Every year the worship service focuses on a different country and a specific theme. World Day of Prayer National/Regional Committees of that country prepare the order of worship on these themes to be used on the next World Day of Prayer.

On the first Friday of March, then, in services all over the world that country becomes the focus of prayer and understanding. Through preparation and participation in the worship service, women worldwide learn how their sisters of other countries, languages and cultures understand the biblical passages in their context. They learn of the concerns and needs of those women and to empathize and feel in solidarity with them.

Upcoming Worship Themes

Year Theme Writer Country
2020 Rise, Take your mat and Walk   Zimbabwe
2021 Build on a Strong Foundation   Vanuatu
2022 I Know The Plans I Have For You   England/Wales/Northern Ireland
2023 I Have Heard About Your Faith   Taiwan
2024 I Beg You – Bear With One Another in Love   Palestine
2025 I Made You Wonderful   Cook Islands
2026 I Will Give You Rest: Come   Nigeria

Previous Worship Themes

Year Theme Writer Country
1932 Hold Fast in Prayer India
1933 Follow Thou Me Republic of China
1934 Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem South Africa
1935 Bear Ye One Another’s Burdens Holland
1936 On Earth, Peace, Goodwill Toward Men Chile
1937 Son of the Living God Africa
1938 The Church – A World Fellowship New Zealand
1939 Let Us Put Our Love Into Deeds – and Make it Real United States of America
1940 In Quietness and in Confidence shall be Your Strength England
1941 Thy Kingdom Come Shanghai
1942 I Am The Way
French Refugees
 German Refugees
1943 That They all May Be One United States of America
1944 Bear Ye One Another’s Burdens Unknown
1945 The Church Universal
England
Wales
Northern Ireland
1946 The Things That Make for our Peace Central African Republic
1947 Make Level in the Desert a Highway for our God India
1948 The Lord’s Prayer – The Prayer Universal Unknown
1949 The Lord is Thy Keeper China
1950 Faith for our Time Japan
1951 Perfect Love Casteth out Fear Germany
1952 Christ our Hope Migrants  Sharecroppers & Indian Americans
1953 Walk as Children of the Light Africa
1954 That They May Have Life India
1955 Abide in Me Buenos Aires
1956 One Flock, One Shepherd Cook Christian Training School for Indian Christian Leaders
1957 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ….? Hungary
1958 The Bread of Life Australia
1959 Lord, I believe Egypt
1960 Labourers together with God Committee of the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada
1961 Forward through the Ages: In everything give thanks United States of America
1962 For God So Loved the World Uruguay
1963 More than Conquerors  Korea
1964 Let us Pray Switzerland
1965 What doth the Lord require? United States of America
1966 Ye are my Witnesses WWDP Committee of Scotland
1967 Of His Kingdom there shall be no end Tonga
1968 Bear ye one another’s Burdens  Ceylon
1969 Growing Together in Christ
Sierra Leone
Ghana
South Africa
Congo
Zambia
Kenya
1970 Be of Good Courage
Jamaica
Egypt
United States of America
Philippines
Guyana
1971 A New People for a New Age Caribbean
1972 All Joy Be Yours Europe
1973 Alert in our time New Zealand
1974 Make us builders of peace Japan
1975 Become perfectly One Egypt
1976 Education through Living
Mexico
South America
1977 Love in Action German Democratic Republic
1978 Community Spirit in Modem Living Canada
1979 Spiritual Growth East Africa
1980 Responsible Freedom Thailand
1981 The Earth is the Lord’s USA
1982 The People of God: Gathered for Worship- Scattered for Service
Ireland
Northern Ireland
1983 New persons in Christ Caribbean
1984 Living Water from Christ our Hope Sweden
1985 Peace through Prayer and Action India
1986 Choose Life Australia
1987 Come and Rejoice International Committee of WWDP
1988 Open Doors Brazil
1989 Lord, Teach us to Pray Burma
1990 A Better Tomorrow, Justice for All Czechoslovakia
1991 On the Journey Together Kenya
1992 Living Wisely with Creation
German Speaking Switzerland
Austria
Germany
1993 God’s people instruments of healing Guatemala
1994 Go, See & Act Palestine
1995 The Earth is a House for all People Ghana
1996 God Calls Us To Respond Haiti
1997 Like a Seed Which Grows into a Tree Korea
1998 Who is My Neighbour? Madagascar
1999 God’s Tender Touch Venezuela
2000 Talitha Koum: Young Woman Stand Up Indonesia
2001 Informed Prayer, Prayerful Action Samoa
2002 Challenged to Reconcile Romania
2003 Holy Spirit, Fill Us Lebanon
2004 In Faith, Women Shape the Future Panama
2005 Let Our Light Shine Poland
2006 Signs Of The Times South Africa
2007 United Under God’s Tent Paraguay
2008 God’s Wisdom Provides New Understanding Guyana
2009 In Christ, There Are Many Members, Yet One Body Papua New Guinea
2010 Let Everything that has Breath Praise God Cameroon
2011 How Many Loaves Have You? Chile
2012 Let Justice Prevail   Malaysia
2013 I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me   France
2014 Streams in the Desert   Egypt
2015 Jesus Said to Them: Do You Know What I Have Done to you?   The Bahamas
2016 Receive children, Receive me   Cuba
2017 Am I being unfair to you?   Philippines
2018 All God’s creation is Very Good   Suriname
2019 Come everything is Ready   Slovenia