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Women's World Day of Prayer
Friday March 2nd
From the women of Paraguay: "United under God's Tent"
10 am East Sheen Baptist Church, Temple Sheen Road (buses
33, 337, 493, 485)
8 pm Holy Trinity Church, Castelnau, Barnes (buses 33, 72, 209)
For many people the Women's World Day of Prayer is seen as a
modern feminist organisation, but in fact it began in 1887! In that
year Mary Ellen James called for a day of prayer. As the wife of a Presbyterian
minister in New York and mother of 7 children, she was aware of the
problems faced by many women around her, particularly new immigrants
to America - the awful slums with their poverty, unemployment,
poor housing, lack of health or educational facilities. Something had
to be done. In 1891 two Baptist missionaries, appalled by the deprivation
of the women in many other parts of the world, called for a day of prayer
for overseas missions. Eventually in 1919 these two separate days were
united and Women's World Day of Prayer came into being.
What started as a Day of Prayer for the women in one particular Presbyterian
church in America has now become truly international and interdenominational.
Today more than 170 countries and islands take part. The Order of Service
is prepared by women from a different country each year and is translated
into more than 60 languages and 1000 dialects.
Through Women's World Day of Prayer 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
- 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
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