Today is the World Day of Prayer or sometimes Women's World Day of Prayer
I remember my mum used to go every year but I knew very little about it so asked Alison and Meg to tell me. They wrote, “it started in the 19th century as a prayer support to women engaged in mission at home and abroad and has now developed into a Worldwide Ecumenical movement of informed prayer and prayerful action. The service is not exclusively for women and has recently been referred to as ‘Worldwide Prayer’.
Each year women of a different country are invited to compile a service which is always held on the first Friday in March. Vanuatu is presenting the service this year. The theme today is: BUILD ON A STRONG FOUNDATION.
The hour long service includes Biblical readings and prayers for local concerns as well as international ones. The hymns chosen vary between local words and tunes as well as well known ones. The final hymn is usually ‘Abide with me’. The first service is in the Pacific Islands and the last service in Honolulu 36 hours or more later. Any money given in the collection is allocated to several world-wide acting charities.
Gill Keens wrote, “I used to love going, because I knew that my "twin" in New Zealand (distant relative who was born the same day) would be saying the same words the other side of the world. It was a great opportunity to learn about the role and the problems of ladies all over the world. Janet Smith was our "link" for a long while.”
World Day of Prayer Logo
The symbol of the World Day of Prayer was designed by a young Irish artist in 1982, the year when the service was prepared by the women of Ireland, and adopted as the International logo.
The design comprises arrows converging from the four points of the compass, four figures kneeling in prayer, the Celtic Cross and a circle representing the world and unity through all our diversity.
For more info: https://www.wwdp.org.uk