Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Among a series of recent ecumenical anniversaries--including the WCC's own 60th anniversary this year--is a significant milestone: 100 years of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, typically observed in mid-January.

The Central Committee took some time to honor that centennial in Wednesday afternoon's session with a pair of testimonies. Rev. Canon Dr. John Saint Helier Gibaut, new director of the WCC's Commission on Faith and Order, noted that "peace and unity can never be separated from one another", while Ms. Hae-Sun Jung of the Korean Methodist Church shared plans for the Week's 2009 observance.

Gibaut, a Canadian, said the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is the only contact many people in Canada have with the WCC. "It keeps the flame of the WCC alive in the hearts of people in my country", he said.