40 Days of Prayer For Synod 2026

You’re Invited! Pray for the CRC for 40 days leading up to Synod 2026

You’re invited. Yes, you. But not just you. The person who sits next to you and across from you and behind you in worship—they’re invited too. Actually, anyone connected to the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) is invited. The prayers of fellow Christ followers are welcome as well. Together, all of us are invited to embark on 40 days of prayer leading into Synod 2026. 

When? 

This 40-day prayer initiative begins Sunday, May 3 and continues through Thursday, June 11. These dates were chosen to lead us up to the start of Synod 2026—the annual gathering of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). 

If you miss the May 3 start date, don’t worry. You’re free to join anytime. It’s never too late to join in this prayer initiative! 

What are we praying about? 

Synod 2026 gathers with the theme of worship and prayer “Founded on God’s Faithfulness” based in the Psalms. The underlying bedrock of the Psalms is God’s faithfulness. Only in God can there be a renewed CRC. Only through God’s Spirit and God’s Word can we become a denomination of renewed and multiplying congregations.

This theme connects with the 150th Anniversary of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary. 

Here are the 40 Days of Prayer topics:

Seeking God’s Presence (May 3-7)

Praising God’s Faithfulness (May 8-12)

Trusting in Hard Times (May 13-17)

Thankfulness (May 18-22)

Trusting in Uncertainty (May 23-27)

God’s Sovereignty (May 28-June1)

Dependence Upon God (June 2-6)

Going Forth (June 7-11)

Synod 2026 Prayer Opportunities

The prayer initiatives for this year's synod included a Pre-Synod Prayer Gathering and Prayer Walk at Calvin University, 40 Days of Prayer in advance of synod, Daily Prayer Guides, early morning prayer at synod, Facebook prayer during Synod, Prayer Intercessors at synod, and worship and prayer during synod.

You can find other opportunities to participate in prayer during the week of synod at www.crcna.org/synod/prayer

How are we praying together? 

The prayers will be emailed each day for 40 days (or once a week in a printable PDF format). Each day includes a Psalm, a written prayer, and a couple questions to encourage further reflection or conversation. 

The rich diversity of prayer in our denomination will be evident, as some prayers read like Psalms, others like conversations, and others follow formats that could fit in a formal book of prayer. Some contain a preface or reflection that leads into the prayer. Together, these prayers help us to raise our voices before God in an intentional way for 40 days as delegates prepare to gather for Synod 2026. 

You can use the prayer prompts in your personal devotion time, at a meal with others in your home, in small groups, or even in connection with worship settings. The “together” aspect of this initiative is that people across the CRC—in Canada, the U.S., and around the world—will be engaging with the same Bible passage, the same prayer, and the same reflection questions on a daily basis for 40 days. Though we’re physically apart from each other, we’ll be uniting in prayer as together we long to be like Christ. 

Who wrote the prayers?

Writers include pastors, chaplains, missionaries, seminary and high school students, young adults, denominational staff, lay leaders, and people with disabilities. There are prayers in nine different languages—with English translations for all. Both the writers and the languages reflect the CRCs beautiful diversity.

So how do I sign up?  

You can sign up for this prayer initiative using this form. Enter your email address, then check the box for the “Special Synod Prayer” and click “Subscribe.” You should receive a confirmation email once you’ve subscribed.  Emails will be sent daily and a link to a  print-friendly downloadable PDF of the weekly version will be in every daily email.

Are there more ways to pray with others in the CRC? 

Yes! There are multiple opportunities to pray with others across the CRC. You can find more details at crcna.org/pray.