There was great joy and thoughtful prayers across Canada as thousands gathered in person for World Day of Prayer (WDP) 2024 services featuring the theme “I Beg You … Bear With One Another In Love.” For many, it was a chance to not only pray and learn about Palestine but also meet for a time of fellowship with ecumenical friends they had not seen for a year or more.
The Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada (WICC) provided many resources on the WICC website to ensure that the service was available to all, including those not able to gather in person. A one-hour WDP service was produced by WICC with volunteer leaders, readers and musicians from across Canada. Contacting TV Channels across Canada started earlier this year after incredible positive feedback last year. Overall, the WDP 2024 service video was broadcast on 19 community television channels, and was often aired on multiple dates and times. This video service continues to be available on wicc.org and via the WICC YouTube channel.
Thanks for all your feedback. It helps us plan for next year. One service coordinator commented as follows about the video:
“Using the historical info at the beginning before playing the video put the video in context and helped the participants better understand the situation in the Middle East and the women’s plight. The responses from children were very good.”
For those with live presenters, the stories shared by the three Palestinian women were often mentioned as very moving.
WICC is committed to keeping service coordinators informed about World Day of Prayer. The WDP Field Reps played an essential part in WDP Coordinator support again this year. They provided help to those who were new to the coordinator role, challenged by technology, or needed ideas for promoting WDP.
Over 300 individuals attended online events in November and January to learn about WDP 2024 resources. It was encouraging to hear from service coordinator evaluations, that 75% read We-Connect, our e-newsletter, and 90% follow the WICC Facebook page to stay informed and engaged.
Donations from World Day of Prayers services are used to fund WDP for next year and support grant projects designed to bring social justice to women and families in Canada and internationally. By distributing WDP service information online rather than in print format, the saved revenue goes towards grants. $75,000 in WDP grants have been approved for 2024. See http://wicc.org/grant-programs/grant-stories/ to read the inspirational grant stories of projects started in 2023 and completed by early 2024. 2023.
Christian women from Cook Islands wrote the 2025 World Day of Prayer service – “I Made You Wonderful” based on Psalm 139:1-18. Please join others on or around Friday, March 7, 2025 in this worldwide prayer movement.
Many thanks for sharing this wonderful report and pictures which was very informative and inspiring.
Great report