Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Guide to WCC Common Vision document published

Posted on: January 21st, 2014 by CEP Administrator No Comments

By Anglican Journal staff / Anglican Journal News, January 21, 2014

http://cep.anglican.ca/tag/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/

The Rev. Canon John Gibault, director of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, (left) helped produce the WCC’s The Church: Toward a Common Vision document. The Rev. Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan, director of Unity, Faith and Order for the Anglican Communion, (right) oversaw the production of the study guide. Both are priests in the Anglican Church of Canada. Photo: Bruce Myers 

     Aptly released for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Anglican Communion Office has produced a study guide to the World Council of Churches (WCC) document The Church: Towards a Common Vision, the result of 20 years of study and dialogue among the council’s member churches, who represent most of the world’s churches.

     The WCC published Towards a Common Vision in March 2013 and asked its members to study it and comment on it. According to the WCC’s introduction, the document asks and offers answers to the questions “What can we say together about the Church of the Triune God in order to grow in communion, to struggle together for justice and peace in the world, and to overcome together our past and present divisions?”  It begins by addressing “the Church’s mission, unity, and its being in the Trinitarian life of God” and then looks at ecumenical “growth in communion — in apostolic faith, sacramental life, and ministry — as churches called to live in and for the world.”

     The Anglican Consultative Council, which met in New Zealand in 2012, commended the document to all the churches of the Anglican Communion.

     In Canada, a resolution of the General Synod, which met in Ottawa in July 2013, received the document and also commended it for study. In a message for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, described Towards a Common Vision as “an extraordinary ecumenical achievement setting out an ecclesiology in which the church, serves the divine plan for the transformation of the world.”

     Announcing the release of the study guide, the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity Faith and Order wrote that its members hoped the guide would help “stimulate discussion about The Church (the text) — and about the Church (as we seek to follow Christ together) — among Anglicans and between Anglicans and their ecumenical partners.”

     The full text of The Church: Toward a Common Vision is available for download from the WCC.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Jan.18-25

cf. www.anglican.ca

ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA

cf. - http://giopski.hubpages.com/hub/WEEK-OF-PRAYER-FOR-CHRISTIAN-UNITY

January 09, 2013 -

Canadian Anglicans will mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18 to 25, in many ways: joining other Christians for special ecumenical services, cooperative mission or evangelism work, and pulpit swaps.

Liturgical materials is available, jointly prepared by the Vatican and the World Council of Churches, this year under the guidance of a delegation from India.

Stated in 1908, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is one of the oldest ecumenical activities.  It predates the 1948 creation of the World Council of Churches and all the Anglican Church of Canada's bilateral dialogues.

The Anglican Church of Canada engages in dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church and ecumenical councils and has re-engaged the United Church of Canada.  Its work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada remains exemplary.

Since 2001, the two denominations have enjoyed a full communion relationship that includes exchanges of clergy and mutual recognition of baptismal vows.  They will hold their first joint national assembly in Ottawa, July 3 to 7, 2013.

• Week of Prayer resources are available from the Canadian Council of Churches
• Week of Prayer resources (including versions in Spanish and German) are also available from the World Council of Churches
  
• Learn more about our church's ecumenical relationships

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Day 8



 cf. Google Images

     DAY 8 Theme: United in the Reign of Christ. Readings: 1 CHronicles 29: 10-13 It is your hand to make great and to give strength to all. Psalm 21: 1-7 You set a crown of fine gold on his head. Revelation 3: 19b-22 To the one who conquers I will give a place with Me on My throne. John 12: 23-26 Whoever serves me the Father will honour.

     Prayer: Almighty God, Ruler of All, teach us to contemplate the mystery of Your glory. Grant that we may accept Your gifts with humility and respect each person's dignity. May Your Holy Spirit strengthen us for the spiritual battles which lie ahead, so that united in Christ we may reign with Him in glory. Grant this through him who humbled himself and was exhalted, who lives with You and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

     Questions for reflection: 1. In what ways do false humility and a desire for earthly glory manifest themselves in our lives? 2. How do we express together our faith in the Reign of Christ? 3. How do we live out our hope in the coming Kingdom of God?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Day 7

cf. Google Images.

     DAY 7 Theme: Changed by the Good Shepherd. Readings: 1 Samuel 2: 1-10 Not by might does one prevail. Psalm 23 You are there with your rod and staff. Ephesians 6: 10-20 Be strong in the Lord. John 21: 15-19 Feed my sheep. 

     Prayer: Father of all, You call us to be one flock on Your Son Jesus Christ. He is our Good Shpeherd who invites us to lie down in green pastures, leads us beside still waters, and restores our souls. In following him, may we so care for others that all see in us the love of the one true Shpherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

     Questions for reflection: 1. How does the Good Shepherd inspire us to comfort, revive, and restore the confidence of those who are lost? 2. In what ways can Christians of various traditions strengthen each other in confessing and bearing witness to Jesus Christ? 3. For us today, what can be the meaning of St. Paul's exhortation: "Be strong in the Lord...put on the whole armour of God"?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Day 6

cf. Google Images



     DAY 6 Theme: Changed by God's steadfast Love. Readings: Habakkuk 3: 17-19 God, the Lord is my strength. Psalm 136: 1-4, 23-26 His steadfast love endures forever 1 John 5: 1-6 This is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. John 15: 9-17 No one has greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

     Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, by Your Resurrection You have triumphed over death, and have become the Lord of life. Out of love for us You have chosen us to be Your friends. May the Holy Spirit unite us to You and to one another in the bonds of friendship, that we may faithfully serve You in this world as witnesses to Your steadfast love; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

     Questions for reflection: 1. How should we express Christian love in contexts of different relgions and philosophies? 2. What must we do to become more credible witnesses of God's steadfast love in a divided world? 3. How can Christ's followers more visibly support one another throughout the world?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Day 5

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DAY 5 Theme: Changed by the peace of the Risen Lord. Readings: Malachi 4: 5-6 He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents. Psalm 133 How good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! Ephesians 2: 14-20 To reconcile both groups to God in one body, putting to death hostility. John 20: 19-23 Jesus stood among them and said: Peace be with you!

Prayer: Loving and merciful God, teach us the joy of sharing in Your peace. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we may tear down the walls of hostility separating us. May the risen Christ, who is our peace, help us to overcomeall division and unite us as members of His household. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, to whom with You and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

Questions for reflection: 1. What forms of violence in our community can we as Christians confront together? 2. How do we experience hidden hostilities that affect our relationship to each other as Christian communities? 3. How can we learn to welcome each other as Christ welcomes us?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Day 4



Photo cf. Google Images

     DAY 4 Theme: Changed by the Lord's victory over evil. Readings: Exodus 23: 1-9 Do not follow the majority in wrong doing. Psalm 1 Happy are those who delight in the law of the Lord. Romans 12: 17-2 Overcome evil with good. Matthew 4: 1-11 Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.

     Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for Your victory over evil and division. We praise You for Your sacrifice and Your resurrection that conquer death. Help us in our everyday struggle against all adversity. May the Holy Spirit give us strength and wisdom so that, following You, we may overcome evil with good, and division with reconciliation. Amen.

     Questions for reflection: 1. Where do we see evil on our own lives? 2. In what way can our faith in Christ help us to overcome evil and the Evil One? 3. What can we learn from situations in our community where division has given way to reconciliation?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Day 3

cf. Google Images

     DAY 3 Theme: Changed by the Suffering Servant. Readings: Isaiah 53: 3-11 The man of sorrows accustomed to suffering. Psalm 22:12-24 He did not despise the affliction of the afflicted. 1 Peter 2: 21-25 Christ suffered for us. Luke 24: 25-27 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things?

     Prayer: God of consolation, you have transformed the shame of the cross into a sign of victory. Grant that we may be united around the Cross of your Son to worship Him for the mercy offered through his suffering. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes and our hearts, so that we may help those who suffer to experience your closeness: You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

     Questions for reflection:   1. How can our faith help us in our response to long-lasting suffering? 2. What areas of human suffering are unoticed and belittled today?  3. How can Christians bear witness together to the power of the cross?

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan.18-25)

     Today begins the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan18-25).  There is a service to celebrate this event at St. Luke's O'Leary on Sunday Jan 22 at 3 pm and another at Gordon Memorial United Church Alberton on Sunday Jan 29 at 3 pm.  
     If you didn't get a copy of the Biblical reflections and prayers for the eight days of the Week of Prayer here are the readings, prayers and questions for reflection. I hope you will have time to enjoy reflecting on the readings and questions or if time is short just pray the prayer for each day. (Daily commentaries not included due to length).  - cf. an email from Janet

cf. Google Images

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity:

     DAY 1 Theme: Changed by the servant Christ.  Readings: Zechariah 9: 9-10 A king righteous and victorious-and humble. Psalm 131 My heart is not proud. Romans 12: 3-8 We have different gifts with which to serve. Mark 10: 42-45 The Son of Man came to serve. Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, by travelling the road of service your Son leads us from the arrogance of our disobedience to humility of heart. Unite us to one another by your Holy Spirit so that through service to our sisres and brothers, Your true countenance may be revealed; You, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.     
     Questions for reflection: 1. What opportunities for service are most threatened by pride and arrogance? 2. What should be done to ensure that all Christian ministries are better experienced as service? 3. In our community, what can Christians of different traditions do better together than in isolation to reveal the Servant Christ?