by Steve Tunstall, secretary of Keighley Churches Together

THE week of prayer for Christian Unity is held annually over the eight days, January 18-25 inclusive.

From its inception, the Week of Prayer has been an integral part of the ecumenical movement in which Christians from all around the world have found inspiration to pray together and continue to work for the unity of the church, 'that the world may believe'.

As we approach the beginning of the third millennium, this year's Prayer for Christian Unity invites Christians to look back in a spirit of repentance at the history of separation and mutual persecution during the past 1,000 years. At the same time the prayer week provides churches with the opportunity to express their thankfulness for what they have received from God, and for what has been achieved in the ecumenical movement.

The basic material for the week of prayer for 1999 was prepared by an ecumenical group brought together by the Council of Churches of Malaysia, the first time in the history of the prayer week that the basic material has come from an Asian country.

The ecumenical group chose as its biblical text, Revelation 21 vv1-7, which is a vision rich in liturgical images. The text invites Christians to look to the future with hope, provided by the inspiring vision of the holy city not made by human hands, but offered by God to Humanity as a gift and promise.

Special prayer services have been arranged for each of the seven weekday evenings as per the schedule below. The services will begin at 7pm and be of 30 minutes or so duration, followed by refreshments. Details should be in place on all church notice boards.

Monday 18, St Mark's Church, Utley; Tuesday 19, All Saint's Church, Highfield Lane; Wednesday 20, St Anne's RC Church, North Street; Thursday 21, The Salvation Army Citadel, High Street; Friday 22, St Barnabas Church, Thwaites Brow; Saturday 23, Long Lee Methodist Church; Monday 25, St Andrew's Shared Parish Church, Church Green.

The theme text is Revelation 21 v7: "I will be their God and they will be my children" and is designed to deepen links between Christians of different denominations and traditions and to awaken a thirst for unity. To this end, let's make full use of the prayer facility which the week provides, to get to know more about our church neighbours in Central Keighley as we share fellowship with them.

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