We

Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday and a Global Day of Prayer. The day before I read here about the positive way in which the Spirit brings unity-

"The Spirit makes us one -- not like people bound to one another and tossed into a sea where their ties to one another paralyze and drown, but brought into relationship with one another that is as free as it is close, that is life-giving air and light. It's a unity that is not, as Paul makes clear, uniformity. Sisters and brothers in Christ have distinct gifts for ministry and mission. Like Peter and Paul in the conflict Paul describes in Galatians 2, they may hold radically different or even mutually exclusive opinions on vitally important issues -- issues all sides hold to be about the very truth of the Gospel and the call of God's people. What Christians may NOT do, however, is treat one another as expendable; they may not leave sisters and brothers hungry, thirsty, bereft of family and of honor."

So as we gathered to pray at the International Christian Fellowship, using a set prayer that was used in many churches in various languages across the world, I was encouraged as we used the word "we" to remember our oneness.

Almighty God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as a united wordwide body of believers, we are gathered today to honour and glorify your Name. ...Father of mercy and grace, we acknowledge that we have sinned and that our world is gripped by the power of sin. Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred, anger and violence. ...All the sins that we may find in our world, You have found among Your poeple. ...We approach Your throne of grace in this hour of need. ...Spirit of the living God, we confess that we can do nothing without You. Living God, on this Pentecost, pour out Your Spirit upon all flesh. Empower the church to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. ...King of Glory, come to the nations of the world. Amen.