Our History
The origins of World Day of Prayer date back to the 19th century when Christian women in the USA and Canada initiated a variety of cooperative activities in support of women’s involvement in mission, at home and abroad. It is from such roots as these that WDP has taken its present shape –
a worldwide ecumenical movement of Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action.
Grace Forgan
How it started –
Activities centred around the following
Concern for women and children:
In spite of strong opposition from all-male mission boards, from 1861 onwards women founded numerous and effective women’s boards for foreign and home missions, whereby they could work directly with and for women and children
The role of prayer in mission work:
Since 1812 women had encouraged one another to engage in personal prayer and to lead communal prayer within their mission auxiliaries and associations. This emphasis on prayer led to annual days and weeks of prayers within individual denominations.
1887 – Presbyterian women called for a day of prayer for Home Missions and Methodist women called for a week of prayer and self-denial for foreign missions.
1891 – A Baptist day of prayer for foreign missions began.
1895 – A day of corporate intercessions for mission was initiated by the Women’s Auxiliary of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Women had a vision of Christian unity
By 1897 the women of six denominations formed a joint committee for a united day of prayer for home missions. In 1912 The Women’s Boards of Foreign Missions called for a united day of prayer for foreign missions.
Women organised effective and cooperative interdenominational structures
1908 – Women founded the Council of Women for Home Missions that took responsibility for joint work with immigrants and other social issues and for preparation of the joint day of prayer.
1910-1911 – Women celebrated 50 years of women’s missionary activity by organising a series of talks across the United Stated that provided a powerful experience of ecumenical cooperation, local and global networking, prayer and information sharing and biblical reflection.
Out of this experience many local interdenominational women’s groups were formed
Efforts for unity continued and in 1922 two separate united days of prayer, one in Canada and one in the United States, came together with a common date – the first Friday of Lent.
The circle of prayer reaches out to the world.
In the second half of 1926 the women of North America distributed the worship service to many countries and partners in mission – the first WDP was celebrated around the world in 1927.
The response worldwide was enthusiastic and World Day of Prayer came into being.
In 1930, Helen Kim of Korea was the first woman outside of the United States to write the order of worship for the World Day of Prayer.
Informed Prayer; Prayerful Action
From these roots our movement has taken its current shape, encouraging women to plan ecumenically for the Day of Prayer, promoting prayerful living and worship and helping raise awareness of the lives and concerns of others throughout the world, especially those who write the service.
World Day of Prayer in the British Isles
It was in 1928, at an international missionary conference in Jerusalem, that Scotswoman Grace Forgan first learned of the world day of prayer and brought the news to these islands. The first services were held:
1930 in Scotland
1932 in England
1933 in Wales
1934 in Ireland
1943 in Northern Ireland
1982 WDP EWNI Golden Jubilee
1887-1987 celebration service
The Second World War was a time of great growth, drawing women together in prayer and fellowship
In 1941 the WDP office in London was bombed and all property and records destroyed. There was no loss of life and minutes recovered from members enabled the bare bones of the first 9 years to be preserved. Often the planning committee in London met in an air-raid shelter but every year Orders of Service were produced and supplied to the rest of the country. This is now part of the work of the National Committee.
It was not until the reforms of the second Vatican Council that Roman Catholic women were able to take a full part in the day of prayer and in 1967 the day was celebrated at a special service in Westminster Cathedral, by invitation of Cardinal Heenan.
In 1969 the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations encouraged Roman Catholic women worldwide to participate in WDP and to make this possible WUCWO moved their own day of prayer from March to May.
Created in Ireland for the 1982 service: our WDP logo explained
2018 Highlights from Northern Ireland’s 75th anniversary service