Bahamian call to worship World Day of Prayer 2015

February 18, 2015 · 0 Comments

The women of the Bahamas celebrate their faith, culture and islands as they lead women across the world in World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 6th. The Shelburne and area service will take place at Dufferin Oaks in Shelburne at 2pm.
World Day of prayer originated in Canada and the United States in 1920 and became an international World day of Prayer in 1922 when Christians around the globe began to celebrate the occasion annually on the first Friday of every March. The occasion was created as an opportunity for Christian women to take leadership roles in their community, but the service is open to people of all faiths. Over 170 countries participate in this day, organized by the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada, which unites people in issues of injustice and disparity everywhere.
As the sponsoring country for the 2015 World Day of Prayer, the women of the Bahamas have implemented a theme of “radical love” into their service based on John 13 verses 1-17. The focus is on Christ’s radical love for his disciples and the people of the world, where Christ places himself in the role of “the servant of servants.” The Bahamian leaders ask the listeners: “What are some services you can perform in your community that might be perceived as true radical love?”
The Bahamas are comprised of over 700 islands in the Atlantic Ocean between Florida and Cuba. Only 23 of the seashell strewn islands are inhabited and the images of sand and sunshine are inviting in the wind chilled days of Canadian winter. However, this family of islands with the beautiful pink flamingo as their national bird – symbolic of their numerous blessings, does face many social and ecological challenges, including systemic issues rooted in a long history of slavery.
A portion of offerings received at each World Day of Prayer Service go to local and global projects in need. Money has gone to workshops on women’s rights and funding has been provided for women with disabilities and victims of abuse. Many area churches participate in the planning and presentation of the worship service including Bethel Bible Chapel, Trinity United Church, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, Grace Church of the Nazarene, Crossroads Church, and Abiding Place Ministries.
Shelburne will be one of more than 2000 communities across Canada to share in World Day of Prayer. The motto is “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action” promoting the belief that prayer and action are indivisible and that both hold infinite possibilities for a better world. Those wishing to attend the service at Dufferin Oaks on March 6th at 2 p.m. should enter through door C.

By Marni Walsh