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St. Mark’s celebrating World Day of Prayer on March 3

March 2, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Marni Walsh

St. Mark’s Anglican Church will hold a special World Day of Prayer service on Friday, March 3rd, at 11am. Women in more than 170 countries and in 2,000 communities across Canada will gather to pray for, learn about and celebrate the women of the Philippines through World Day of Prayer (WDP.)

World Day of Prayer is a world wide movement of Christian women founded in the early part of the last century. Women of many traditions come together on the first Friday of March each year to observe a common day of prayer.

The 2017 WDP service is prepared by the women of the Philippines. Their committee says they “are enriched by the faith experience” and “share the burdens of other people by praying with them.”

St. Mark’s guest speaker for the event, Victoria Meneses who was born, raised and educated in the Philippines, will be speaking to this year’s World Day of Prayer Theme:  “Am I being unfair to you.”

Ms. Meneses, who moved to Canada in 1989, is an overseas Filipino worker. Because jobs are scarce and very poorly paid in the Philippines, many people obtain jobs outside of their country and send the money home to their families.  Now a Canadian Citizen, Ms. Meneses explained to church staff, that families are large in the Philippines and as a result, families are poor and disadvantaged.

The artwork for 2017, A Glimpse of the Philippine Situation tells the story of “God’s economic justice in contrast to the economy of the strong and the powerful,” says Artist Rowena “Apol” Laamana-Sta. Rosa. “God gave the Philippines abundant resources, both human and material. This is God’s display of economic justice in contrast to the economy where the strong and powerful take God’s resources for themselves,” says Rowena.

The WDP committee of the Philippines pose the questions: “What might Canadians learn from women of the Philippines, a country on the front lines of climate change, foreign mining and resources interests, a regional insurgency and social upheaval due to migration? How will we answer the question, Am I being unfair to you?”

An ecumenical service celebrating World Day of Prayer will be held at St. Marks Anglican Church at 5 First Avenue in Orangeville on Friday, March 3rd at 11am. There will be a display of some traditional items from the Philippines in the parish hall during lunch.  All are welcome.

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