At the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity the Co–Chairs of the Irish Inter–Church Meeting encouraged member churches to use this global initiative as an opportunity to come together in reflection, prayer and fellowship:

“The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which traditionally begins today 18th January, is an important opportunity for shared reflection which reminds us of our connection to our fellow Christians near and far, and encourages us to pray together for issues that are of shared concern. This year’s material has been prepared by the churches of the Caribbean, a region that has suffered some of the worst effects of global inequalities, injustice and human rights abuses. The issues addressed in the resources include human trafficking and modern–day slavery, forms of injustice which are sadly familiar to many people in our churches who have been working to raise awareness of these terrible crimes on the island of Ireland, and provide support to victims. This year’s theme includes strong messages about human dignity and overcoming violence, as well as a powerful call to reconciliation ‘that all may be free’. Our member churches are already involved in many different types of shared initiative to show care for and solidarity with the most vulnerable, those who are marginalised or victims of injustice. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity encourages us to support that work through prayer and reflection, inspiring us to go further and do more throughout the rest of the year.”

Resources are available from CTBI at ctbi.org.uk/resources–for–week–of–prayer–for–christian–unity–2018/