A GUIDE TO THE WEEK OF PRAYER
Every year Christians of many traditions set aside a week to pray for the unity of the church, as Jesus prayed “that they may all be one” (John 17:21). The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been kept since 1908. For the National Dialogue for Christian Unity, it is the main time of year when we invite local churches to join in.
When we keep it
In the northern hemisphere the Week is usually kept from 18 to 25 January. In Aotearoa New Zealand, as in many southern hemisphere churches, we keep it between Ascension and Pentecost instead. The dates for the next few years are:
2027: Thursday 6 May to Sunday 16 May
2028: Thursday 25 May to Sunday 4 June
2029: Thursday 10 May to Sunday 20 May
2030: Thursday 30 May to Sunday 9 June
Each year’s theme
The prayers and worship material for each year are prepared by Christians in a different country and published jointly by the World Council of Churches and the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. The 2027 material comes from churches in Ireland, on the theme “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The 2028 material is being prepared in Cuba, on the theme “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37).
Ideas for taking part
The material is written to be adapted, so shape it to suit your community. Here are some ways to mark the Week with other churches near you:
A combined service with neighbouring churches one evening during the week
A shared meal or social gathering
Working together on something local, such as a beach clean or a community garden
Praying for each other’s churches in your Sunday services
A prayer relay, where a different congregation leads prayer for unity on each day of the week
Tell us what you’re planning
We would be glad to hear about observances around the country, and we can list them on our events page. Send us the details through our contact page.
Resources
Resources for 2027 from the World Council of Churches
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2027 on our events page