Church

Churches celebrate the milestones of unity and mission

Thousands of Australian Christians are preparing to reflect and pray together as they celebrate the milestones of unity and mission. This year the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity takes place in the context of the 100th anniversary of the landmark 1910 World Mission Conference in Edinburgh. Appropriately the theme for this year has been prepared for churches around the world by a group from Scotland.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity aims to assist Christians

• To pray as Christ prayed “That they may be one”

• To pray for the unity of all Christian people as we share in Christ’s ministry

It also offers opportunities to meet and pray with Christians of different denominations in ones local area. The Reverend Tara Curlewis, General Secretary of the NCCA, said, “It is wonderful how often new local initiatives emerge out of congregations meeting and praying together.”

For Christians this is a wonderful opportunity to renew and deepen our relationships with God and each other. Over eight days, May 16 to May 23, prayers will be focused by the theme ‘You are witnesses of these things’ (Luke 24:48). Groups are invited to join purposely in that great wave of prayer begun by Jesus when he prayed 'that they may all be one... so that the world may believe' (John 17:21).

The National Council of Churches in Australia has adapted the 2010 resources which are available to download at www.churchestogetherinprayer.org.au. Worship services (including PowerPoint version), daily prayer and reflection materials, practical suggestions for churches to implement together, further information as well information for purchasing prayer cards and posters are all available.

To download Week of Prayer for Christian unity materials, go to: www.churchestogetherinprayer.org.au.

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