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THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
JANUARY 18–25, 2015

PREPARATION: Questions for Reflection on the Themes of the Eight Days

2014 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we are invited to enter more deeply into our faith and to reflect upon the experience of Jesus as he meets the Samaritan woman at the well. The biblical readings, commentaries, prayers and questions for reflection, all explore different aspects of what this means for the lives of Christians and their unity with one another, in and for today’s world. These questions are provided as further opportunities to reflect upon the daily themes.

Day 1, It is necessary to go through Samaria (John 4:4)

  • What does it mean for me and for my community of faith "to have to go through Samaria?”
  • What are the steps that my church has made to meet other churches and what have the churches learnt from each other?

Day 2, Tired of the journey, Jesus sat down facing the well (John 4:6)

  • What are the main reasons for competition among our churches?
  • Are we able to identify a common “well” upon which we can lean, and rest from our disputes and competitions ?

Day 3, “I have no husband” (John 4:17)

  • What are the sinful structures that we can identify in our own communities?
  • What is the place and the role of women in our churches?
  • What can our churches do to prevent violence and to overcome violence directed against women and girls?

Day 4, Then the woman left her water jar (John 4:28)

  • Meeting Jesus demands that we leave behind our water jars, what are those water jars for us?
  • What are the main difficulties that prevent us from doing so?         

Day 5, You have no bucket and the well is deep (John 4:11)

  • Do you remember situations in which your church has helped another church or has been helped by another church?
  • Are there reservations from the part of your church to accept help from another church? How can these reservations be overcome?

Day 6, Jesus said : The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14)

  • How do you interpret Jesus’ words that through him we may become “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4.14)?
  • Where do you see Christian people being springs of living water for you and for others?
  • Which are the situations in public life to which the churches should speak with a single voice in order to be springs of living water?

Day 7,  Give me to drink (John 4:7,15)

  • How has your understanding and experience of God been enriched by the encounter with other Christians?
  • What can Christian communities learn from indigenous wisdom and other religious traditions in your region?

Day 8, Many believed because of the woman’s testimony

  • What is the relationship between unity and mission?
  • Do you know people in your community whose life story is a witness to unity?