• Introduction
• An international movement
• Coordinating a WDP service
• WDP 2009:
  Papua New Guinea
• WDP 2007: Paraguay
• WDP 2008: Guyana
• Quadrennial 2007
• History
• 2007 Grant Recipients
• Information Sheet
  (MSWord: 320K)
• WDP ordering information

• 
• Quick Facts
  (PDF: 78K)
• World Day of Prayer
  by Donna Hunter
  (PDF: 1570K)

World Day of Prayer

Introduction

The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement which brings Christians of many traditions together to observe a common day of prayer each year. Through preparation and participation in the worship service, we can come to know how our sisters of other countries, languages and cultures understand the Biblical passages in their context. We can hear their concerns and needs and can feel ourselves in solidarity with them as we pray with and for them. In this way, it is possible to enrich our Christian faith as it grows deeper and broader in an international, ecumenical expression.

The motto of the World Day of Prayer movement is Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action. Through our participation in the World Day of Prayer, we affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and that both have immeasurable influence on the world.

Toronto Quadrennial

In spring 2007, the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada hosted the World Day of Prayer International Committee (WDPIC) Quadrennial meeting, which is held every four years in a different country. Nearly 200 women from 93 countries attended this week-long meeting, which took place May 30 to June 7, 2007, near King City, north of Toronto. The theme of the event was “I will put my breath into you, and you shall live” (Ezekiel 37:14). For more information and some photos from the event, click here.

World Day of Prayer in Canada

The World Day of Prayer began in the 19th century when Christian women of Canada and the United States started to be involved in missions at home and in other parts of the world. Since 1812, women have encouraged one another to engage in personal prayer and take leadership in communal prayer within their mission auxiliaries and associations. Presbyterian women in the United States then called for a national day of prayer in 1887, and Anglican women in Canada established a national day of corporate intercessions for mission in 1895.

On October 19, 1918, Presbyterian women in Canada called together representatives of five Women's Missionary Boards – Anglican, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian – "to promote the spreading of Christ's kingdom through united prayer and action." That first inter-church meeting gave birth to the Interim Committee on the Federation of the Women's Missionary Society Boards of Canada, which organized a national and inter denominational day of prayer on January 9, 1920.

In 1922, the Canadian committee agreed to use the same theme and day for the Day of Prayer as U.S. women. This annual event became the Women's World Day of Prayer in 1927. The Canadian committee changed its name to become the Women's Inter-Church Council of Canada and now includes representatives from 11 church partners. This council continues to coordinate the World Day of Prayer in Canada and to speak to issues that concern women of faith across the country.

Upcoming Themes and Writing Countries

2008: “God’s Wisdom Provides New Understanding” (Guyana)
2009: “In Christ There Are Many Members But 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: "Do you know what I have done to you? " (The Bahamas)

Some documents linked from this page are presented in PDF, which can be read using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.