NAMSAI | September 23, 2026
“Today, we are not Baptist, Revival, Pentecostal or Catholic, but we are Christians,” Bishop George Pallipparambil SDB of Miao Diocese told 85 Christian leaders who gathered at St. Mary’s School, Namsai, on September 22 for a day-long prayer meeting focused on Christian unity and prayer for the nation, its leaders and society.
The gathering brought together pastors, evangelists, women leaders, catechists and youth leaders representing different churches across eight districts of East Arunachal Pradesh.
Referring to Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his followers in John 17:21, Bishop Pallipparambil, who organised the gathering, called on Christians to pray for one another and their neighbours.
“Praying is our duty, as Jesus has asked us to pray for one another and for our neighbours. And in doing so, we come as one family that belongs to Christ,” he said.
A call to intentional prayer
Mr. Prabhin Baraik of United Christian Prayers for India (UCPI), who animated the gathering, reflected on the importance of intercessory prayer and encouraged participants to pray intentionally for others.
Drawing from 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Baraik called on Christians to pray for those in authority, leaders of society and all people.
The initiative was welcomed by church leaders, who described the gathering as an opportunity to strengthen fellowship and cooperation among Christians in the region.
Speaking on behalf of the Heva Baptist Association, Mr. Rabi Angu thanked Bishop Pallipparambil and UCPI for bringing church leaders together for what he described as the first such prayer gathering.
“Such initiatives are the need of the hour and this would bring us closer to each other as one family,” he said.
Mrs. Ralte of the Church of the Living God described the gathering as “the Lord’s doing”, while Mrs. Gamjum Haging, a women’s leader from the Revival Church, said the meeting strengthened her commitment to pray for others.
“This gathering is a source of strength to continue to pray for one another, leaders, neighbours and for everyone,” she said.
Mr. Noromso Chai, President of the Lohit Anjaw Christian Forum, said the gathering had encouraged participants to adopt a more intentional approach to intercessory prayer.
“This prayer event has given us a new orientation to our manner of praying. We shall not make obscure prayers but focused and person-oriented prayers as we go forward,” he said.
Prayer for 20 people
The gathering also carried forward a prayer-card initiative introduced during a regional Mission 2033 planning meeting in Guwahati in March 2026, when then-NEIRBC President Archbishop John Moolachira encouraged the faithful to pray for people of other faiths.
The initiative encourages Christians to pray regularly for 20 people of other faiths whom they personally know. Prayer cards provide space for participants to write the names of those for whom they commit themselves to pray.
At Namsai, participants resolved to prepare and distribute a common prayer card containing a short prayer and space for the names of 20 people.
Fr. Daniel, coordinator of the programme, expressed gratitude for the participation of churches from across the region.
“God has opened a wonderful way to bring people together to pray, fulfilling His desire,” he said.
The organisers said the initiative is intended to extend beyond the one-day gathering by encouraging Christians across East Arunachal Pradesh to pray regularly for one another, their communities, people of other faiths and the nation.