Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - 1 to 8 June 2025
Theme: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26).
For the year 2025, the prayers and reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity were prepared by the brothers and sisters of the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy. The resources for worship and reflection that have been prepared for this week mark the 1700 Anniversary of the of the Council of Nicaea, the first Ecumenical Council. The liturgy and prayers reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the Nicene Creed formulated during the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE; a faith that remains alive and fruitful in our days, 1700 years later.
With more than 100 years of history, this annual observance involves Christian communities throughout the world. Within Aotearoa we have a long history of ecumenical pilgrimage; most recently with forming the National Dialogue for Christian Unity; alongside Te Runanga Whakawhanaunga i ngā Hāhi o Aotearoa. We have done this so as to explore the significance of Jesus' prayer for unity and truth.
The search for Christian unity challenges us to move beyond what we can do within our own denominational and theological traditions, to a moving out, a journeying into unchartered territory where we are not alone, but experience the company of others on the same journey, with the Holy Spirit as our guide. We seek to deepen our relationship with each other in order to express more visibly the unity willed by Christ for his church. And so we work together towards the fulfilment of our common mission of worship, witness, proclamation and service in the world.
The week of prayer for Christian Unity, which in Aotearoa New Zealand falls between Ascension and Pentecost, provides an opportunity for working toward these aims. We are all encouraged to join with fellow Christians in common worship, particularly during this week. The attached internationally common service is provided to assist us.
Please consider organising a local observance, maybe through a combined service, or other shared activities and prayer:
- A combined ecumenical service of neighbouring churches held one evening during the week.
- A combined social event or meal
- A combined initiative for a local issue (such as a beach clean or community garden planting)
- Commit with local churches to incorporate a prayer within respective Sunday services; praying for each other’s churches, and praying for ecumenical unity.
- Commit to a prayer relay – where for each day during the week, a different church community commits to joining the prayer for Christian unity, for each other’s ministries, and the communities in your town/city/region are served.
Further information and resources are available from WCC:
https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity
or HERE
Rev Tony Franklin-Ross
Secretary for the National dialogue for Christian Unity