Every year on the first Friday of March, women all over the world affirm their faith in Jesus Christ by sharing their hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows through expression of harmonic singing, hand clapping, and optimistic prayers defined worldwide as The World Day of Prayer.
This day, recognized March 6, will be celebrated in several places of worship around Indianapolis.
Vicki Holland is the Indianapolis area chair coordinate of World Day of Prayer. She is also a longtime member of Allisonville Christian Church.
“As chair person I get the opportunity to work among chairs of different denominations and churches all over town, it is just a marvelous experience for me,” said Holland. “I visited two different locations last year that were completely different, but were true to the motto of what World Day of prayer stands for, ‘Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action’ affirming prayer and action being an inseparable and immeasurable influence in the world. I feel we are all trying to make a difference, in a combined effort worldwide giving people hope.”
The women of the Bahamas prepared the 2015 program with the theme of, lifting up the story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet in John 13:1-17, as he asks “Do you understand what I have done for you?”
The women of the Bahamas describes the theme as “radical love weaving together all the components of the worship resources, eloquently telling us Jesus is God’s presence of radical love in the world, following Jesus’ example of washing his disciples’ feet.”
“Written by women of a different country every year raises the awareness toward the injustice of the world. Every year different grants are given to help promote an abundance of work among children and women,” said Holland. “In connection to awareness, prayerful action is not just set in praying alone, but in action to making changes worldwide. What I feel among the women who put this together overall is just a great experience,” said Holland.
According to the World Day of Prayer International Committee, women are encouraged to become aware of the whole world and no longer live in isolation. To be enriched by the faith experience of Christians of other countries and cultures to take up the burdens of other people and pray with and for them to become aware of their talents and use them in the service of society.
Andrea Miskow administrative coordinator of World Day of Prayer who runs the office based in New York said she believes this is a service inclined to generate a worldwide movement.
“With the service being written by a different country each year, it gives women in other countries an understanding of what life is like for them and how they approach the Bible,” said Miskow.
As a global movement of Christian women of many traditions who join together as a movement, it’s initiated and carried out by women in more than 170 countries and regions symbolizing an annual celebration welcoming all people.
For more information on World Day of Prayer and a list of locations to attend in greater Indianapolis area visit Wdp.org.
