The theme 'United Under God's Tent' has been chosen for the World Day of Prayer

Imagine a world where at the beginning of the day women gather together in prayer. The prayer continues throughout the day, throughout the world -- resulting in a daylong continuous chain of prayer.

It has happened every year for the past 66 years when Church Women United gather for World Day of Prayer. World Day of Prayer itself began in 1887.

Locally, two ecumenical CWU groups will pray together March 2 using the international theme "United Under God's Tent."

Each year CWU organizes its World Day of Prayer around a specific theme prepared by Christian women from a selected country; this year's organizing country is Paraguay.

"Each country brings their particular perspective of concern for us to share, and the offerings are used to provide grants to meet some of the needs identified," said Jonell McNeely, who helps organize the effort in Jackson.

The Paraguayan committee chose the theme "United Under God's Tent" and uses as its symbol the nanduti, a lace handcraft based on a woven floral pattern connected by a single thread to represent that unity within diversity.

A tablecloth similar to the nanduti will be incorporated into the ceremony at Jackson, representing the idea of a tent which can change into a cloak, which McNeely said is based on Scripture.

"In some languages," she said, the words "cloak and tent are interchangeable. One of the laws was if you take someone's cloak as a security for debt, if he is a poor man you have to give it back at night so he has something to sleep under."

"'Under God's Tent' is also God's promise to us, and a call to worship to pray together for people in need all over the world," added Joyce King, who is helping organize the event in Cape Girardeau. "For Abraham and Sarah, God was like a tent, protecting them in their call."

In Cape Girardeau, Carolyn Fiedler, who taught English and music for a year as a missionary to Paraguay, will speak about her experiences.

In Jackson, participants will deliver a skit about Paraguay and the problems faced by the women there, McNeely said.

At both services and throughout the world, women will speak for six voices of Paraguayan women -- including a student, farm woman, professional woman, and others. As they speak, a segment of the nanduti will unfold until the entire "tent" is revealed.

Throughout the programs, prayers will be offered, responsive readings and songs will be featured, and an offering will be taken to help support grants and scholarships in Paraguay. A report will be given telling how the money was used last year in South Africa, McNeely said.

In Cape Girardeau women from United Methodist, Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, General Baptist, Presbyterian, Church of God in Christ, Catholic, Salvation Army, AME, Evangelical Lutheran and Church of God will pray together. In Jackson, the churches represented are Baptist, General Baptist, Catholic, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Church of God in Christ and Presbyterian.

The public is welcome at both services.

"It's amazing the things one learns in these programs," McNeely said.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

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