World Day of Prayer service to be held Friday

Christians in more than 170 countries around the world will gather on Friday, March 5, in observance of World Day of Prayer.

In the Lehighton/Weissport area, a service will be held at Jacob's United Church of Christ, 138 Franklin St., Weissport, beginning at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by LIFE (Lehighton Interfaith Fellowship).

World Day of Prayer service began in 1887 by Presbyterian laywoman Mary Ellen James, to bring together international women from a myriad of backgrounds, cultures, and Christian traditions for prayer and prayerful actions.

Since 1941, Church Women United, a grassroots ecumenical movement of Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian women, have sponsored World Day of Prayer in the United States. Each year a different country writes the service.

This year, the Christian women of Cameroon wrote the service focusing on the theme "Let Everything That Has Breath Praise God."

Participating in the service from the host church are Sylvia Storm and Eunice Hearn, the organist. Other participants include: Mary Fay Levendusky, All Saints Episcopal Church; Shirley Stamm, First Presbyterian Church; Jenny Keiper and Joan Mertz, Grace Lutheran Church; Emma Weaver and Johnna Weaver, Grace/Zion Lutheran Church; Rose Marie Austin and Jeanette Slaw, SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church; Josephine Rhyder, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church; and Janet Alger, Zion United Church of Christ.

Everyone is invited to join in prayer, which begins at sunrise on March 5 and continues around the world until sunset.

Refreshments and fellowship will be available following the service.