Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action
World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice.
World Day of Prayer
New Zealand.
Friday 1st March 2024
World Day of Prayer is an international movement of Christian people in many different traditions that have a continuing relationship of prayer and service. People from various denominations gather in one another’s churches to celebrate, using a Worship Service prepared by women of a different country each year. Women, men and young people share the language, customs and music of that country, right around the globe.
Observed on the first Friday in March each year, is a worldwide movement of informed prayer involving people of many denominations and languages in more than 170 countries. Each year the service is written by women in a different country who share the hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, opportunities and needs, of their country. It affirms that informed prayer and prayerful action are inseparable.
What makes World Day of Prayer special?
- We are women calling out to God for people in need throughout the world.
- World Day of Prayer is the only place that women’s voices are heard in some countries.
- We are linked in strong international relationships of mutual sister resourcing.
- We use ecumenical, lay leadership by women, so this helps us in growing understanding of other cultures and denominations.
- We support aid projects through the giving at the yearly Worship Service.
- We aim to help the world, one powerful prayer at a time.
When is this Day of Prayer?
Friday 1st March 2024
It’s always the first Friday in March, each year. It uses the locally adapted Order of Service which comes from a designated country. It takes place at some time on that day, not usually all day for one Worship Service, unless people decide to do that. Since there is the same basic Service repeated throughout the world during the same 24 hours, it’s the World Day of Prayer!
How is it organised in New Zealand?
We owe a lot to our history: first the National Women’s Committee of the National Council of Churches, who made it a priority to organise World Day of Prayer here. Then the National Committee of Church Women United did sterling work, growing the nation-wide awareness of the prayer-and-giving opportunity. At the beginning of 2009 World Day of Prayer was registered as a separate charitable entity, and there was for the first time a dedicated group specifically set up to do the work. The National Committee is at present based in Christchurch.
News & Updates
THANK YOU
On behalf of the World Day of Prayer National Committee I would like to
Additional Material 2024
On December 2 2023, WDPIC, in collaboration with the WDP Palestine Committee, hosted a
