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Barnes in Commonthe magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
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Women’s World Day of Prayer: 6th March 2009by Jane SherwinFor the twentieth year running two services will be held in this area, Barnes, Mortlake and Sheen, on the first Friday in March. This is an ecumenical event, both in origin and in practice. It was started, originally, by Mary Ellen James, the wife of a Presbyterian minister in New York, in 1887, as a day of prayer to consider the needs of immigrant women and children in the slums of that city. Then, in 1891, two female Baptist missionaries in the USA called for a day of prayer for overseas missions; once more appalled by the deprivation suffered by women. These two days were united in 1919 and the first British services were held in Scotland in 1930, England in ’33, Wales in ’33 and Ireland in ’35. But, you may well ask, why, in this emancipated age, is it still called Women’s World Day of Prayer? Because there is still terrible gender inequality in the countries from where these services come. In Papua New Guinea, where this year’s service was written, approximately 60% of women are illiterate and there is a high rate of infant mortality (in 2000 there were 79 deaths for every 1,000 live births and 370 women died every 10,000 births). There is only one female MP in the 109 seat Parliament and the song which starts every school day begins: ‘O arise all you sons of this land.’ Nevertheless, the Christian women of Papua New Guinea declare, ‘In Christ there are many members yet one body.’ Come and join us, all are welcome, women, men, young people and children. 10.00am St Mary the Virgin, Mortlake |
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