World Day of Prayer
10.30am Friday 7th March 2025 at Corpus Christi
'I made you wonderful'
This is a global event where every country around the world takes part in the same service on the same day. Each year the service is written by women of a different country; the service for 2025 is being prepared by the women of The Cook Islands with the theme “I made you wonderful”.
The 2025 WDP program invites us into the knowledge that each one of us was made with care and love by God. When we can receive this profound truth, everything in our life changes and we begin to radiate and shine from within. We also learn how to treat every other person as made wonderful by God.
Too often, women and girls have been silenced and oppressed, making this upcoming theme from WDP Cook Islands particularly relevant. The message that we, as women and girls, are “fearfully and wonderfully” made in the image of God reinforces our movement’s support of women in expressing their faith and speaking about their lives in prayer and worship before God and in community.
The Worship Service invites us to notice aspects of our divinely created bodies that we often take for granted.
The Bible Study prompts dialogue around Psalm 139, particularly focusing on the relationship between God and each one of us.
In Wokingham, churches take turns to host the World Day of Prayer Service. In 2025 it will be held at Corpus Christi Church, 60 Sturges Road, Wokingham RG40 2HE on Friday 7th March at 10.30am. Refreshments will be served after the service. All are welcome to this ecumenical service.
More information: worlddayofprayer.net/cook-islands-2025 www.wwdp.org.uk
Artwork: “Wonderfully Made” by Tarani Napa and Tevairangi Napa
World Day of Prayer
10.30am Friday 1st March 2024 at Woosehill:
'I beg you... bear with one another in love'
Previously the Women's World Day of Prayer, this is a global event where every country around the world takes part in the same service on the same day. Each year the service is written by women of a different country; the service for 2024 was prepared by ecumenical Christian Palestinian women with the theme “I beg you... bear with one another in love”.
This program calls us to bear with each other in love, despite all difficulties and oppression. It was written in response to the passage from Ephesians 4:1-7. The writers reflected collectively on this theme from the context of their suffering as Palestinian Christian women. They hope to inspire other women around the world to bear with one another in love during troubled times.
In these verses, Paul encourages the Ephesians to live a sanctified life, bearing with one another in humility and love in order to maintain the gift of unity that God had given them. Paul reminds the Ephesians that God chose both Gentiles and Jews to be saved, bringing together people of very different backgrounds through the shared promise guaranteed by Christ to all the members of his church. Paul urges the Ephesians to live a life worthy of the calling they received, as people united with one another through Christ’s saving work.
This calling is not easy. It requires patience, self-denial, and love. Paul reminds the Ephesians to be united in one spirit by the hope they share in Christ. And so, we Christians spread throughout the world, can also find our unity and hope in this text.
In Wokingham, churches take turns to host the World Day of Prayer Service. In 2024 it was at Woosehill Church on Friday 1st March. Refreshments were served after the service. All were welcome at this ecumenical service.
More information: worlddayofprayer.net/palestine-2024 www.wwdp.org.uk
Artwork: Halima Aziz