Mothers' Union column with Julia Tum:
What is unique about Christmas and sharing good news like the birth of a new baby or your wedding day? Why is the joy on these occasions so special?
Apart from celebrating the reason for the gathering, I feel it is because we can all share in the same excitement, the same feeling of being together with friends and family. We are all following the same route and sharing the same happiness and the same concerns.
the United States and Canada initiated a variety of cooperative activities. This initiative was in support of women’s involvement in mission at home and in other parts of the world.
In 1861 and during the following years, women founded numerous and effective boards for foreign and home missions where they could work directly with and for women and children.
They were encouraged to engage in personal prayer and this emphasis on prayer led to annual days and weeks of prayer. These spread across all denominations of the Christian Church and so developed a vision of Christian unity. Study days and publications were created so that women would become better informed about the life in other parts of the world.
The first Friday of Lent was established as a joint day of prayer for missions and was celebrated for the first time on February 20, 1920. This date and the concept of a day set aside for prayer spread rapidly throughout the Christian world.
In the second half of 1926 the women of North America distributed the worship service to as many countries as they could. The response was enthusiastic. By the beginning of 1927 the WDP became an important date in the calendar and the circle of prayer expanded literally around the world. We pray with, rather than for, women of other races and nations, and this enriches our experiences. This is a shared and much-loved experience. In the same way that we enjoy being together with friends to celebrate family occasions, this feeling of unity with people across the Christian world at the same time is immense.
Each year the service is created by women from different countries. Last year women from the Cook Islands prepared the prayers and created accounts about life there, their struggles, hardships and hopes. This year it was prepared by women in Nigeria. There was so much colour and joy and jubilant singing. Next year the prayers and stories will be set by women in Italy.
The symbol for World Day of Prayer was developed by the women of Ireland and adopted as the international logo in 1982. Its design is made up of arrows converging from the four points of the compass, persons kneeling in prayer, the Celtic cross, and the circle, representing the world and our unity through all our diversity. Want to know more? Email: [email protected]