Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017

 
Each year Christians worldwide celebrate together the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In the Western hemisphere it occurs from 18th to 25th January whereas often in the Southern hemisphere it is during Pentecost week.The material is always prepared by Christians in a different country. This year it was Germany’s Christians who chose and prepared the material on the theme “Reconciliation. The Love of Christ Compels Us” with reference to 2 Corinthians 5:14-20.

CrossingBarriersIn Germany there are about fifty million Christians who mostly belonged to the Roman Catholic Church or one of the Protestant Churches but recent developments, particularly the reception of refugees and asylum seekers, there are more Christians of the Oriental Churches.

­The introduction referring to the text from 2 Corinthians speaks of how the love of Christ compels us to be ambassadors of reconciliation and uses the image of dismantling walls. The fall of the Berlin Wall was an example of how a seemingly insurmountable wall could be brought down and “ the fall of this wall is a symbol of hope that, with t
he love of God, nothing is impossible”.

The material jointly prepared and published by The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.

You can download:

  • The booklet which contains the service outline along with Bible readings, reflections and prayers for the eight days for use at home, in church or in a group.