The Methodist Church in Ireland has many international partnerships through its World Mission Partnership department and also its World Development & Relief department.

Around the world, we continue to live with Covid-19 and the Methodist Church wishes to bring the situation and needs of our global friends before us.

 We pray for the United Church of Zambia. This church was formed out of a coming together of various denominations in the 1960s. The theme of this year’s Synod was “All One in Christ”. The most recent statistics suggest a membership of 3 million with 60% being women; the rest being men and youth. They evangelise and serve their communities through outrech programmes and health, educational and social justice institutions. Mission partners sent through the British and Irish programme, serve with UCZ.

 Let us pray for our world church partners in Zambia at this time.

God of collaboration, 
We thank you for the example of the UCZ of working with others.
Bless them as they work with others to serve their people and make your name known.
Guide Bishop Sydney Sichilima as he leads.
May the 15 UCZ schools, (10,000 pupils), be places of Christian example, and academic learning.
May UCZ’s 2 hospitals and 5 clinics offer local people good affordable healthcare.
And may their challenges be met: lack of reliable water and electricity, bed linen, staff housing and equipment.
We pray for mission partners serving in Zambia with the church: Keith and Ida Waddell (education and health respectively) and new mission partners: Gina Siatwinda-Oliver (health) and Malcolm Oliver (as accompanying volunteer).
Lord, we pray that the stalling of economic growth in Zambia, one of the world’s youngest countries, will be overcome and that the relative political stability will continue.

In your name we pray,
Amen.