Category: Week of Prayer 2026

Welcome to day 8 of our reflections in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Today’s reader is Naomi Dornan. Please watch each video, and reflect when we hear music. There are points to ponder and questions/go and do actions at the end.

Growing into Christ

Verse for the Day

‘The gifts he gave were … for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ’ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Scripture Passages

Proverbs 9:10

Psalm 119:97-103

Mark 12:28–34a

Prayer

May I rise with You, Light of the World,

called to bring grace and mercy.

May I journey in the wake of Your Spirit,

called towards righteousness and peace.

May I rest with the hope of good things

in the places of Your creation that You, O God, call me to bring healing.

May we all, with courage and joy,

work faithfully for the coming of Your kingdom.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Now and always and unto the ages of ages.

Amen.

Questions

• Personal: Where have you experienced ‘stretching’ as you strive for the full stature of Christ? Reflect on what you learned.
• Local: Who do we need to stretch us a bit more in our loving and serving in our local context?
• Global: Who do we need to journey with to stretch us in our loving and serving in a national and global context?

Go and Do

(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)

Global: Find something culturally distant and uncomfortable for you and engage and learn from it.

Personal: Reflect on where you are afraid to go. Have a conversation with someone you trust about discipleship opportunities that feel challenging.

Local: Find a group or local activity that stretches your faith and service, and learn a bit more by engaging with them.

Welcome to day 7 of our reflections in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Today’s reader is Riris Ainsley. Please watch each video, and reflect when we hear music. There are points to ponder and questions/go and do actions at the end.

Christ’s gift

Verse for the Day

‘But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift’ (Ephesians 4:7).

Scripture Passages

Luke 4:17-19

Jeremiah1:4-9

Psalm 131

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,

You have bestowed wonderful graces and multiple gifts upon us

for the sake of building up Your Body, the Church.

Help us to embrace and recognise our individuality,

so that we may be caught up in the childlike wonder of Your diverse making and creating.

Breathe in us with Your creative Spirit,

that we may respond and spread Your word, Your dream, Your grace and Your beauty,

to every place that we can reach,

as we play and pray in Your name.

Amen.

Questions

• Personal: What are Christ’s gifts to you?
• Local: Where do you recognise the richness of God’s Dream/Kingdom expressed in diverse ways in your local context?
• Global: How can we as the Church live out the ideals of diversity, inclusion and equality – in ways that uphold them in this time?

Go and Do

(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)

Global: Where do you notice examples of exclusion and weaponising of difference in society? Explore Christian Aid or CAFOD stories from around the world and try some of their suggestions about engagement.

Personal: Speak to some people you trust about what gifts they recognise in you and explore how you might invest in them and use them for God.

Local: Seek out projects in your area that are good examples of diverse groups coming together, and volunteer.

Welcome to day 6 of our reflections in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Today’s reader is Zandra Swan. Please watch each video, and reflect when we hear music. There are points to ponder and questions/go and do actions at the end.

One God over all

Verse for the Day

‘One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all’ (Ephesians 4:6)

Scripture Passages

Matthew 5:44-48

1 Kings 8:56-60

Psalm 148:7-13

Prayer

Loving God, we worship You as our Creator,

for Your presence in the heavens beyond words

and Your presence on earth beyond understanding.

Through Your Son Jesus Christ we yield to Your tender care

as the beginning and fulfilment of everything.

Help us to fulfil Your will in our lives.

Glory for ever to You,

God our Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Questions

• Personal: How do we understand God as a loving presence in our lives?
• Local: Who can we honour in our community with kindness and love?
• Global: How do we recognise God’s loving presence in the world?

Go and Do

(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)

Global: Take a world map and find time to pray with others over the entire world for seven days.

Personal: Explore ways to express the love of God to a neighbour.

Local: Explore ways to honour the Body of Christ of which we are a part.

Welcome to our 5th day of reflections in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Today’s reader is Alan Mathew. Please watch each video, and reflect when we hear music. There are points to ponder and questions/go and do actions at the end.

Verse for the Day

‘One Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Ephesians 4:5).

Scripture Passages

· Zechariah 14:6-9

· Psalm 100

· Matthew 28:16-20

Prayer

Spirit of God, and true God,

who descended on the River Jordan and entered into the upper room;

who enlightened us by the baptism of the water of life,

we have sinned against heaven and before You.

Purify us again with Your divine fire,

as You did the Apostles with fiery tongues.

Have mercy on us and all Your creatures.

Amen.

Questions

• Personal: What does reflecting on your own baptism or Christian initiation mean for you today?
• Local: How does your church community celebrate the unity of all creation within a local context?
• Global: Given the diverse understanding of baptism among Christians, how can this sacrament still be an expression of unity?

Go and Do

(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)

with creation.

Personal: Keep a journal for a week (or for seven days spread out over a period of time), reflecting each day on the meaning of your baptism or Christian initiation

Local: Discuss what collaborative initiatives the churches in your community could undertake to celebrate your shared faith in Jesus Christ.

Global: Organise an event celebrating the global unity of the churches with creation.