Mitchell’s Plain women added their voice to the Women’s World Day of Prayer (WWDP) at the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Rocklands, on Friday March 4.
This global tradition has been held annually on the first Friday of March since 1887. Each year a different nationality plans and sets up the programme for the prayer session, which is distributed in a booklet across the world.
It includes background of the country, greetings, well wishes, challenges the country may face and messages to keep the faith in God.
This year’s event, South Africa’s 92nd celebration of the day of prayer programme, was set out by Christian women from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Based on the theme “I Know the Plans I Have for You”, the scripture reading was from Jeremiah 29:1-14 to encourage women in prayer and action for peace and justice.
On arrival, the women were given sachets of seeds, symbolising sustenance, nourishment and the planting of an intention to have values blossom in their homes.
Lorraine Williams, the Mitchell’s Plain leader and former national vice-chairperson of WWDP, said: “These could be kindness, gentleness, love and togetherness and food which they would need to put on their families’ tables.”
The coming together of women from different Christian denominations is a global ecumenical movement, including 170 countries.
In between, the women also meet monthly at a different church in Mitchell’s Plain to pray and to give thanks. They are encouraged take along a loaf of bread for the needy.
On Tuesday April 5, at 10am, they will meet Mitchell’s Plain United Congregational church, in Park Avenue, Westridge.
