World Day of Prayer

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World Day of Prayer Logo since 1982

The World Day of Prayer is an international ecumenical Christian laywomen's initiative.[1] It is run under the motto "Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action" and is celebrated annually in over 170 countries on the first Friday in March. The movement aims to bring together women of various races, cultures and traditions in a yearly common Day of Prayer, as well as in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year.

## History

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The Women's World Day of Prayer started in the US in 1887 when Mary Ellen Fairchild James, wife of Darwin Rush James from Brooklyn, New York, called for a day of prayer for home missions,[2] and Methodist women called for a week of prayer and self-denial for foreign missions. Two years later, two Baptists called together a Day of Prayer for the World Mission. The Day of Prayer initiated by these two women expanded to Canada in 1922, then to the British Isles in the 1930s. The movement's focus on ecumenism and reconciliation led to growth after World War II. Since 1927 the day of prayer in the month of March has been known as the Women's World Day of Prayer. Catholic women joined the movement after the Second Vatican Council, beginning in 1967, and united what had been their May day of prayer with the March Women's World Day of Prayer in 1969. As such, Catholic women honor the World Day of Prayer.[3][4]

Two other Christian denominations celebrate a World Day of Prayer in September. Firstly, the Unity Church, a New Thought denomination headquartered at Unity Village, Missouri celebrates a twenty-four-hour World Day of Prayer, principally on the second Thursday in September (member churches may start at sunset on September 11, and the themes differ from those of the Women's World Day of Prayer set forth below).[5][6] And secondly, the terrorist events of September 11, 2001 prompted the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal order, to designate that date annually as a World Day of Prayer for Peace.[7]

## Aims

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Through the World Day of Prayer, women are encouraged to become aware of the other countries and cultures and no longer live in isolation. They are also encouraged take up the burdens of other people, to sympathize with the problems of other countries and cultures and pray with and for them. They are further encouraged to become aware of their talents and use them in the service of society. The World Day of Prayer aims to demonstrate that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence in the world.

## Programme

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Every year, worship service focuses on a different country and a specific theme. World Day of Prayer National/Regional Committees of that country prepare the order of worship on these themes to be used on the next World Day of Prayer.

On the first Friday of March, then, in services all over the world that country becomes the focus of prayer and understanding. Through preparation and participation in the worship service, women worldwide learn how their sisters of other countries, languages and cultures understand the biblical passages in their context. They learn of the concerns and needs of those women and to empathize and feel in solidarity with them.

## World Day of Prayer themes and writer countries

[edit]

see [8][9][10]

Year | Theme | Writer Country

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1927 | Pray Ye Therefore |  USA
1928 | Breaking Down Barriers |  USA
1929 | That They May All Be One |  USA
1930 | That Jesus May Be Lifted Up |  Korea
1931 | Ye Shall Be My Witnesses |  Canada
1932 | Hold Fast in Prayer |  India
1933 | Follow Thou Me |  Republic of China
1934 | Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem |  South Africa
1935 | Bear Ye One Another's Burdens |  Holland
1936 | On Earth, Peace, Goodwill Toward Men |  Chile
1937 | Thou art The Christ, The Son of the Living God | Africa
1938 | The Church – A World Fellowship |  New Zealand
1939 | Let Us Put Our Love Into Deeds – and Make it Real |  United States of America
1940 | In Quietness and in Confidence shall be Your Strength |  England
1941 | Thy Kingdom Come |  Shanghai
1942 | I Am The Way |  French Refugees

German Refugees

1943 | That They all May Be One |  United States of America
1944 | God wondered that there was no Intercessor | From statements of 150 nationals and repatriated missionaries from over 100 countries
1945 | That Ye Should Show Forth the Praises of Him Who Hath Called You Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light |  England

Wales
Northern Ireland

1946 | The Things That Make for our Peace | Central Africa
1947 | Make Level in the Desert a Highway for our God |  India
1948 | The World at Prayer  |  United States of America
1949 | The Lord is Thy Keeper |  China
1950 | Faith for our Time |  Japan
1951 | Perfect Love Casteth out Fear |  Germany
1952 | Christ, our Hope |  United States of America: Migrants, Sharecroppers, and Native Americans
1953 | Walk as Children of the Light | Africa
1954 | That They May Have Life |  India
1955 | Abide in Me |  Buenos Aires
( Argentina)
1956 | One Flock, One Shepherd |  Cook Christian Training School for Native American Christian Leaders in Arizona, USA
1957 | Who shall separate us ...? |  Hungary
1958 | The Bread of Life |  Australia
1959 | Lord, I believe |  Egypt
1960 | Labourers together with God |  Committee of the Women's Inter-Church Council of Canada
1961 | Forward through the Ages: In everything give thanks |  United States of America
1962 | For God So Loved the World |  Uruguay
1963 | More than Conquerors |  Korea
1964 | Let us Pray |  Switzerland
1965 | What doth the Lord require? |  United States of America
1966 | Ye are my Witnesses |  WWDP Committee of Scotland
1967 | Of His Kingdom there shall be no end |  Tonga
1968 | Bear ye one another's Burdens |  Ceylon
1969 | Growing Together in Christ |  Sierra Leone

Ghana
South Africa
Congo
Zambia
Kenya

1970 | Be of Good Courage |  Jamaica

Egypt
United States of America
Philippines
Guyana

1971 | A New People for a New Age | Caribbean
1972 | All Joy Be Yours |  Europe
1973 | Alert in our time |  New Zealand
1974 | Make us builders of peace |  Japan
1975 | Become perfectly One |  Egypt
1976 | Education through Living |  Mexico

South America

1977 | Love in Action |  German Democratic Republic
1978 | Community Spirit in Modern Living |  Canada
1979 | Spiritual Growth | East Africa
1980 | Responsible Freedom |  Thailand
1981 | The Earth is the Lord's |  USA
1982 | The People of God: Gathered for Worship- Scattered for Service |  Ireland

Northern Ireland

1983 | New persons in Christ | Caribbean
1984 | Living Water from Christ our Hope |  Sweden
1985 | Peace through Prayer and Action |  India
1986 | Choose Life |  Australia
1987 | Come and Rejoice! |  International Committee of WWDP
1988 | Open Doors |  Brazil
1989 | Lord, Teach us to Pray |  Burma
1990 | A Better Tomorrow, Justice for All |  Czechoslovakia
1991 | On the Journey Together |  Kenya
1992 | Living Wisely with Creation |  German Speaking Switzerland

Austria
Germany

1993 | God's People: Instruments of Healing |  Guatemala
1994 | Go, See & Act |  Palestine
1995 | The Earth is a House for all People |  Ghana
1996 | God Calls Us To Respond |  Haiti
1997 | Like a Seed Which Grows into a Tree |  Korea
1998 | Who is My Neighbour? |  Madagascar
1999 | God's Tender Touch |  Venezuela
2000 | Talitha Kumi: Young Woman Stand Up |  Indonesia
2001 | Informed Prayer, Prayerful Action |  Samoa
2002 | Challenged to Reconcile |  Romania
2003 | Holy Spirit, Fill Us |  Lebanon
2004 | In Faith, Women Shape the Future |  Panama
2005 | Let Our Light Shine |  Poland
2006 | Signs Of The Times |  South Africa
2007 | United Under God's Tent |  Paraguay
2008 | God's Wisdom Provides New Understanding |  Guyana
2009 | In Christ, There Are Many Members, Yet One Body |  Papua New Guinea
2010 | Let Everything that has Breath Praise God |  Cameroon
2011 | How Many Loaves Have You? |  Chile
2012 | Let Justice Prevail |  Malaysia
2013 | I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me |  France
2014 | Streams in the Desert |  Egypt
2015 | Jesus Said to them: "Do You Know What I Have Done to you?" |  The Bahamas
2016 | Receive Children, Receive Me |  Cuba
2017 | Am I Being Unfair to You? |  Philippines
2018 | All God's Creation is Very Good! |  Suriname
2019 | Come – Everything is Ready |  Slovenia
2020 | Rise! Take your Mat and Walk |  Zimbabwe
2021 | Build on a Strong Foundation |  Vanuatu
2022 | I Know the Plans I Have For You |  England

Wales
Northern Ireland

### Forthcoming World Day of Prayer themes and writer countries

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Year | Theme | Writer Country

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2023 | I Have Heard About Your Faith |  Taiwan
2024 | I Beg You... Bear With One Another in Love |  Palestine
2025 | I Made You Wonderful |  Cook Islands
2026 | I Will Give You Rest: Come |  Nigeria

## See also

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* Christianity portal

* Christian ecumenism

## References

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1. ^ "About WDP International Committee". www.worlddayofprayer.net. Archived from the original on 2013-10-14.
2. ^ "Ludington Daily News – Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
3. ^ "World Day of Prayer: March 3, 2023 – Diocese of Ballarat". Catholic Diocese of Ballarat. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
4. ^ "Women's World Day of Prayer". www.wwdp-natcomm.org. Archived from the original on 2007-12-29.
5. ^ http://www.uistudents.org/world-day-of-prayer-september-12-2013.html [dead link‍]
6. ^ "Silent Unity". www.facebook.com.
7. ^ "Community Activities – World Day of Prayer for Peace". www.kofc.org.
8. ^ "List of World Day of Prayer by year – World Day of Prayer USA". wdp-usa.org. Archived from the original on 2018-10-27.
9. ^ "Themes – World Day of Prayer International". worlddayofprayer.net. 2020-02-19.
10. ^ World Day of Prayer Website of England, Wales, & Northern Ireland

## External links

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* World Day of Prayer
* Australia
* Canada
* England, Wales, Northern Ireland
* France
* Germany
* Scotland
* Switzerland
* USA

Authority control databases: National |

* Germany

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