Women’s World Day of Prayer tomorrow-Christians invited to participate |06 March 2008

Commemorated on the first Friday in March, this year’s Women’s World Day of Prayer, which is a worldwide movement of Christian women who come together to observe a common day of prayer, will be celebrated under the theme “God’s Wisdom Provides New Understanding”.

Seychelles will celebrate the day with three special prayer services – two on Mahe and one on Praslin. On Mahe, the services will be held at the St Paul’s Cathedral in Victoria and at the Anse Royale Church, both starting at 4.30 p.m.

On Praslin the service will be held at the …. starting at 5 p.m.
As is the custom, each year the International Committee chooses a country to prepare the order of the prayer service and this year it is the turn for the women of Guyana.

Commenting on this theme, the liaison person in Seychelles for the event, Emmy Etienne, says that Guyana, being Caribbean and part of the West Indies, shares many similarities with Seychelles.

“The products of palm trees especially of the coconut palm are very much included (in the service).  They recommend that we exhibit a large cross made of coconut branches on the Church altar as well as use other products of the palm for added decoration. Palm crosses and branches will be distributed to participants as they come in for the service in church,” says Mrs Etienne.

“It will be a thrilling form of worship during which we could join the women of Guyana expressing their joys and concerns and pray for and with them,” adds Mrs Etienne.

The Women’s World Day of Prayer (WWDP) was started in 1887 with the first day of prayer for women summoned by the wife of a Presbyterian minister in New York, Mary Ellen James, to raise awareness of women's plight in the world.

WWDP brings out voices of women showing them hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, their opportunities and needs.

Christian women see themselves and one another as Christians before God coming from different theological and church traditions in which they respect one another.  WWDP is keeping its focus on strengthening ecumenical relationship through Christian prayers.

The Christian women who prepare the services each year are keen to discover and share new understandings about cultures, suppressions of Christianity, causes for social problems, urgent world issues and ways to address them.

WWDP helps us to recognise better what is our own and to appreciate and respect what is other than our own.
Although women and youth are expected to participate fully in the worship, men are also invited.