Sunday, Oct. 7, is World Communion Sunday.

Some churches serve Holy Communion once a month, some every week, some only a few times a year and some may offer it daily.

Your church may not serve Communion this coming Sunday, but that is not the whole point of this day.

World Communion Day is a day the Christian community is called to be one in worship, service and joined together from all over the world.

So I call the Christian world together for one purpose, whenever it is that you read this. That purpose is for us to join in prayer for our world.

My friends, we need our God to intervene in a mighty way upon his creation, so let me add to your prayer list and let us join our hearts before God.

— Pray for those affected by Hurricane Florence, the fires this summer in the western US and the recent tsunami; I remember a few tornadoes in recent weeks. Pray for those affected by the Hurricane in the Gulf a few weeks ago.

— Pray for those who respond to help in these disasters and for agencies across the world who are spread very thin trying to provide help.

— Pray for our military wherever they serve, police, firefighters and EMTs.

— Pray for the upcoming election, for direction for your vote and for those elected to serve.

— Pray for those serving now in our federal, state and local governments. Pray our leaders will put aside personal and political agendas and do what is right and helpful for all people.

— Pray for the children in our schools, for their safety and their education; For administrators, teachers, custodians, bus drivers, helpers and assistance of various areas and Family Resource workers.

— Pray for doctors, nurses, hospital and care center personnel, and a variety of other health care people in a variety of fields.

— Pray for coaches of sports teams, choir directors, dance instructors, gymnastic teachers, band directors. All of these who have such an influence on our children need our prayers.

— Pray for the homeless, the outcasts, those who feel the world has moved on without them, those who can’t deal with day-to-day life. Pray for those dealing with cancer and other diseases, those recovering from accidents and tragedies.

— Pray for pastors and church staff, your church and all the churches in our community.

— Pray for the leaders of other countries and people who live there. Pray for the attitudes of all people everywhere to be one of peace for all and that we all live in community together.

We weren’t created to fight one another but to love one another.

Ken Medema wrote, “Something’s going to happen like the world has never known, when the people of the world get down to pray.

“A door’s gonna swing open and walls come tumbling down when the people of the world get down to pray.

“Lord, Listen to your children praying.”

The Rev. Farley Stuart is pastor of Winchester First United Methodist Church. He can be reached at farley@winfumc.org.