6 Nov 2026, 12:23Pastor Kwesi Moore, SEC PresidentWatford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
The Global Week of Prayer: Seeking God's Guidance in the Past and Today
Pastoral Letter, 6 November 2026
Dear Church Family,
In 1885, the early Seventh-day Adventist Church faced several significant challenges. Membership was growing rapidly, resources were stretched, there was a need for people dedicated to working in service for the Lord and church leaders understood their great need of guidance from God regarding the way ahead. It brings to mind a well-loved statement among Adventists in reference to our history:
"We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history" (Life Sketches, p. 196, Ellen White).
The circumstances of growth, transformation, questions of mission, the need for guidance, and limitations in resources are not entirely dissimilar to those we face today. Although there is much taking place in the world around us, and events can seem unsettling, there is a wider picture. Therefore, I want us to remain firmly grounded in our God, who knows the end from the beginning and whose purposes will surely come to pass (e.g., Isaiah 46:9-10, 55:11; Numbers 23:19 and Habakkuk 2:3).
Remembering how God has led us in the past can inform our decisions today, because we now have the benefit of hindsight and can see how similar situations unfolded before. Reflecting on how God has guided the Church throughout its history can also be enlightening, because we often discover a clear path to the existence of many activities of the Church today. I have often found that there is a reason behind practices that we may occasionally take for granted. Understanding their origins reminds us of their purpose and, in turn, helps us reflect on our own calling as members of a Church raised up to reveal God's character and proclaim His message at this crucial moment in history. Following on from this, a glance at our history can reinforce our identity and strengthen our sense of purpose as we continue God's work in our own time.
Teachings, values and principles may never change. Yet, far from being a reason for always keeping things exactly the same, the history of a Church that has existed for more than 160 years, surviving both internal weaknesses and external challenges across different eras, also demonstrates adaptation, expansion of our infrastructure, growth in response to changing circumstances and new opportunities for mission. Learning how God guided and expanded this small ‘flock’ of believers is both spiritually encouraging and practically insightful. God has led His people in the past. Why should we doubt that He will guide us today?
If we look even further back in history, we find that the Early Christian Church was transformed not when it became more organised, but when it became more surrendered. It was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that turned fearful disciples into courageous witnesses, transformed scattered believers into a united church, and converted a small gathering in an upper room into a movement that would reach the world.
I am convinced that our greatest need today is not to do more, but to seek more earnestly the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the success of our mission, our local churches, our ministries, and even our aspirations for OneVoice 2027 will not ultimately depend upon the excellence of our planning, but upon the depth of our dependence on God.
The challenges God's people faced in the past were not entirely unfamiliar. They wrestled with questions concerning mission, resources, unity, and the future. Faced with these circumstances, what did the early Adventist Church do? They decided to set aside an entire week for prayer.
This is how the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Global Week of Prayer came into being. The first Week of Prayer was led by the then General Conference President, George Ide Butler (1834-1918), and took place from 25th December 1885 to 2nd January 1886. Over time, the dates changed. The annual period of prayer and dedication associated with the Week of Prayer was moved earlier in the fourth quarter of the year and later complemented by the annual Ten Days of Prayer, which takes place at the beginning of each new year.
This year, the Global Week of Prayer takes place from 7th to 14th November 2026 under the theme, "Grounded in the Bible, Focused on the Mission” for Adults and Children’s Week of Prayer. The Youth and Young Adult Week of Prayer carries the theme "Communion in Action.” These will provide opportunities for children and young people in our church family to participate and grow spiritually. Just as Church leaders wanted everyone to participate in the very first Week of Prayer, I invite each of us to promote and take part in the opportunities available, remembering the focus on prayer this week through personal devotion, family worship, and nightly meetings with our churches.
Let us be encouraged that stresses and challenges are not the end of the story. At various points in our history, it may have appeared that the Church had reached a dead end. You may even feel that way today, whether concerning the challenges facing churches or circumstances in your personal life. Yet we serve a God who specialises in using every circumstance to accomplish His plans and purposes. He is the same God who guided His people in the past, and He can be trusted with our future as we enter this Week of Prayer. In Luke 11 verse 13, Jesus states the wonderful, fulfilling promise: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” This is our challenge as we seek “a revival of true godliness” which Ellen White described as “our greatest need” and for which we must humbly seek God, asking Him to remove every obstacle (Ellen White, The Review and Herald, March 22, 1887).
The Week of Prayer was once also known as the “Season of Prayer and Humiliation” or "Week of Prayer and Humiliation". The term humiliation was not used in the way we often understand it today, but referred to humbling ourselves before God, putting aside our pride, entering a period of self-reflection, repentance, recognising our dependence upon Him, remaining open to His correction and guidance. May God grant us the same spirit of humility and dependence today. As we approach Him in prayer, may He graciously lift us up according to His will, equip us for His mission, and guide us into the future He has prepared for His people.
"We will go, we will go,
Where God leads, we will go.
We will follow Christ and spread His love;
We will go where our Saviour leads."
May God bless you all.
Dear Church Family,
In 1885, the early Seventh-day Adventist Church faced several significant challenges. Membership was growing rapidly, resources were stretched, there was a need for people dedicated to working in service for the Lord and church leaders understood their great need of guidance from God regarding the way ahead. It brings to mind a well-loved statement among Adventists in reference to our history:
"We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history" (Life Sketches, p. 196, Ellen White).
The circumstances of growth, transformation, questions of mission, the need for guidance, and limitations in resources are not entirely dissimilar to those we face today. Although there is much taking place in the world around us, and events can seem unsettling, there is a wider picture. Therefore, I want us to remain firmly grounded in our God, who knows the end from the beginning and whose purposes will surely come to pass (e.g., Isaiah 46:9-10, 55:11; Numbers 23:19 and Habakkuk 2:3).
Remembering how God has led us in the past can inform our decisions today, because we now have the benefit of hindsight and can see how similar situations unfolded before. Reflecting on how God has guided the Church throughout its history can also be enlightening, because we often discover a clear path to the existence of many activities of the Church today. I have often found that there is a reason behind practices that we may occasionally take for granted. Understanding their origins reminds us of their purpose and, in turn, helps us reflect on our own calling as members of a Church raised up to reveal God's character and proclaim His message at this crucial moment in history. Following on from this, a glance at our history can reinforce our identity and strengthen our sense of purpose as we continue God's work in our own time.
Teachings, values and principles may never change. Yet, far from being a reason for always keeping things exactly the same, the history of a Church that has existed for more than 160 years, surviving both internal weaknesses and external challenges across different eras, also demonstrates adaptation, expansion of our infrastructure, growth in response to changing circumstances and new opportunities for mission. Learning how God guided and expanded this small ‘flock’ of believers is both spiritually encouraging and practically insightful. God has led His people in the past. Why should we doubt that He will guide us today?
If we look even further back in history, we find that the Early Christian Church was transformed not when it became more organised, but when it became more surrendered. It was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that turned fearful disciples into courageous witnesses, transformed scattered believers into a united church, and converted a small gathering in an upper room into a movement that would reach the world.
I am convinced that our greatest need today is not to do more, but to seek more earnestly the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the success of our mission, our local churches, our ministries, and even our aspirations for OneVoice 2027 will not ultimately depend upon the excellence of our planning, but upon the depth of our dependence on God.
The challenges God's people faced in the past were not entirely unfamiliar. They wrestled with questions concerning mission, resources, unity, and the future. Faced with these circumstances, what did the early Adventist Church do? They decided to set aside an entire week for prayer.
This is how the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Global Week of Prayer came into being. The first Week of Prayer was led by the then General Conference President, George Ide Butler (1834-1918), and took place from 25th December 1885 to 2nd January 1886. Over time, the dates changed. The annual period of prayer and dedication associated with the Week of Prayer was moved earlier in the fourth quarter of the year and later complemented by the annual Ten Days of Prayer, which takes place at the beginning of each new year.
This year, the Global Week of Prayer takes place from 7th to 14th November 2026 under the theme, "Grounded in the Bible, Focused on the Mission” for Adults and Children’s Week of Prayer. The Youth and Young Adult Week of Prayer carries the theme "Communion in Action.” These will provide opportunities for children and young people in our church family to participate and grow spiritually. Just as Church leaders wanted everyone to participate in the very first Week of Prayer, I invite each of us to promote and take part in the opportunities available, remembering the focus on prayer this week through personal devotion, family worship, and nightly meetings with our churches.
Let us be encouraged that stresses and challenges are not the end of the story. At various points in our history, it may have appeared that the Church had reached a dead end. You may even feel that way today, whether concerning the challenges facing churches or circumstances in your personal life. Yet we serve a God who specialises in using every circumstance to accomplish His plans and purposes. He is the same God who guided His people in the past, and He can be trusted with our future as we enter this Week of Prayer. In Luke 11 verse 13, Jesus states the wonderful, fulfilling promise: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” This is our challenge as we seek “a revival of true godliness” which Ellen White described as “our greatest need” and for which we must humbly seek God, asking Him to remove every obstacle (Ellen White, The Review and Herald, March 22, 1887).
The Week of Prayer was once also known as the “Season of Prayer and Humiliation” or "Week of Prayer and Humiliation". The term humiliation was not used in the way we often understand it today, but referred to humbling ourselves before God, putting aside our pride, entering a period of self-reflection, repentance, recognising our dependence upon Him, remaining open to His correction and guidance. May God grant us the same spirit of humility and dependence today. As we approach Him in prayer, may He graciously lift us up according to His will, equip us for His mission, and guide us into the future He has prepared for His people.
"We will go, we will go,
Where God leads, we will go.
We will follow Christ and spread His love;
We will go where our Saviour leads."
May God bless you all.
