VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 9/29/14)—The All Africa Baptist Fellowship (AABF), a region of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), has declared Sunday, October 12, 2014 as Ebola Sunday. American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) joins the BWA and North American Baptist Fellowship in supporting a day of prayer for the Ebola Crisis on either Saturday, October 11, or Sunday, October 12.**
“I invite every American Baptist congregation to join our brothers and sisters in Christ of Africa in prayer October 11 and 12 as they face the Ebola crisis. Let us pray for victims and their families; for medical staff who selflessly continue to serve, and for the Church as pastors and members are called to minister in the midst of this outbreak,” said ABCUSA General Secretary Roy Medley.
The aims of this Sunday as outlined by the AABF are as follows:
1. To create awareness of the deadly Ebola virus.
2. To pray for God’s mercy on the African continent.
3. To pray that God would intervene and stop the epidemics ravaging some countries.
4. To pray to God to stop its spread to other countries.
5. To pray to God to sanctify the medication given to Ebola patients in order to accelerate their healing process.
6. To pray to God to protect the lives of the health workers and other care givers.
[**Note: Baptists in North America worship on both Saturdays and Sundays according to tradition and conviction. Therefore, both October 11th and 12th are commended to Baptist bodies by the North American Baptist Fellowship.]
Congregations and individuals can give to the ongoing efforts through their church’s Monthly Report of Mission Support designating their gift to “One Great Hour of Sharing: Ebola Outbreak.”
To make an online contribution by credit card, go to: https://secure-q.net/donations/ABChurches/410, noting “OGHS – Ebola Outbreak” in the comments section. Or, send a check (marked “OGHS – Ebola Outbreak” on the memo line) to “International Ministries, c/o Ebola Outbreak, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482.”
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.