Christian Unity Week 2025
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
18th -25th January 2025
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has a history of over 100 years, in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity.
It is traditionally observed from the 18th to the 25th January – the octave of St. Peter and St. Paul.
The theme for this year is "Do you believe this?"
As we celebrate 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea, the worship service has at its heart, the Nicene Creed. Reflecting this, the scripture readings for this year focus on belief.
We are invited to reflect on the story of Martha’s confession of faith in Jesus as narrated in John 11:17-27. Each is called to sit with Jesus’ provocative question to Martha: “Do you believe this?”
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
2025 Services - CHELMSFORD
Sun 19 Jan 19:00
Central Baptist Church, Victoria Road South, CM1 1LN
Tue 21 Jan 09:30
St. Andrew's Church, The Green, CM2 7RQ
Tue 21 Jan 19:30
Life Church Chelmsford, Hall Street, CM2 0HG
Wed 22 Jan 10:00
All Saints, Springfield Green, CM1 7HS
Wed 22 Jan 17:15
Chelmsford Cathedral, CM1 1TY
Thu 23 Jan 14:00
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Rainsford Road, CM1 2QL
Fri 24 Jan 20:00
Chelmsford Community Church, Trent Road, CM1 2LQ
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus Christ, may our eyes not look away, but be wide open to the world around us.
As we travel through life, may we stop and reach out, bind up the wounded and in so doing experience your presence in them.
Give us a renewed commitment to journey with you towards unity.
Amen