The initiatives called forth, strengthened and enhanced during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity can be sustained throughout the year. After the Week of Prayer activities and evaluation, a core of persons may be invited to continue as a task force to consider other occasions in the year when interchurch collaboration or ecumenical celebrations might be desirable. Here are some suggestions to help support the ecumenical impulse throughout 2007.

Throughout the Year

Working with the appropriate staff, create or expand the local public library’s religion section. Compile and circulate a bibliography or religious references for local congregations as a means of promoting religious studies and ecumenical awareness. Resources for Ecumenical and Interreligious Understanding. Encourage your public library to purchase these publications and subscribe to these periodicals.

Form a study group on the Church and World: The Unity of the Church and the Renewal of Human Community. This text helps bring the classic search for Christian unity into creative dialogue with evangelization. It conveys a broad, holistic vision of the ecumenical movement. A World Council of Churches Faith and Order document, Church and World may be ordered from:

WCC Distribution Center
International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
Tel 1-800-944-6190; Fax 503-280-8832
Email orders@is bs.com www.isbscatalog.com
Other books listed on this website under Resources for Ecumenical and Interreligious Understanding could also be used for common reading and discussion.

At another time of year you may want to consider extending your ecumenical endeavor into a wider area of interreligious understanding by exploring the world’s great religious traditions, particularly with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and others in your area. Among possible ways of pursuing this are: shared readings and experiences of one another’s faith stories, inviting members of other religions to speak at your congregation, organizing times when the prayers of each religion can be expressed at the same time and place for peace and interreligious understanding.

Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday
(February 4)
On a day when many people are football-focused, neighborhood churches participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring by inviting an offering of $1.00 from every person, the collection to be given to a local agency serving the poor. For information and materials contact:
Rev. Brad Smith,
PO Box 23224, Columbia, SC 29224
Tel 1-800-358-7687; 830-788-3589; Fax 803-788-9264.

Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week
(February 18-25)
This annual observance challenges our awareness of and involvement in the wider ecumenism of interfaith understanding. For information contact:
National Conference for Community and Justice
475 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016.
Tel 212-545-1300; Fax 212-545-8053.

Ash Wednesday
(February 21, Western Churches)
Neighborhood churches having a joint celebration of the word of God, including the blessing and imposition of ashes or another act of repentance, is a symbolic way to begin the season of Lent.

Lent
(February 21 - April 07, Western Churches;
February 19 -April 08, Eastern/Orthodox Churches)
A modern-day pilgrimage, inviting Christians to experience worship in a different church in their neighborhood on consecutive Sundays, encourages interest in Christian unity. Interest increases when visitors are publicly welcomed and given opportunity to talk informally with the host congregation. As a lenten pilgrimage, such services express an ecumenical dimension to the season’s prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

World Day of Prayer “United under God’s Tent”.
(March 02)
It was written by the women of Paraguay. World Day of Prayer (WDP) observed annually on the first Friday of March is celebrated in more than 170 countries and islands around the world. It is an opportunity to share – spiritually, educationally, and monetarily – in partnership with our global sisters in the creation of world peace with justice. The themes for each year are chosen by the World Day of Prayer International Committee. Women from a particular country write the worship service, which represents and addresses issues that women face in that region. The International Committee distributes the worship service worldwide. The WDPUSA Committee edits and adapts the materials for use in the United States and Puerto Rico. The CWU National President, Treasurer, Celebrations Committee Chair, and three other CWU members serve on the USA Committee, along with six denominational leaders. The WDP Executive, Elizabeth Calvin directs the production and promotion. The offering is sent to WDPUSA for supporting the National and International mission.  For additional information contact:
Church Women United (the US committee for the World Day of Prayer).
475 Riverside Drive, Room 729
New York, NY 10115.
Tel 212-870-3049. Fax 212-864-8648.
Email wdpic@worlddayofprayer.net 
Email cwu@churchwomen.org  

The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of Aids
(March 04-10)
The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of Aids is a national call to religious leaders and to the African American community at-large to involve and educate our churches by providing prevention facts about HIV/AIDS and by encouraging compassion for people infected and affected by the disease. (traditionally the first full week of March starting Sunday ending Saturday) For additional information contact:
The Balm In Gilead, Inc.
130 West 42 Street
New York, NY 10036.
1-888-225-6243 Tel 212-730-7381; Fax 212-730-2551.
Email info@balmingilead.org  www.balmingilead.org

Palm Sunday
(April 01, Western Churches;
April 01, Eastern/Orthodox Churches)
An Ecumenical Palm Sunday celebration, now a custom in many communities, enables members of an area’s churches to get together in parks, playgrounds, squares and shopping center parking lots to hear God’s word, receive blessed palm branches and participate in a procession which can lead to continuing the liturgy of the day in their respective traditions.

Good Friday
(April 06, Western Churches;
April 06, Eastern/Orthodox Churches)
The stations of the cross becomes a touching, contemporary experience when Christians of various denominations visit and pray together at fourteen sites in the community which stand in need of God’s healing. If distance, weather or other factors do not encourage an outdoor celebration, audio-visuals such as dance, drama, film, slides, videotapes, etc., make creative expressions of stational movement indoors.

Easter Sunday
(April 08, Western Churches;
April 08, Eastern/Orthodox Churches)
A sunrise service of the celebration of the word of God or the liturgy of the hours gives the Easter liturgy its ecumenical dimension when shared by neighborhood churches. This can be followed by a simple fellowship of sharing traditional Easter foods which highlight the cultural aspects of interchurch activity.

May Friendship Day “ Friends Under God’s Wing”
(May 04)
It was written by Pauline Robertson of Texas and Joan Brown of Ohio.  May Friendship Day (MFD) is celebrated on or near the first Friday in May and acts as a catalyst for building healing relationships within the local community. The day of the service may vary to meet the needs of women in a variety of situations. The themes, chosen by the Ecumenical celebrations Committee, seek to relate WDP themes to local concerns. Because MFD focuses on local concerns, units often use it to reach out to women in their communities. A meal is recommended as a way of providing opportunities for sharing, networking, and community building in addition to worship and study. The offering remains with the Local Unit, with a portion sent to the sate Unit for support.  For information about its observance contact:
Church Women United
475 Riverside Drive, Room 1626
New York, NY 10115.
1-800-CWU (298) - 5551 Tel 212-870-2347. Fax 212-870-2338.
Contact person for yearly events: Ms. Marilyn Lariviere Email mlariv@comcast.net   www.churchwomen.org

Pentecost Sunday
(May 27, Western Churches;
May 27, Eastern/Orthodox Churches)
A festival of music, at which choirs, soloists and musicians from various churches “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”, is a timely way to celebrate this feast of the church ecumenically. Summer Laying aside formal programs, summer events such as vacation Bible schools, picnics, food festivals, flea markets and fairs are ideal examples of seasonal interchurch activities.

Peace With Justice Week
(October 16-24)
Commonly celebrated in October, this annual celebration can be anytime. The current theme “Building a Culture of Peace with Justice” provides opportunity to support the United Nations Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, adopt the Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century, join the call of the WCC to participate in the Decade to Overcome Violence, (2001-2010) and explore Pillars of Peace, the NCC policy statement on the UN. The Peace and Justice Week network has grown through the intentional strengthening of ties between national office and local groups and through linking local groups with each other. For information and the PWJW organizer’s flyer full of action ideas and resources for congregations, ecumenical and community groups, concerned individuals and families, contact: Peace with Justice Week
475 Riverside Drive, Room 700
New York, NY 10015.
Tel 212-870-2377; Fax 212-870-2055.
Email pwjw@ncccusa.org   www.ncccusa.org

World Community Day “Embracing Justice Under God’s Tent:”
(November 01)
It was written by Rev Kristina Peterson of Louisiana and Kathleen Clark of Iowa invites us to look at issues of immigration and disaster relief with the theme, “Embracing Justice Under God’s Tent”. World Community Day (WCD) is celebrated on or near the first Friday in November, and focuses on justice and peace in the global society. Themes are chosen by the Ecumenical Celebrations Committee and seek to relate the WDP themes to issues of justice and peace in the United States. Since 2004, every other year is written as a service appropriate for Interfaith participation, providing the opportunity to reach out to our Jewish, Muslim, and other sisters. This is also a time when many units choose to engage in in-depth study of global issues related to the theme. The offering is sent to the national office of CWU for support of the movement.  For information about its observance contact:
Church Women United
475 Riverside Drive, Room 1626
New York, NY 10115.
1-800-CWU(298)-5551; Tel 212-870-2347; Fax 212-870-2338.
Contact person for yearly events: Ms. Marilyn Lariviere Email mlariv@comcast.net
www.churchwomen.org

Thanksgiving
(November 22)
The day on which our nation gives thanks offers a natural opportunity for ecumenical worship in praise and gratitude to God for the many gifts given us. Interchurch services on the eve of Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving morning may express our common faith and faithfulness when prayer and collecting offerings of food, clothing or money are done together.

Advent
(December 02-23)
For each week of Advent one passage of scripture can be the focus of a gathering of Christians from different traditions. The Bible study can be hosted in a different congregation each week. For information contact:
Liturgical Conference
P.O. Box 31
Evanston, IL 60204
1-800-354-1420, ext. 216
Email customerservice@taylorandfrancis.com   www.liturgicalconference.org

Watch Night
(December 31)
A number of Christian traditions have the practice of a New Year’s Eve vigil of reflection, music and prayer as an alternative observance held as midnight approaches or earlier in the evening. This could be a celebration planned and offered ecumenically.