by Mike Downey

Next Friday, 2nd March over 3 million people worldwide will be praying and worshipping together during an annual day of prayer, using a form of service prepared by Christian women in Malaysia.

This year's Women's World Day of Prayer will focus on the theme 'Let Justice Prevail', and will draw on many of the issues and concerns faced by women, not only in Malaysia but around the world.

St John the Baptist Church in Burscough will be hosting a special service on Friday 2nd March at 7:30pm, following the Malaysian service format. It will be a joint service with Burscough Methodist and St John’s Catholic churches, and will also have some added flavours of the Far East provided.

The young people will be creating origami flowers and butterflies to hand out, there will be traditional Malaysian dancing and music, and even some authentic Malaysian nibbles to try afterwards.

Minister Eileen Heaney, who will be leading the service, explained: "Although organised and led by women, this is essentially a day of prayer for everybody, demonstrating our solidarity with our sisters and brothers in other countries, and all are welcome to attend.

"It will be a great occasion for the churches of Burscough to come together in worship, and pray for others around the world who do not have the freedoms that we enjoy."

Jean Hackett, president of the National Committee of the Women’s World Day of Prayer movement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland added: "This is always an exciting day as a great wave of prayer sweeps the world, beginning when the first service is held in the Queen Salote Girls School in Tonga and continuing around the world until the final service takes place 35 hours later, in neighbouring Western Samoa.

"By then the day will have been celebrated in over 170 countries and more than 6,000 services will have been held in the British Isles alone.’

Further information and resources can be found on the WWDP website at www.wwdp-natcomm.org