The Underwater Project)

Sing a new song, for God has done wonderful things! Sing to God all the earth, sing praise and songs of joy! Let the oceans roar and all the creatures that live within it give praise! (Psalm 98 adapted)

The 2021 theme for World Oceans Day is The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods. The focus is on how the ocean is our life-source and supports humanity and every other organism on Earth. It reminds every one of the major role the oceans have in everyday life. They are the lungs of our planet and a major source of food and medicine and a critical part of the biosphere.

The purpose of the Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans.

The ocean covers over 70% of the planet. It is our life source, supporting humanity’s sustenance and that of every other organism on earth. The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen, it is home to most of earth’s biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world. Not to mention, the ocean is key to our economy with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.

Even though all its benefits, the ocean is now in need of support. With 90% of big fish populations depleted, and 50% of coral reefs destroyed, we are taking more from the ocean than can be replenished. To protect and preserve the ocean and all it sustains, we must create a new balance, rooted in true understanding of the ocean and how humanity relates to it. We must build a connection to the ocean that is inclusive, innovative, and informed by lessons from the past. 2021 also launches a decade of challenges to get the Sustainable Development Goal 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources”, by 2030. 

The call extends to all of us to become highly protective of our seas and waterways in order to help ensure a healthy home for all! 

The Pacific region, known also as Oceania, is sometimes referred to as the “Liquid Continent”, acknowledging that the Pacific Ocean, the largest ocean in the world, is not what separates the island communities, often seen on maps as green specks on a large blue background. For Pacific Islanders, the ocean is what connects our islands. It is our highway, where canoes travelled weaving relationship and sharing stories, knowledge, food and gifts and has done for many millennia. It is mother, nurturing, source of life, home to fish and shell and mighty whale. (Rev James Bhagwan, Fiji, reflections for WCC Ecumenical Water Network). We remember our Deaconess sisters and their communities in Fiji as they deal with rising ocean tides. 

Prayer
Swirling God, who at the dawn of creation swept over the face of the waters, hover over our oceans and all waterways with your blessed presence.
May each droplet of mist and sea be clean and fresh for all life who come in contact with these holy streams.
Bless each cell and molecule of life below the surface of the waters who trust in you and us to create a prosperous world.
Continually nudge us to nurture creation, joining together with humans all over this planet to covenant with one another and celebrate the gifts of water, air, fire, and land that you have given us. Amen.
(Source: Michelle L. Torigian, God goes pop)

DIAKONIA World Executive Committee

The DWF Executive Committee (EC) will be meeting via Zoom on Tuesday 18th/Wednesday 19th May. The EC has met many times via Zoom in the last year during COVID - and in that way COVID has enabled us to be innovative and responsive in ways that were more difficult with an annual meeting. 

The members of the EC are in many different time zones, starting with Fiji at 8am on Wednesday 19th May and Adelaide at 5.30pm, and members in the DRAE (Africa/Europe) region at 9pm and 10pm, and members of DOTAC at 3pm, 2pm, and 1pm (Winnipeg, Boise and Seattle). We have up to 1.5 hours to discuss the agenda items and then schedule another meeting to continue our discussion. 

There is also a great deal of work that happens in between meetings. 

As well, there are now a number of new Committees that have been formed in the last few months. Some more are in the process of being set up, and some will be set up later in the year. Committees already set up include DIAKAID, Donors, Financial, Justice, Member Connections, and Communications. It's tricky scheduling meetings with people in the different regions, but a very worthwhile endeavour. 

Please pray for the DWF Executive Committee and the new Committees that are taking on and developing some of the responsibilities for DIAKONIA World. 

Deepening missional relationships

Rev Mat Harry (Deacon in Uniting Church in Australia): 

It is important for #ChristianCommunities to think not just about the number of #missional relationships a church develops, but also to concentrate on the depth of those relationships.

Melton Op Shop has seized upon the opportDeepunity to deepen relationship with those people they are alongside through the installation of a cafe space.  

This cafe space allows the #OpShop volunteers to listen to the stories of the customers, offering care and support if needed.

India and COVID-19 grim statistics

Background: India has recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic yet with 3,689 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, as the country’s caseload surged to 19.5 million with 392,488 fresh infections according to government data. This is the fourth straight day India has recorded over 3,000 deaths as the second wave of the pandemic carries on unabated and keeps setting grim new records, data showed on Sunday.

Altogether, 215,542 people have died from Covid-19. India became the first country to cross 400,000 daily cases on Saturday. It recorded 6.6 million infections and 45,000 deaths in April, compared to the little over 1.2 million cases and 5,417 deaths in March. Health care systems are overwhelmed, and a shortage of medical oxygen has emerged as the most serious challenge.

Arundhati Roy has called the situation 'a crime against humanity'. 

Thirty-four patients died for alleged want of oxygen in hospitals in the national capital, New Delhi, and the states of Andhra Pradesh and Haryana on Saturday, the Times of India reported. Thirty-one more with Covid-19-like symptoms and “breathing difficulties” died in a hospital in Uttar Pradesh state, the report cited authorities as saying. The Delhi High Court has warned that it will start punishing officials if life-saving supplies of oxygen and medical supplies don’t make it to hospitals.

Indian Railways has converted 4,000 railway carriages into “isolation coaches” with 64,000 beds. As many as 213 coaches had been handed to various states for Covid-19 care.

While the worst-affected cities and states like New Delhi and Mahrashtra are in prolonged lockdowns, states like Odisha and Haryana also announced new lockdowns to halt the spread of infections in rural areas.

India’s Covid-19 taskforce has pushed hard for a nationwide lockdown to help subdue the second wave, the Indian Express reported. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all efforts should be made be avoid a lockdown.

The federal government fears another lockdown will have a devastating impact on the economy. The lockdown imposed last year after the first COVID-19 outbreak led to job losses as economic output fell a record 24% in April-June 2020 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Modi’s government has been criticised for letting millions of largely unmasked people attend religious festivals and crowded political rallies in five states through March and April. Daily cases in these states have spiked since then. (Source: Indaily, 3rd May 2021)

Modi's Covid-19 taskforce didn’t meet for months. The Minister for Health assured the public in March that India had reached the pandemic’s “endgame”. A few weeks before that, Modi had told global leaders that his nation had triumphed over coronavirus. India “saved humanity from a big disaster by containing corona effectively”, Modi told a virtual gathering at the World Economic Forum in late January. Now, a second wave has made India the worst-hit country in the world. Only 1.6% of its 1.3 billion population has been vaccinated. “Fake news" continues to discourage many from taking the proper precautions against the continuing spread of the virus. The decision to lower restrictions and allow large-scale political rallies and religious celebrations to continue has proved disastrous as an apparently new Covid-19 variant burned across the country.

New infections have reached about 400,000 a day. Actual cases are expected to be much higher than official figures report. Vaccines are running short. Hospitals are swamped. Lifesaving oxygen is running out. Each day, cremation grounds burn thousands of bodies, sending up never-ending plumes of ash that are turning the skies grey over some of India’s biggest cities.

The virus is cutting across all castes and income groups. No one feels safe from it, and many are falling for scam cures and preventatives being peddled to the unwary by the unscrupulous. 

The continued neglect of the healthcare system has led to its complete collapse under the crushing weight of the pandemic. Poor communities, once again, bear the brunt. Living in crammed areas without sanitation and using shared toilets and water points, they have no means to follow COVID-19 guidelines. In addition, migrant workers employed in the informal sector are once again facing uncertainties. Sporadic lockdowns and curfews have already triggered another exodus of migrant workers, putting them at the risk of not just contracting COVID-19 but also prolonged months without jobs or money.

Please pray

“If we only knew what happened when we pray, we would never cease to pray!” (Louie Giglio)

Sovereign God, your breath that we share, whether in India or the United States of America, unites us. The suffering inflicted on us by COVID-19 also brings us together. We pray for our siblings in India who are overcome by waves of grief, uncertainty and fear. We pray that they may again breathe in your life, peace and presence in this unnerving season.

Merciful God, we lament with your people in India left without time and space to bury their dead and grieve their losses. We join them in hope and confidence that they – in this, their valley of the shadow of death – will find your presence closer and clearer.

Divine Healer, heal our numbness and bring us together that we your people on different continents receive and mediate your grace through our words, deeds and largess.

Spirit of God, you join us in seasons of joy, dancing life and in the seasons of grief, challenging death. You join us in moments when our wounds, emotional and physical, are too deep for words, groaning with us. We join you and our siblings in India that we together with them recognize and proclaim the new life, abundance and peace you have willed for us all.  Amen.

(Source: James Taneti,  director of the Syngman Rhee Global Mission Center for Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia)

God of redemption, for all who this day are walking in fear - bring your peace. For all who this day are facing an uncertain future - bring your hope. For all who this day are grieving losses and heartbreaks - bring your comfort. For all who this day are angry or hurt or broken or lost - bring your very presence to surround them and bear them up. 

(Source: Andrew Gunton, Moderator, Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod)

Please uphold in prayer our DIAKONIA member associations in India:

* CSI Order of Women in the Church of South India, Women’s House (Karnataka)

                Sister Anna John, csiorderofsisters@gmail.com

*TELC Bethania Deaconess Home (Andhra Pradesh)

                Deaconess Mother Grace Padma, bethania_1234@yahoo.com

The Methodist Church in India, Deaconesses Order 

                We do not have a current contact for the Deaconess Order, 

                 but the Chairman/President is Bishop N L Karkare, bishopkarkare@gmail.com

You might make contact with words of encouragement, commitment to ongoing prayers for India etc. You might also use the DIAKONIA World Federation Facebook page to communicate. 

You might also explore practical ways to help including: 

Oxfam, Milaap, Hemkunt Foundation (specifically oxygen cylinders) etc, and also check out your denominational and ecumenical agencies, and NGO's, which might have options for much needed practical support. 

1st May 2021 - 41st anniversary of the Diakonia Sisterhood in Korea

(adapted from Christmas 2020 letter)

Many things have been brought to a halt by Covid-19 and everything became unusual. This is how we lived 2020. We no longer meet as many people as possible and we, ourselves, no longer meet in person. We hold a video conference through Zoom, but such a conversation is still an uncharted territory. It is unpleasant and unusual to see how we are living such things. 

“How shall this be?”

We say this when we encounter our expected events in our life. An unexpected event is something that we didn’t foresee, something out of the ordinary. Faced with the unexpected occurrence of Covid-19, we scrutinize the way. The moment in which an event, or something unknown comes along is the point in which our thoughts begin to act. In other words, we say that our thoughts are fundamentally the result of a “direct encounter” with an unexpected event. Previously unknown situations keep us awake. Distance from familiar things!

There are no holes in our thinking, in the framework of our life and in the laws governing familiar things. Whenever we live according to the rules, God cannot work. That which is really unexpected for us, is definitely there in order to invite us to God.

The birth of Jesus Christ toppled over our usual life, the life of the old human being. He comes to us in God’s own way, which surpasses our expectations. This is why, through the birth of Jesus, we change internally from a familiar to a new and different “me”.

If something unexpected happens to us, we say: “Let your will be done.” It is a capitulation. Just as Mary wished for “it to be done to her according to (the angel’s) word” (cf. Lk. 1, 38). If God allows us to leave behind our life as we knew it and to do new things, it feels weird, unpleasant, painful. However, it is certain that he invites us to a new life. We receive his invitation, in a most particular way, on Christmas Day in the Corona era.

2020 in retrospect

Throughout 2020, our Diaconal Sisterhood had to avoid meeting any outsiders and to give up any external activities in order to protect our nursing home from a Coronavirus infection. In the 40th year of its existence, the Diaconal Sisterhood had planned several events. But these were all cancelled. On the 1st of May, we just prayed softly. We remembered in our prayers all our friends and benefactors, both foreign and domestic, which have been at the side of the Sisterhood ever since 1980.

The Diaconal Family Community held retreats in August and November. The Divine Service for the renewal and registration of Family Community members took place on the 20th of November. In the morning of the same day, Professor Emeritus Cho-Nyon Kim delivered a lecture on hospitality for foreigners. In the afternoon, 14 members we renewed, 8 of whom became life-long members. Ahn Jung-mi, Oh Chang- young and On Jeong-hyun made their initial vows, entering the community. As a result, the Family Community, having a total of 12 life-long members and 9 potential members, has become a member of the community bound together in reciprocal trust. Because of the Coronavirus situation, the number of participants was small, but those unable to participate gave their renewal promises in writing and sent in their congratulations and greetings.

On the 29th of December at 8:00 p.m. we held the year-end Zoom conference of the Korea Diaconia Family Community. 14 persons participated. Sr. Ree Young-sook (Superior)  read the words of praise and prayer and then spoke about feeling and living the presence of God which is acting in our lives.

On November 22, Noh Young-soon, the oldest sister in our Sisterhood returned to God’s embrace. She had been in Diakonia’s nursing home for the last 6 yet 6pm, she was called in peace by the Lord. 

Diakonia Home Welfare continued to grant scholarships and to take care of the beneficiaries’ life. We also visit and care for poor families who migrated from other countries, including North Korean refugee families.

Diakonia’s nursing home was completely cut off from the outside world and had to rely mostly on its own programmes. Caregivers and personnel worked very hard, offering games, physiotherapy and nursing. We are thankful that, helped by the prayers of many people, we came to this day without experiencing any difficulty.

We thank you all for being close to us in prayer, even though physically you had to be very far away during this last year.

T.E.L.C. Deaconess Board, Thanjavur 2020 newsletter

 'I will be with you to protect you and keep you safe'. Jeremiah 15.20

As per the above words, God of Immanuel is with us, protected from all dangers and disasters, and provided the basic needs to our orphan children, destitute women physically, mentally handicapped, old age and all sick people, helpers, co-workers and sisters of our Deaconess homes in these challenging, fearful and worried days. 

In these pandemic days, God safeguarded people in our Homes, and cared for us in hopeless situations. This year, when we were unable to go for Church programs for any income, and no sale of any of our products, God fed our people with more than enough for us. 

When we were unable to take our patients to hospital and to doctors, God strengthened the weak and sick. God gave courage when we were fearful. As per the Government instructions, all the inmates of our Homes went for a Corona check up. We also made Corona masks and sold them to our local churches and people in our area. 

When churches were closed our Witness Prayer House and Bethesda Chapel were opened and we continued the worship services and Friday fasting prayer interceded with many prayer points.

Very sad news that our former Administrative Mother of the Deaconess Board Ms Gunhild Stahle went to God's kingdom on 6th October in Sweden. We conducted a thanksgiving prayer service. 

On 10th November, the Deaconess trainee Nagomi was consecrated as Deaconess Sister by our Bishop Daniel Jeyaraj. The next day, on 123rd of our founder Mother Lydia Vedanayaham. We offered reception thanksgiving prayer for our new sister Nagomi. We also made and supplied stoles and girdles for the 16 new pastors. 

On 20th November we arranged and conducted a marriage for our Home grown up girl Mercy Nazrin, brought up from 6 months old. She studied graduate nursing and served at Bethesda Home. 

We also provided food commodities to children from poor families during the COVID pandemic. 

With Jesus love, we thank our donor friends and convey our loving greetings with prayer. 

Sr Grace Padma

Deaconess Mother

WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle - Indonesia (15-21 November 2020)

 The WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle focus is on Indonesia (and Timor Leste and the Philippines) from 15-21 November. 

Our member association in Indonesia is Ikatan Diakoni Wanita Huria Kristen Batak Protestant (IKADIWA). A recent post spoke about the contribution of the Principal of the Deaconess School, Deaconess Dr Serepina Sitanggang, who is retiring in 2020. 

The HKBP hospital at Balige is run by the deaconess community IKADIWA. It was from this hospital that three young nurses travelled to Germany 67 years ago, to receive their education as a deaconess. After returning to Indonesia in 1961 those sisters founded the deaconess community and afterwards a deaconess school. Since 1995 they have had their motherhouse at Lumban Pisang-Siborongborong. (the video below is of a HKBP church in Siborongborong). 

Recently, IKADIWA received a DIAKAID special COVID grant for "Food support around Motherhouse in Siborongborong". We look forward to hearing more about the way this grant has enabled compassionate care in the community.

Deaconess students at Deaconess School HKBP

Deaconess students at Deaconess School HKBP

Deaconess Theological College, Balige

Silhouette of church in Balige, North Sumatra

Market day, Balige, North Sumatra

We give thanks for the diversity of ethnicities, cultures and religious beliefs in Indonesia, and especially those who have built bridges between them, and pray for ecumenical and interfaith cooperation to bring justice, peace and sustainability to the country.

Prayers

We begin our worship in the name of God the Father

who has chosen us to be the channels of blessings;

in the name of the Son,

who became one like us;

in the name of the Holy Spirit,

who has given us wisdom and strength.

Creator of the Cosmos, of eternity and time:

Be with us in this time.

Saviour of the world,

healer of the nations:

Be with us in this place.

Breath of all that lives,

of people near and far:

Be with us in our hearts.

Creator-Redeemer-Sustainer,

God of here and now:

Stir within our lives. Amen.

(from WCC AGAPE meeting, closing prayer, 2012, Jakarta/Indonesia)

Some photos taken from blogsite.

WCC Ecumenical prayer cycle - Philippines (15-21 November 2020)

This week the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle has a focus on two Asian countries where we have Deaconess Associations - Indonesia and the Philippines. This post has a focus on the Philippines including prayers provided by the Deaconess Associations in the Philippines (scroll down to video)

Prayers of thanks: 

* the vital witness of churches in this region;

* those who have resisted bravely and worked for human rights, justice, peace and reconciliation, especially the National Council of Churches in the Philippines;

* those who protest exploitative mining, deforestation and other environmental damage.

We pray for:

* government to eradicate corruption, establish justice and peace, and work effectively for the wellbeing of all their people;

* victims of violence, torture, drug and human trafficking, and human rights violations, that those responsible might be held accountable;

* all those affected by earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters, and for the rebuilding of communities afterwards;

* ecumenical and interfaith cooperation to bring justice, peace and sustainability to these lands.

 

The following information has been provided by DIAKPhils (Deaconess Associations in the Philippines). 

PHILIPPINES : Typhoon Rolly (International name Goni) has left massive destruction to infrastructure, agriculture, animals and has taken people's lives. Bicol Region was the the center of the strongest winds and rain that brought about flood, lahar (a destructive mudflow) in the Typhoon belt area. This was  recorded as the strongest typhoon in 2020, worldwide. According to reports, damage to infrastructure and livelihood reached Php5.8Billion. Damage to pthe ower facilities in the area affected is Php300Million.  

But relief and aid efforts stepped up and Philippines “Bayanihan” (helping out) culture once again provided help in this difficult condition.  

Our  misfortunes bring out the best in us, helping others even if we too needed the same help; anchoring  our faith to our known God, so that no matter how strong the typhoon that will come, it will only weaken the things that surrounds us but will strengthen the faith that is within us. The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

We seek help of prayer to God for protection and mercy for those who are deeply affected by Typhoon Rolly.

We pray for consolation, Lord. Create in us a heart to 'have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be our confidence and will keep our feet from being snared'. (Proverbs 3:25-36)

When disasters have left a trail of destruction in people's lives and property, we are reminded that human wickedness is becoming extensive and that we need to be disciplined from our dreadful actions. 

We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, when your creation is destroyed because of our own doings. Be merciful to us , O God, be merciful to us , for in you our souls take  refuge; in the shadow of your wings we will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. (Psalm 57:1-2)

We know you are not an angry God. You love your creation and you will replace everything that was lost. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2

AMEN. 

WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle - Australia (8-14 November 2020)

Along with New Zealand, the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle has a focus on Australia this week. (see previous post on Diakonia Aotearoa New Zealand Association, DANZA). 

There are two member association of DIAKONIA World Federation in Australia - Australian Anglican Diaconal Association (AADA) and Diakonia Uniting Church in Australia (DUCA). 

Rev Christa Megaw and Rev Judy Knowling are members of the DIAKONIA Asia Pacific (DAP) Executive Committee, and Christa is also on the DIAKONIA World Executive Committee. Rev Sandy Boyce is President, DIAKONIA World Federation and remains in close contact with DAP EC to support and resource. 

Deacon delegates from Australia to Fiji July 2019

A creed for Australia

We believe that this ancient land

with its unique creatures

is a precious gift from a loving God

whose mercy is over all creation.

We believe in God’s care for the people who treasured it

through un-numbered generations;

the One who grieves in their suffering

and rejoices in every noble aspiration.

We believe in God’s compassion

for the patchwork of refugees

who for two hundred years have come to this continent

looking for a place to call their home.

We believe in God’s steadfast love

for this nation and all its children;

that he is creating a new people from many races,

colours and gifts, to fulfil a high destiny.

We believe that the best way forward

is the way revealed by Christ of faith, hope and love,

where no needy person is neglected

and no bidding of the Spirit ignored.

(Source: Bruce D. Prewer)

Wilderness

We have wilderness and dry land at the heart of Australia.

We may not venture into it very often

but we know it is there,

it has its place on our maps.

More familiar to us, however,

is the wilderness in our own hearts,

the empty spaces in our own lives,

the desert of longings that engulf us.

Wilderness is a hard place,

but also a place of beauty and grace,

revealed by its sunsets and sunrises,

the glow of ancient rocks,

the moon shining on the sand.

Do not be afraid

of the desert places in your life,

for it is here

that the Good News

may be heard most profoundly.

May it be so.

(Source: adapted, Ann Siddall, Stillpoint Spirituality Centre)

Ecumenical Prayer Cycle - New Zealand (8-14th November 2020)

The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle for this week has a focus on New Zealand and Australia. This post will focus on New Zealand, and our member association Diakonia Aotearoa New Zealand Association (DANZA), which includes those serving as Deacons in the Anglican and Methodist churches. Their website is here. 

Rev Anne Russell-Brighty is a member of the DIAKONIA Asia Pacific (DAP) Executive Committee, and also DIAKONIA World Executive Committee. 

Anne (on left) and other DANZA members

You will probably know about the horrifying mass shootings that occurred at mosques in a terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, during Friday Prayer on 15 March 2019. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Adern, held the country together with the idea of 'they are us' (speaking about the Muslim victims) and 'let us be the nation we believe ourselves to be'. Her speech unified the nation together.  In May 2019, PM Adern unveiled the well-being budget, where she gave priority to societal well-being, not just the economic well-being of the nation. She said, “We're embedding that notion of making decisions that aren't just about growth for growth's sake, but how are our people faring? How is their overall well-being and their mental health? How is our environment doing? These are the measures that will give us a true measure of our success.” There set five priorities for 2019: aiding the transition to a sustainable and low-emissions economy, supporting a thriving nation in the digital age, lifting Māori and Pacific incomes, skills and opportunities, reducing child poverty, and supporting mental health for all New Zealanders. Adern's government created a NZ$50bn Covid response and recovery fund to address both the immediate response to the pandemic and the longer term economic damage left in its wake. New Zealand is free from COVID-19 cases. Her newly formed cabinet represents the diversity in New Zealand - of the 20-strong cabinet, 8 are women, 5 are Māori, 3 are Pasifika and 3 are LGBT.

The Deacons in the New Zealand Anglican and Methodist Church continue to offer important ministry in a nation that aspires to live with diversity, to honour cultural difference, and to focus on building community well-being as well as sustainable growth. 

Prayers

We are thankful for:

* the beauty of the land and waters of Aotearoa New Zealand and the special relationship that people enjoy with the natural environment

* the identities and cultural practices that indigenous peoples long have maintained, and for their increasing political voice

* how the people have welcomed new immigrants

* how churches have witnessed and worked together ecumenically, especially amid challenges of apathy in highly secularized societies.

We pray for:

* churches to have the imagination, skills and energy to build bridges of understanding in increasingly multireligious and multicultural contexts

* those who work tirelessly on issues of justice for the poor, the marginalized and the dispossessed, especially indigenous peoples

* those seeking refuge and a new life in these countries, and those supporting and providing for them

careful preservation of the fragile land, sea, and resources.

Deaconess Serepina Sitanggang, Principal, HKBP Deaconess School

Acknowledgement of Deaconess Dr Serepina Sitanggang, Principal, Christian Protestant Batak Church (HKBP) Deaconess School (LPD), Balige, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on her retirement. 

(Member association: Ikatan Diakoni Wanita Huria Kristen Batak Protestant)

The General Synod of the HKBP had the foresight to establish the Deaconess School (LPD) in 1971. 

Under the faithful leadership of Deaconess Dr Serepina Sitanggang, many women have been trained for diaconal service in the community. They have developed skills in order to provide spiritual, physical and emotional support in the community. They offer comfort and care. Their ministry has lifted the lives of some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the community, those suffering from illness and disease, those living with poverty, and given hope when hope has been scarce. The challenges are great! 



The Deaconesses have received education for diaconal ministry, and in turn provide education in many ways in the wider community. Through the LPD program, they have been exposed to areas of injustice including child trafficking, migrant workers, fraud and corruption and children’s rights, and learned the positive role of advocacy.

The ministry of the Deaconess in turn inspires and empowers women in the wider community to address issues of concern to them and their communities.

It has been said that the most important qualities of a good leader include integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity. Deaconess Serapina has led by example, displaying very fine qualities of a leader, and inspiring, encouraging and equipping hundreds of women for diaconal ministry. A true leader understands the hopes and dreams of others. Serapina has encouraged students to embark upon post graduate study opportunities and internships in other countries, enriching their lives and strengthening the education offered at LPD.

Deaconess Serapina’s steady and unwavering leadership has been a blessing to so many and had a significant impact on the wider community through the Deaconesses who have taken their learning far and wide. Christians are the minority in Indonesia, and still the Deaconesses boldly embody Christ’s love with courage and compassion. They pray for each another, and help and support each other.

I send greetings on behalf of DIAKONIA World Federation and acknowledge with grateful thanks the inspiring and faithful ministry of Deaconess Serapina Sitanggang. I know that the DIAKONIA Asia Pacific Region would also wish to send greetings, and to value her leadership.

I pray God’s blessings on Deaconess Serapina. I am confident God will continue to lead her steps in the future and that her life will continue to inspire others.

WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle - Fiji (1-7 November 2020)

The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle focus is on Fiji (and many other oceania nations), 1-7 November. 

Our member association is the Methodist Deaconess Order, Methodist Church in Fiji. 

Deaconess Meresiana Sadrata is the Regional President of DIAKONIA Asia Pacific, and a member of the DIAKONIA World Executive Committee. 

Deaconess Meresiana Sadrata

The Fiji Methodist Deaconesses' hosted the DAP regional assembly in 2019 in Nadi, Fiji. A very special time, with participants from Fiji, Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, and New Zealand (and the U.S. and Germany). 

Participants at DAP Regional Assembly, 2019

Consider incorporating prayers from other countries into your church services

WCC Intercessions

We are thankful for:

* the amazing diversity of people and cultures living on the islands of Oceania

* the magnificent natural scenery and sea life

* the strong, faithful presence of churches in these lands

* the stories and bold witness to the impact of climate change, reminding the rest of the world that we are all in the same ‘boat’ on this planet, 70% of which is covered by the ocean.

We pray for:

* efforts to preserve these island nations in the midst of rising seas

* those adversely affected by earthquakes, volcanoes and cyclones

* those dealing with the legacy of past nuclear weapons testing and with garbage dumping today

* good governance – especially in preserving indigenous cultures –which effectively serves those who are impoverished, hungry, lacking education or unable to make a living.