Grace and peace to you from all of us who serve on the Assembly of Bishops.
We write today with hearts full—both in celebration and in sorrow. We celebrate the incredible harvest happening across the world as Methodist-minded people find a home in the Global Methodist Church. It is a joy to share that more than 5,000 member churches have joined the GMC, with new inquiries and affiliations arriving daily from every corner of the globe.
At the same time, we carry a deep burden. Many in our connection are rejoicing, but others are suffering. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). And so, we are calling our global connection to pray.
This is a time to intercede—especially for our brothers and sisters on the continent of Africa.
Many are aware of the violent clashes between Methodist factions in Nigeria. Fewer may know of the broader unrest sweeping across the continent. From Ethiopia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Mozambique and Nigeria to South Sudan, Sudan, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Niger, and Rwanda—conflict, political instability, demonstrations, terrorist activity, and civil wars persist. While many of these struggles are not directly related to denominational matters, we know that violence breeds violence. And as followers of Christ, we are called to grieve with all who grieve.
In moments like these, prayer can feel ineffective—but we believe it is our most powerful response. In prayer, we cry out to the One who "tore down the dividing wall of hostility" (Ephesians 2:14). We intercede because we hear Paul’s warning to the Galatians: “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:15). We heed Abner’s ancient plea: “Must we always be fighting each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result?” (2 Samuel 2:26).
Through prayer, we are aligning our hearts with the Lord’s—hearts that beat for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. And in prayer, we have been led to repentance, crying out for God to break our hearts for what breaks His.
Because we believe in the power of prayer, we are calling all Global Methodists to Forty Days of Prayer to Pentecost, beginning Wednesday, April 30, and ending on Pentecost Sunday, June 8.
We invite churches, annual conferences, and individual believers to find meaningful ways to pray—especially for Africa—during these forty days. We encourage you to search the Scriptures, follow global news, and pray as the Spirit leads. While we’ve highlighted regions experiencing active violence, we invite you to broaden your intercession across the continent and beyond.
In addition, we are working with the Prayer Network and the Global Methodist Church Communications Team to organize a virtual Prayer Gathering, providing a moment for our entire connection to gather online and pray as one body. We will share more details soon.
Thank you for joining us on this journey of prayer as we walk toward Pentecost. Together, we believe the Spirit will move in powerful ways. And when we look back, we will be able to say with the saints: “Thus far, the Lord has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12).
