By Steve Tunstall: secretary of Keighley Churches Together - Throughout the 20th century, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has become an integral part of the ecumenical movement. Christians from all around the world have found inspiration to pray together and work together for the unity of the church and of humankind.

It has been a century of great conflicts and suffering, but also of enormous hope and progress. For people have moved from separation and alienation into a realisation of the one humanity to which we all belong, and Christians have recognised the common faith which underlies all our differences.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2000 (18-25 January inclusive) is an opportunity to look back, to look forward and to be grasped again with a sense of God's "plan" and "purpose" behind it all.

A group from the Middle East Council of Churches has prepared the material to be used by the whole world, based on Ephesians 3 vv 3-14. This is an amazing hymn of praise setting out God's plan from the beginning of time, until all things are summed up in Christ. The theme is "Bless'ed be God who has blessed us in Christ". He has invited us to be part of that plan.

Do we believe it? What are the implications if we do?

Services to celebrate "The Week" will be held in churches as below on the seven week-nights involved, beginning at 7pm and lasting for 30-40 minutes, followed by refreshments.

Tuesday (Jan 18) - Airedale Church, Churchill House, North Street

Wednesday (Jan 19) - Church of the Nazarene, Oakworth Road

Thursday (Jan 20) - Our Lady of Victories RC Church, West Lane

Friday (Jan 21) - St Mark's Church, Greenhead Road, Utley

Saturday January 22 - St Barnabas Church, Thwaites Brow

Monday January 24 - Salvation Army Citadel, High Street

Tuesday January 25 - Keighley Shared Parish Church, Church Green.

It is time to take stock. It can give us a sense of joy at all that has been achieved, and also an opportunity for a searching look at both the present and the future.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.