1. for God to bless the efforts of the new missionary orientation, which took place in St. Paul, Minn., in June, and where they received intensive training in many areas.

2. praising God for those who have left their homes, places of work, families, and comfort zones to support the ministries of partner churches and LCMS mission fields around the globe. In the last five years, more than 3,200 LCMS members have served as long- and short-term missionaries through LCMS World Mission.

3. for God to send forth His resources to those He is calling—missionaries must raise support to cover their salaries or stipends, insurance, room and board, and other expenses. The amounts vary from less than $10,000 to more than $100,000. Also, prayerfully consider your own financial support of a missionary.

4. that God would grant peace and comfort to the loved ones who are saying "good-bye" to those who are being sent out. While many family members and friends are supportive, some may be hurt or scared to have so many miles between them.

5. asking God to send His holy angels to guard and protect the footsteps, ground-travel, flights, and other transit of new missionaries as they prepare to journey abroad.

6. that God will sustain the health of these new missionaries as they undergo much stress and that God would work through all measures to keep them in good health as they face new illnesses and environments. Undergoing physical examinations and vaccinations and gathering personal care supplies can consume a lot of time.

7. for God to provide what is needed at the right time for each of these new missionaries as they encounter feelings of helplessness, loneliness, or anxiety in their new settings.

8. praising God that He has created each of us to be unique and asking Him to show the missionaries ways to "be themselves" as they settle into their new roles.

9. with praise to God for the prayer, financial, and physical support of LCMS individuals and congregations who send out missionaries. May God bless the relationships between missionaries and their supporters so that more people can hear the Gospel and more can be involved as mission senders.

10. that God would send His hand of protection to keep missionaries safe around the world. Pray that all would use good judgment and avoid unnecessary risk.

11. that new missionaries would be able to effectively learn the language and culture where they are serving, so that Jesus’ love would be proclaimed loudly through their words and actions.

12. for Jesus’ love to boldly shine through all LCMS missionaries in the friendships they form. Long- and short-term missionaries serve in many capacities, from medical personnel to relationship-builders through teaching English, but a main component of their service is always building relationships with the unchurched as well as with local Christians.

13. that new missionaries would maintain frequent communication with family, friends, and supporters. It is important to tell what God is doing around the world, and also important to share prayer requests, but it is often initially difficult to write home about people, places, and events that can hardly be described.

14. for the children of missionaries, affectionately called "Missionary Kids," who will also be facing culture shock and unknown challenges—that God would protect their young bodies and keep them healthy. Praise God for the special role that children play in building relationships with new people and for their unashamed witness that Jesus’ love is real.

The Holy Spirit is moving Lutherans to speak the Good News to unreached and uncommitted people. Read more Ablaze! faith-sharing experiences at www.lcms.org/ablaze.

16. in thanksgiving that Bo Bauermeister, of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, Mich., was able to share the Gospel with the mother of a girl who attends the church’s daycare. He says, "The cool thing is that her nine-year-old daughter has a very strong faith. In this case, God seems to be using the daughter to reach the mother. We are in an ongoing conversation."

17. with thanks that Rev. Dennis Mann, of Hope Lutheran Church in Hope, Ohio, shared the Gospel with a copier technician. He writes, "After finishing the repairs, Adam, a copier repairman, noticed the palm leaves on the counter left over from Palm Sunday. I told him that members waved them in church in celebration of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. I then explained about Holy Week and all the events leading up to Easter and invited him to come to worship on Easter Sunday."

18. with joy for the long-term fruit of many students’ witness to a Taiwanese woman in College Station, Texas. Rev. Paul Hoemann, of University Lutheran Chapel, shares, "Renee, from Taiwan, was involved with our international student ministry (ISM) for two years. She came to many of our Bible studies, English conversation classes, and hospitality events, so we had high hopes that she would come to faith. Our former ISM director recently e-mailed to tell me that Renee had been baptized in Taiwan. Praise God that Renee is now a part of God's family!"

19. praising the Lord for the opportunity He gave Michael Hylton, of Miami, Fla., to share his faith with his fiancee's boss. Michael wrote, "This man has been confused spiritually for a long time, but I believe my simple testimony gave him food for thought and opened the door for future conversations."

20. with thanks for Karen Little’s technology class at Atonement Lutheran School in Metairie, La. Every year, students log on to the Ablaze! Web site to share the opportunities they’ve had to tell others the Good News about Jesus.

21. for the Holy Spirit to continue working in the hearts of many English students who heard Bible stories and the Gospel message from members of a short-term mission team from The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens in Webster Groves, Mo., that served in Macau.

22. with thanks for Rev. Stephen Wiesenauer, who works through Christian Friends of China in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. He has recorded many opportunities to share the Gospel with Chinese immigrants through Bible studies and other events. Many of these immigrants come from Buddhist or animistic contexts. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in their hearts and guide them to the truth!

23. for the Holy Spirit to continue working through the many conversations that have occurred through prayer walks and other neighborhood activities in New Orleans. Short-term volunteers who work at Camp Restore through LCMS Southern District Disaster Relief have shared many opportunities that the Lord has given them to pray and share about Jesus in the neighborhoods where they’ve served.

25. that LCMS Christians and Lutherans around the world would together be able to reach 100 million people with the one and only true Gospel message by 2017, in response to God’s great love for them and Jesus’ saving work of redemption on the cross.

26. for the specific Ablaze! goals of sharing the Gospel with 50 million people in the United States and another 50 million around the world. We confidently ask the Holy Spirit to bring this about, knowing He "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4).

27. for the progress of the Mission Revitalization Process within the LCMS. Thank the Lord that as of May 2008, pastors of nearly 100 churches nationwide have been meeting in monthly learning communities and some 60 individuals were in the process of becoming certified consultants.

28. for the nearly $30 million that has been raised through Fan into Flame, a campaign to raise financial support that will support projects of the Ablaze! movement. Ask the Lord to continue to speak to people’s hearts and return His abundant provisions back to Him by giving sacrificially to mission causes.

29. for the church-planting movement in the LCMS and with thanks that as of May 6, 2008, 134 congregations had committed to be Ablaze! covenant congregations, meaning they will plant up to four other new congregations by 2017. The church planting movement has great potential to draw more people into Christ’s body.

30. that as of May 5, 2008, LCMS members and partners reported through the LCMS Ablaze! Web site that 8,619,691 unreached or uncommitted people heard the Good News of Jesus Christ through their Lutheran witness around the world. Praise God for this sharing of His Good News to the ends of the earth!

31. with praise to God for individuals across the United States and the globe who are telling the Good News of Jesus to many and then sharing these faith-sharing stories through the LCMS Ablaze! Web site. Give thanks for the encouragement this is bringing people through the worldwide Web.

• Download prayer cards for the new missionaries and pray regularly for them. Prayer cards are available at www.lcmsworldmission.org/prayercards.
• Share your own faith-sharing experience on the Ablaze! Web site at www.lcms.org/ablaze.
• Join the Together in Mission program or the Mission Senders giving club to support a specific missionary as they spread the Good News. Visit www.lcmsworldmission.org/giving or call 1-800-433-3954 to learn more.
• Use the Ablaze! resources available on the Web site to promote the movement and help others to get involved. Go to www.lcms.org/ablaze and click on "resources."

Missionary prayer cards may be downloaded from the LCMS World Mission Web site at www.lcmsworldmission.org/prayercards.

Chaplain Jeremy Gorline, Little Rock AFB, Ark.; Chaplain Scott Gustafson, Kosovo; Chaplain Mike Moreno, Norfolk, Neb.; Chaplain Gregory Todd, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Chaplain Oliver Washington, Iraq; Chaplain Ralph Wetzel, Fort Wayne, Ind.

1333 South Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, Missouri, 63122-7295, US
Telephone: 1-800-433-3954
Fax: (314) 965-0959
E-mail: mission.info@lcms.org
Web site: http://www.lcmsworldmission.org
Ablaze! Movement: http://www.lcms.org/ablaze