[WDP is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women
who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice.]
All God’s Creation is Very Good!
Program written by the
World Day of Prayer Committee of Suriname for WDP 2018
Genesis 1:1-31
A heri grontapu di Gado meki bun doro, dóro!
As in the beginning, God created from chaos. But everything that was created found its place in creation. All were related to each other – the earth with the light, the waters with the sky, the tree seeds with the living creatures, and the humankind with God. None could exist without the other, and the source of all was God.
There was goodness in that integrated system of relationships. But essential to that was the commitment to care. And we know that we are failing!
Women from Suriname lift up their voices to remind us that we are caretakers of God’s creation! They are bringing to our attention the urgent need for caring at a time when more than 180 countries have signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. A commitment to keep the earth cooler depends on public policies implemented by governments, but also on our personal lifestyle.
As one of our Guiding Principles affirms “prayer is rooted in listening to God and to one another.” Through the worship service, we listen to the multicultural and multi-ethnic people of Suriname. They take us to their communities and through their concerns. History is before our eyes! The flora and fauna are remarkable! The everyday life is weaved into the prayers.
How good is God’s creation? That is the question to meditate and respond to with a personal commitment to care for creation. But it can also be an opportunity for the WDP motto “Informed prayer and prayerful action” to be affirmed in the community. What is it that we, as the WDP movement, can do to keep God’s creation good?
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This next program was written by women in Slovenia, one of the smallest countries in Europe and among the most recent groups to form and participate. At the heart of their theme, an invitation – saying everything is ready allowing us to set the table and fill our communities with hope, love, and joy, so please come to give praise, thanks, and uphold the kingdom of love.
Stories proliferate throughout the worship service of those who are coming to the table of bread, wine, water, and salt. Their stories reflect the political and economic situation from the time Slovenia was a socialist-communist state to today. Heartfelt stories which are the voices of the refugee and migrant workers, the mothers, the grandmothers, the wives, and the Roma people. Yet while listening to those stories, the women of Slovenia ask for forgiveness for their silence in the face of injustice, and they pray that God will open our hearts to compassion and understanding. They conclude with a blessing prayer to mutually support one another on the path of freedom, justice, and peace. In other words we must all at the very least speak out, as a first basic action and not just in writing. The illustration that accompanies the message is below under the banner heading:-
Come – Everything is Ready
Program written by the
World Day of Prayer Committee of Slovenia for WDP 2019
Luke 14:15-24
