Czech Republic Archives - Church Mission Society (CMS) https://churchmissionsociety.org/tag/czech-republic/ With Jesus. With each other. To the edges. Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:07:55 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://churchmissionsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CMS-Favions2.jpg Czech Republic Archives - Church Mission Society (CMS) https://churchmissionsociety.org/tag/czech-republic/ 32 32 Brno, Czech Republic: new church premises needed https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/prayer-news/brno-czech-republic-new-church-premises-needed/ Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:07:55 +0000 https://churchmissionsociety.org/?p=46521 Give thanks for what God is doing through mission partners Lea and Petra Williams in Brno, Czech Republic. Alongside leading the Anglican congregation, Lea and Petra are involved in evangelism and discipleship among students and support Ukrainian refugees and Czech families in hardship through a local charity. Lea and Petra request prayer for a new […]

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Brno, Czech Republic: new church premises needed

Prayer news

,

Give thanks for what God is doing through mission partners Lea and Petra Williams in Brno, Czech Republic. Alongside leading the Anglican congregation, Lea and Petra are involved in evangelism and discipleship among students and support Ukrainian refugees and Czech families in hardship through a local charity. Lea and Petra request prayer for a new premises needed for their church community and also for wisdom in deciding which ministry opportunities they should pursue.

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]]> Czech Republic: a new space for students to explore faith https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/prayer-news/czech-republic-a-new-space-for-students-to-explore-faith/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:36:24 +0000 https://churchmissionsociety.org/?p=45782 In Brno, CMS partners Lea and Petra Williams lead the local Anglican congregation, supporting people to grow in their relationship with Jesus and encouraging others to begin a journey of faith. Lea supports evangelism work among students, including a new initiative starting this autumn called Café Theology, an evening of theology and philosophy in a […]

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Czech Republic: a new space for students to explore faith

Prayer news

,

In Brno, CMS partners Lea and Petra Williams lead the local Anglican congregation, supporting people to grow in their relationship with Jesus and encouraging others to begin a journey of faith. Lea supports evangelism work among students, including a new initiative starting this autumn called Café Theology, an evening of theology and philosophy in a pub. Pray for students to find a welcoming space where they can ask questions and explore faith.

Latest prayer news

Bangkok, Thailand: new business start-ups

Mission partners Elise and Jon Fletcher share about the families on the Keeping Families Together programme they run and the small business start-ups that these families have set up. Many are selling food, but one participant has purchased a bike to work as a motorbike taxi driver, one family have decided to sell plants and […]

Read more
Middle East: progress of Bible translation project

Mission partners J and R ask for prayer for the Bible translation work they are involved in. The translation team has faced many challenges with the team being physically separated for many months. Please pray for the availability of a consultant for one translation project and for progress to be made again in another project.

Read more
Paraguay: Mision Indigena

Give thanks for the recent Indigenous Mission Congress in Paraguay, where around 60 brothers and sisters from indigenous communities across Latin America gathered to celebrate what God has done over the past three years, share experiences, pray together and look ahead to the next three years. Pray that indigenous voices and leadership will continue to […]

Read more
Sudan: drone strikes kill hundreds

The BBC reports that Sudan’s army have been accused of launching several drone strikes that have reportedly killed more than 300 people, including dozens travelling to a funeral. The death toll from strikes in two areas of West Kordofan state on Sunday evening was 150 and in Abyei, a disputed border area between Sudan and […]

Read more
UK: Orchid Project team

Mission partner Ann-Marie Wilson asks for prayer for the Orchid Project who have recently appointed a new chief executive. Pray that the new chief executive will settle into her role quickly and please pray for the whole team as it continues its work to end FGM, for wisdom and strength in the decisions ahead and […]

Read more
Worldwide: prayer for those in authority

This week’s Bible passage urges us to pray for those in authority. Join with us in prayer as we bring before God world leaders and those in positions of authority. Pray that they will lead with compassion, wisdom and integrity and for God to bring truth and light into their spheres of influence.

Read more
All prayer news

Get our weekly prayer email

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The post Czech Republic: a new space for students to explore faith appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

]]> Czech Republic: Easter outreach https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/prayer-news/czech-republic-easter-outreach/ Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:44:46 +0000 https://churchmissionsociety.org/?p=43225 Mission partners Lea and Petra Williams lead the Anglican congregation in Brno and Lea also supports a student ministry. Building on their successful outreach at Christmas, Christians studying at local universities will be handing out Easter eggs and gospel tracts at Easter. Please pray for boldness and for encounters at each university campus that lead […]

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Czech Republic: Easter outreach

Prayer news

,

Mission partners Lea and Petra Williams lead the Anglican congregation in Brno and Lea also supports a student ministry. Building on their successful outreach at Christmas, Christians studying at local universities will be handing out Easter eggs and gospel tracts at Easter. Please pray for boldness and for encounters at each university campus that lead to real encounters with Jesus.

Latest prayer news

Bangkok, Thailand: new business start-ups

Mission partners Elise and Jon Fletcher share about the families on the Keeping Families Together programme they run and the small business start-ups that these families have set up. Many are selling food, but one participant has purchased a bike to work as a motorbike taxi driver, one family have decided to sell plants and […]

Read more
Middle East: progress of Bible translation project

Mission partners J and R ask for prayer for the Bible translation work they are involved in. The translation team has faced many challenges with the team being physically separated for many months. Please pray for the availability of a consultant for one translation project and for progress to be made again in another project.

Read more
Paraguay: Mision Indigena

Give thanks for the recent Indigenous Mission Congress in Paraguay, where around 60 brothers and sisters from indigenous communities across Latin America gathered to celebrate what God has done over the past three years, share experiences, pray together and look ahead to the next three years. Pray that indigenous voices and leadership will continue to […]

Read more
Sudan: drone strikes kill hundreds

The BBC reports that Sudan’s army have been accused of launching several drone strikes that have reportedly killed more than 300 people, including dozens travelling to a funeral. The death toll from strikes in two areas of West Kordofan state on Sunday evening was 150 and in Abyei, a disputed border area between Sudan and […]

Read more
UK: Orchid Project team

Mission partner Ann-Marie Wilson asks for prayer for the Orchid Project who have recently appointed a new chief executive. Pray that the new chief executive will settle into her role quickly and please pray for the whole team as it continues its work to end FGM, for wisdom and strength in the decisions ahead and […]

Read more
Worldwide: prayer for those in authority

This week’s Bible passage urges us to pray for those in authority. Join with us in prayer as we bring before God world leaders and those in positions of authority. Pray that they will lead with compassion, wisdom and integrity and for God to bring truth and light into their spheres of influence.

Read more
All prayer news

Get our weekly prayer email

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]]> Czech Republic: integration for Ukrainians https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/prayer-news/czech-republic-integration-for-ukrainians/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:40:46 +0000 https://churchmissionsociety.org/?p=42814 Based in Brno, mission partners Lea and Petra Williams lead their local Anglican congregation. Petra also works with an organisation called Vesna, supplying clothing, toiletries, and household essentials to people in need – particularly Ukrainian refugees. As Petra supports Ukrainian women to enter the workforce, pray for them to grow in confidence and the skills […]

The post Czech Republic: integration for Ukrainians appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

]]>

Czech Republic: integration for Ukrainians

Prayer news

,

Based in Brno, mission partners Lea and Petra Williams lead their local Anglican congregation. Petra also works with an organisation called Vesna, supplying clothing, toiletries, and household essentials to people in need – particularly Ukrainian refugees. As Petra supports Ukrainian women to enter the workforce, pray for them to grow in confidence and the skills they need to succeed.

Latest prayer news

Bangkok, Thailand: new business start-ups

Mission partners Elise and Jon Fletcher share about the families on the Keeping Families Together programme they run and the small business start-ups that these families have set up. Many are selling food, but one participant has purchased a bike to work as a motorbike taxi driver, one family have decided to sell plants and […]

Read more
Middle East: progress of Bible translation project

Mission partners J and R ask for prayer for the Bible translation work they are involved in. The translation team has faced many challenges with the team being physically separated for many months. Please pray for the availability of a consultant for one translation project and for progress to be made again in another project.

Read more
Paraguay: Mision Indigena

Give thanks for the recent Indigenous Mission Congress in Paraguay, where around 60 brothers and sisters from indigenous communities across Latin America gathered to celebrate what God has done over the past three years, share experiences, pray together and look ahead to the next three years. Pray that indigenous voices and leadership will continue to […]

Read more
Sudan: drone strikes kill hundreds

The BBC reports that Sudan’s army have been accused of launching several drone strikes that have reportedly killed more than 300 people, including dozens travelling to a funeral. The death toll from strikes in two areas of West Kordofan state on Sunday evening was 150 and in Abyei, a disputed border area between Sudan and […]

Read more
UK: Orchid Project team

Mission partner Ann-Marie Wilson asks for prayer for the Orchid Project who have recently appointed a new chief executive. Pray that the new chief executive will settle into her role quickly and please pray for the whole team as it continues its work to end FGM, for wisdom and strength in the decisions ahead and […]

Read more
Worldwide: prayer for those in authority

This week’s Bible passage urges us to pray for those in authority. Join with us in prayer as we bring before God world leaders and those in positions of authority. Pray that they will lead with compassion, wisdom and integrity and for God to bring truth and light into their spheres of influence.

Read more
All prayer news

Get our weekly prayer email

SIGN UP

The post Czech Republic: integration for Ukrainians appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

]]> Living hospitably in the Czech Republic https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/experience/living-hospitably-in-the-czech-republic/ https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/experience/living-hospitably-in-the-czech-republic/#respond Thu, 14 Jul 2022 09:13:27 +0000 https://churchmissionsociety.org/?p=9515 New mission partners Lea and Petra Williams on how getting to grips with a new ministry has been shaped by the war in Ukraine

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Living hospitably in the Czech Republic

New mission partners Lea and Petra Williams on how getting to grips with a new ministry has been shaped by the war in Ukraine

Photo : Citizens of Brno protest the war in Ukraine (Lea and Petra Williams/Church Mission Society)

When we left for the Czech Republic last September with a vision of living hospitably, we had no idea that the world would change so much…

By Lea Williams

In September 2021 my wife Petra and I, along with our two children Olivia (11) and Theodore (9) relocated to Brno, Czech Republic, to begin our time as mission partners with CMS.

Brno is the second largest and fastest growing city in the Czech Republic after Prague.

Located in the east of the country, this former industrial city that stagnated under the communist regime is reinventing itself as a place of engineering and development.

Young and secular

It is also a place of learning with 80,000 students calling the city home. It feels young. In fact, one in five people in Brno are students.

However, according to recent Pew Research, the Czech Republic is also the most secular nation in Eastern Europe.

Against this backdrop our work will be focused on evangelism and discipleship.

One aspect is joining in with what God had already started in a small Anglican congregation. We long to see a vibrant Christian community develop, committed to the practice of missional hospitality, where people can encounter the Christian faith in culturally relevant ways and in time be resourced to lead.

World-shaking events

When we left for the Czech Republic last September with a vision of living hospitably, we had no idea that the world would change so much. At the time of writing, 371,282 people from Ukraine, mainly older people, women and children, have been granted temporary protection visas by the Czech Republic.

The government and NGOs are trying to transition from short-term crisis activities to more long-term support. The situation has shaped our ministry activities these past months.

Petra is working with an organisation in the city centre, which was formerly a women’s refuge but is now centred on helping refugees with everyday essentials such as clothes and toiletries, sorting and distributing donations, and providing care and support.

Recently the organisation was gifted the use of a former monastery by the Catholic Church and work to furnish it ready for it to be used as short-term accommodation for women and children is now complete.

Student prospects

In addition to developing and investing in the church community I am preparing for the new academic year. I have a meeting planned with the leader of a well-established Czech evangelical student organisation that shares Jesus in relevant ways, enabling students to grapple with the big questions of life: what is my purpose, is there a reality beyond what I can see, and what will give my life lasting meaning?

They’re doing great work and I’m excited to see how we may work together.

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]]> https://churchmissionsociety.org/blog/experience/living-hospitably-in-the-czech-republic/feed/ 0 Lea and Petra Williams, Czech Republic https://churchmissionsociety.org/people-in-mission/lea-and-petra-williams-czech-republic/ https://churchmissionsociety.org/people-in-mission/lea-and-petra-williams-czech-republic/#respond Thu, 14 Apr 2022 07:44:42 +0000 https://staging.cms-uk.org/2022/04/14/lea-and-petra-williams-czech-republic/ Leading the Anglican congregation in Brno and developing a vibrant Christian community where people can meet Jesus and grow as disciples

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Lea and Petra Williams, Czech Republic

Leading the Anglican congregation in Brno and developing a vibrant Christian community where people can meet Jesus and grow as disciples

We are working with CMS discovering creative ways to share the hope of Jesus with people unconnected to church

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Thirty years after the Velvet Revolution ended Soviet rule in the Czech Republic, it is now the most secular country in Eastern Europe according to a 2017 Pew Research survey. Yet there is growing interest in the spiritual. We seek to join in with what God has started in one such community, a small Anglican congregation in the city of Brno, to see a vibrant Christian community develop.

The harsh realities of the Soviet era continue to cast a shadow. While attitudes towards the church were previously ambiguous, imposed atheism and the persecution of believers (from brutal force to subtle harassment) have left the community of faith scarred and society deeply sceptical.

Yet there is growing interest in the spiritual. Evangelical and charismatic congregations, along with new worshipping communities, are connecting with those exploring faith and seeing small yet consistent growth. We seek to join in with what God has started in one such community, a small Anglican congregation in the city of Brno, to see a vibrant Christian community develop.

Planted in 2011 following requests for worship, the congregation meets for monthly evening services. We dream of seeing this become a Christian community (of both Czechs and internationals) committed to the practice of missional hospitality, blessing the city and connecting with the significant student population. We want to encounter God through exploring the Bible, breaking bread together and developing a church community where everyone can play their part in the mission of God.

Brno, a former industrial centre and the Czech Republic’s second largest and fastest growing city after Prague, has reimagined itself as a centre for technology, engineering and research. It is a young city, home to six public universities and 80,000 students. We know the city from Petra’s family connections and time studying there.

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Our story

Petra, a Czech, moved to Glasgow in 2005, encountered Jesus and became involved in church life. As she grew in her faith, her pastor encouraged Petra to explore theological studies.

Lea, from Shropshire, came to faith as a child and was shaped by his parents’ example of sharing faith and nurturing new believers. At a young age he felt called to ordination, enthusiastically telling his teacher, “One day, miss, I will be a vicar.”

We met at International Christian College, where there was a strong emphasis on mission and global Christianity.

We married in 2009 and have two children, Olivia and Theodore.

After working with children and families at a church in Essex, Lea was ordained in 2016. Lea completed his curacy in north Essex and Petra works as a photographer.

Lea has spent time with Anglican chaplaincies in Prague, Moscow and Brussels, and learned the Czech language.

We have been discerning a call to long-term ministry in the Czech Republic for a number of years.

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Previous updates

Lea and Petra’s link letter no. 11
Lea and Petra’s link letter no. 10
Lea and Petra’s link letter no. 9

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