News
The week of prayer—focusing on people who continue to suffer from racial discrimination and xenophobia—begins on 19 March. The WCC is providing materials, prepared by a team from Latin America, as well as other from other regions, for each day. The resources, appropriate for groups or individuals, include songs, scriptures, reflections, and more.
The week of prayer opened with an ecumenical prayer in which the WCC President from Europe, Rev. Dr. Susan Durber shared on the two historic impulses – the Pentecost event in Acts 2 and the 1906 Azusa Street revival as pivotal moments in the history of Christianity. Durber challenged the Christian communities globally and the ecumenical movement to be convicted of the evil of racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination. She concluded her reflection with the words, “It happened in Jerusalem, it happened in Azusa Street, and it’s coming to the street where you live too. Praise God!”
Dr Masiiwa Ragies Gunda, WCC programme executive for programmatic responses on overcoming racism invites the member churches to share and use the materials: “God loves diversity, one of the reflections reads. He has created a universe of such beauty and diversity. Yet even as people express the beauty of diversity, there is a growing desperation from the victims of the global systems that continue to perpetrate racism, xenophobia and discrimination to the point where one reflection ponders on the division of Israel and Judah, - what portion do we have in this system?”
Another reflection explores the scourge of enslavement. “We are no more slaves!” the text reads. "In Christ we are free and we are free indeed.”
The WCC will host an ecumenical prayer on 25 March 2024 (at 3pm CET)-Join us live here
