INTRODUCTION TO THE THEME
Click here to download a PDF version of the Introduction to the Theme.
“Has Christ been divided?”
I greet you my sisters and brothers in Christ! I welcome you to the materials and reality of the Week of Prayer for 2014! For over one hundred years Christians have been gathering together in the prayer and joint witness to action that has become the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
For nearly 70 years The Canadian Council of
Churches has been witnessing to ecumenism, to
God’s unity in diversity in Canada and today, with 25
member denominations representing over 85% of the
Christians in Canada, is the most inclusive church
council in the world.
For over 40 of those years, the CCC, through
its Commission on Faith and Witness, has taken
the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity materials
developed by the World Council of Churches and
the Pontifical Council of Promoting Christian Unity,
adapted them for a Canadian context and created
additional materials.
This is a very unique year!
For just the third time in 100 years the Week of
Prayer materials focus on Canada!
Our sisters and brothers in Christ all around the
world will be praying together in words and through
a context that originated here. The Canadian
regional ecumenical centers, the Prairie Centre for
Ecumenism and the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism
have taken the lead in writing the materials which
will be used in countries throughout the globe. The
Canadian Council of Churches will be promoting
these materials, will be encouraging Canadian
Christians to pray from sea to sea to sea.
The apostle Paul puts before us all this year the difficult
question of I Corinthians 1:13, ‘Has Christ Been
Divided?’ Paul is speaking rhetorically, challenging the
early church in Corinth and very much challenging us
about the divisions in the Body of Christ.
This is a very unique year!
The Church around the world will be praying in and
through the words and context of our country.
The Church around the world will be challenged by
Paul’s words about the divisions in our midst.
Be a part of the praying, be open to the challenge,
and be with your sisters and brothers of the whole
Body of Christ.
Many Christians choose to celebrate the Week of
Prayer for Christian Unity between January 18 and
25, beginning with the fest of Saint Peter and ending
with the fest of the conversion of Saint Paul. These
resources, however, can be used for all proclamations
of Christian unity, at any time of year.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton
General Secretary,
The Canadian Council of Churches
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