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.
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]
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.
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.
| Year | Theme | Writer Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | Pray Ye Therefore |  United States | |
| 1928 | Breaking Down Barriers | United States | |
| 1929 | That They May All Be One | United States | |
| 1930 | That Jesus May Be Lifted Up |  Korea, Republic of | |
| 1931 | Ye Shall Be My Witnesses |  Canada | |
| 1932 | Hold Fast in Prayer | ||
| 1933 | Follow Thou Me | ||
| 1934 | Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem |  South Africa | |
| 1935 | Bear Ye One Another's Burdens | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1940 | In Quietness and in Confidence shall be Your Strength | ||
| 1941 | Thy Kingdom Come | Shanghai | |
| 1942 | I Am The Way |  France Germany | |
| 1943 | That They all May Be One | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1949 | The Lord is Thy Keeper |  China | |
| 1950 | Faith for our Time |  Japan | |
| 1951 | Perfect Love Casteth out Fear | Germany | |
| 1952 | Christ, our Hope | Migrants, Sharecroppers, and Native Americans | |
| 1953 | Walk as Children of the Light | Africa | |
| 1954 | That They May Have Life | India | |
| 1955 | Abide in Me | (  Argentina) | |
| 1956 | One Flock, One Shepherd | United States | |
| 1957 | Who shall separate us ...? |  Hungary | |
| 1958 | The Bread of Life |  Australia | |
| 1959 | Lord, I believe |  Egypt | |
| 1960 | Labourers together with God | Canada | |
| 1961 | Forward through the Ages: In everything give thanks | ||
| 1962 | For God So Loved the World |  Uruguay | |
| 1963 | More than Conquerors | ||
| 1964 | Let us Pray |  Switzerland | |
| 1965 | What doth the Lord require? | ||
| 1966 | Ye are my Witnesses | ||
| 1967 | Of His Kingdom there shall be no end |  Tonga | |
| 1968 | Bear ye one another's Burdens | ||
| 1969 | Growing Together in Christ |  Sierra Leone Ghana South Africa Congo Zambia Kenya | |
| 1970 | Be of Good Courage |  Jamaica Egypt Philippines Guyana | |
| 1971 | A New People for a New Age | Caribbean | |
| 1972 | All Joy Be Yours | ||
| 1973 | Alert in our time | New Zealand | |
| 1974 | Make us builders of peace | Japan | |
| 1975 | Become perfectly One | Egypt | |
| 1976 | Education through Living |  Mexico | |
| 1977 | Love in Action | ||
| 1978 | Community Spirit in Modern Living | Canada | |
| 1979 | Spiritual Growth | East Africa | |
| 1980 | Responsible Freedom |  Thailand | |
| 1981 | The Earth is the Lord's | United States | |
| 1982 | The People of God: Gathered for Worship- Scattered for Service |  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! | ||
| 1988 | Open Doors |  Brazil | |
| 1989 | Lord, Teach us to Pray | ||
| 1990 | A Better Tomorrow, Justice for All | ||
| 1991 | On the Journey Together | Kenya | |
| 1992 | Living Wisely with Creation | Switzerland Austria Germany | |
| 1993 | God's People: Instruments of Healing |  Guatemala | |
| 1994 | Go, See & Act | ||
| 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 | ||
| 1998 | Who is My Neighbour? |  Madagascar | |
| 1999 | God's Tender Touch | ||
| 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 | ||
| 2013 | I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me | ||
| 2014 | Streams in the Desert | ||
| 2015 | Jesus Said to them: "Do You Know What I Have Done to you?" | ||
| 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 |
| Year | Theme | Writer Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | I Have Heard About Your Faith | ||
| 2024 | I Beg You... Bear With One Another in Love | ||
| 2025 | I Made You Wonderful |  Cook Islands | |
| 2026 | I Will Give You Rest: Come |  Nigeria |