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Levin’s Queen Street Chapel hosted this year’s World Day of Prayer.
Christian women worldwide participate in this day of prayer each year and, this year, the focus was on Palestine.
The theme “I Beg You … Bear With One Another in Love” was based on Ephesians 4:1-7 which calls people to bear with each other in love, despite all difficulties and oppression.
Palestinian women prepared the prayers and symbols used at last Friday’s day of prayer. Participants invited the world to pray for peace, justice and freedom of religion and freedom of movement.
Their words and vision were shared with Christian women and men worldwide participating in the Palestinian women’s carefully planned unified prayer service.
The annual event, led by an international and ecumenical Christian movement, involves people from various denominations who celebrate together in one another’s churches.
Act of God
Reverend Kim Wright, chaplain at Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls in Stratford, says – given the situation for them at present – the fact that the Palestinian women prepared this year’s service is incredibly meaningful.
“The decision as to which country’s women will prepare the service is made years in advance, so when that decision was made, it wasn’t with a knowledge of what would be happening in Palestine right now.
“So for it to have happened in this way, to happen this year, alongside what is happening in Palestine right now, for me that is an act of God in itself.”
The prayer service
The service shared three Palestinian Christian women’s stories, all of which witnessed the power of bearing together in love through three generations of Palestinian women’s experiences.
This year a Palestinian born in Germany, Halima Aziz, produced the feature artwork (pictured) used throughout the international service.
Her picture of an olive tree – a Christian symbol of everlasting life – called “Praying Palestinian Women” depicts three Palestinian women sitting under an olive tree joined in prayer.
“It’s not new, this idea of women joining together in prayer” Wright says.
Powerful prayer
Prayer is a powerful tool everyone can access, Wright says.
“The more we pray, the more we replace darkness with light … we can make a difference for others.”
The World Day of Prayer means many people pray on the same day for the same thing using the same service, she says.
“There is power in unity … it is really meaningful and brings us together in love and faith.”
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