A Prayer for Myanmar
A Prayer for Myanmar
We pray with The Anglican Communion a prayer for the nation and people of Myanmar
Lord of the heavens and the earth,
we give you thanks and praise
for the rising from the dead of your Son Jesus Christ
and for the never-ending love he offers us all.
Grant, we pray, resurrection life to the nation and people of Myanmar,
that sadness may turn into joy,
aggression into amity,
despair into hope,
and anxiety into calm,
that the people may be reconciled.
This we ask in the Name of the Risen Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
One God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Prayer for Myanmar
We pray with Anglican Board of Mission a prayer for the nation and people of Myanmar
Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Send your Spirit, O Lord,
To the people of Myanmar,
That no matter what their ethnic background,
Their religion, their job or their status,
Calm heads may prevail
During this time of tension
And peace win the day.
Grant wisdom and insight to the leaders
That they may see the common bond
That makes us all your children
And sisters and brothers to one another.
In order that all that is done be for the common good,
We pray, Lord,
That you set the feet of all to walk the way of respectful and nonviolent dialogue,
And make the hands of all to labour towards constructive cooperation.
We pray especially for Archbishop Stephen
And the bishops and priests of the Church of the Province of Myanmar,
As they guide at this time the people you have given them.
May your Church be a blessing to the people of Myanmar.
All this we ask in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace,
Who bids us not to be afraid,
And who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, world without end. Amen.
Email from the Rev'd Dr John Deane
27 July 2021
Dear Archbishop Goldsworthy
Earlier in the year, at the request of our partner, the Church of the Province of Myanmar (CPM), I wrote to you to invite you and your diocese to pray for the people of Myanmar as they confronted the imposition of violent and repressive military rule. Over the months which have followed ABM has continued to maintain regular contact with the CPM and continues to use its website as an encouragement for ongoing prayer. In addition, several months ago once more at the request of our partner, ABM launched a low-key appeal to support efforts to address food shortages and other deprivation which had arisen within communities in which the CPM has been working.
Until recently these efforts were sufficient to meet basic immediate needs which had been identified. However, as you may be aware, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increasing internal displacement of people are now contributing to a situation which requires more significant assistance. Accordingly, ABM has decided to launch a broader Emergency Relief appeal which will respond to new strategies and activities proposed by the CPM, seeking to provide a local response to the growing humanitarian catastrophe. The appeal has been posted on ABM’s website today and I am writing to seek your support for this initiative within your diocese.
As a final note I would add that in taking the decision to launch this appeal ABM has carefully considered the capacity of the CPM to receive money and implement the program, as well as its vulnerability within the current political context. In the event that the CPM cannot implement activities within a reasonable period of time, ABM will consider utilising other means to ensure that funds received are applied to activities which bring relief to the people of Myanmar.
May God bless the people of Myanmar and the Church of the Province of Myanmar.
Yours in Christ
The Rev’d Dr John Deane
Executive Director
Letter from the Rev'd Dr John Deane
8th
February 2021
The Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy
Archbishop of Perth
Dear Archbishop Goldsworthy
As you are aware on February 1st the military detained Aung San Suu Kyi and a number of her colleagues. Many arrests and detentions have followed, and Suu Kyi has been jailed for 3 years.
In response to these events, Foreign Minister Marise Payne immediately expressed the Australian Government’s “deep concern that the Myanmar military is once again seeking to seize control of Myanmar and have detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint.” US President Biden subsequently urged Prime Minister Morrison to join with the USA and with other democratic Governments in calling on the military to “respect the rule of law, to resolve disputes through lawful mechanisms and to release immediately all civilian leaders and others who have been detained unlawfully.” In addition on 4th February the UN Security Council’s called for the release of Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others detained by the military in which they stressed the need to uphold democracy, stopping short of condemning the coup.
Initially many young people joined the ‘civil disobedience movement’ – professionals including nurses and other health workers not coming in to work as a strong sign of protest. In the past few days many have taken to the streets and this led to further arrests and detentions and the closing down of Facebook, other social media and the internet.
ABM has been a partner with the Church of the Province of Myanmar for almost 30 years. You can read about ABM’s Community Development Program and Church to Church Program and here on the ABM Website. ABM seeks to ensure that any public statement or action we and others in the Australian Church may take will protect the safety, security and ongoing life of the Church and its people. Its ministry is crucial in the current situation as it was through past years of military rule. Due to concerns about the current situation, church and program staff are staying home. Although they were concerned with COVID, they were able to move around, as long as they observed health protocols.
In addition to ABM, the Diocese of Willochra has a companion diocese relationship with the Diocese of Mandalay and supports various projects in that diocese through ABM. There are many other ways in which Australian Anglicans support CPM, particularly through diocesan links and the Mother’s Union. We are also very much aware that many people of the diaspora who have come as refugees are actively involved in Australian Parishes and the return to military rule in Myanmar/Burma will deeply affect them and family members living in Myanmar or in Border camps in Thailand. We hope you can reach out to them as well.
I am attaching a prayer in response to the situation and would invite you to write to your clergy and people, calling them to pray for the people of Myanmar and for the CPM, its clergy, people and agencies.
Yours in Christ
The Rev’d Dr John Deane
Executive Director