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Prayers and songs

The WCC's 70th anniversary is a time to give thanks for the achievements, ask for forgiveness for any shortcomings and implore God’s guidance and assistance in any future endeavours. As the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit wrote in a letter to the member churches inviting them to contribute prayers and songs for this anniversary year: “'praying together' has been the source of our inspiration and of all our energy in 'walking together' and in 'working together'.”

Below you will find a collection of such prayers rising from the heart of those who had the privilege of participating – and sometimes even leading – the common Pilgrimage.

A short prayer for the future of the world: A prayer written by Dr Agnes Abuom, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, WCC Central Committee moderator, for the WCC's 70th anniversary.
A Vellore Blessing: Contributed by Linnea Good, Christian singer-songwriter from Canada, for the WCC 70th anniversary. Written for an intercultural Christian exchange with the staff and students of the Christian Medical College Hospital in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, in 2015.
An anniversary prayer from the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil: A prayer written by Rev. Silvio Schneider, Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, adviser for Global Mission and Ecumene, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
An anniversary prayer from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland: A prayer written by Rev. Irja Askola, Bishop of Helsinki, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
An anniversary prayer from the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad: A prayer written by Archishop Lauma Zusevics, of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
An anniversary prayer from the National Council of Churches in Australia: A prayer written by Bishop Philip Huggins, president of the National Council of Churches in Australia, remembering a WCC meeting with the theme: “The Church is to be a sign of the coming unity of the whole human family”.
An anniversary prayer from the Uniting Church in Sweden: A prayer written by Gerard Willemsen, Uniting Church in Sweden, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
An anniversary prayer from the World Young Women's Christian Association: A prayer from the World Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Anniversary prayer from the Uniting Church in Australia (1): A prayer written by the Rev. Dr Chris Walker, national consultant for Christian Unity, Doctrine and Worship, Uniting Church in Australia, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches
Anniversary prayer from the Uniting Church in Australia (2): A prayer written by Dr Jill Tabart, national president, UCA, 1994-1997; consensus mentor, WCC 9th Assembly; for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Anniversary prayers from the Uniting Church in Australia: A series of prayers written by the Rev. Dorothy McRae-McMahon, retired Australian Uniting Church minister, former national director for Mission of the Uniting Church in Australia (1993), for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches. She was the first woman to moderate the Worship Committee preparing a WCC Assembly.
As Long as Righteousness Is Flowing: Song contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
Collect: A prayer written by Rev. Canon Jeremy Worthen, secretary for Ecumenical Relations and Theology, Church of England, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Despite the Wounds: Song contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
For Friendship: Song contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
Goodness Is Stronger than Evil: Song contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
Holy Spirit, Revive Me: Song contributed by the Revd. Dr Lee Geonyong, member of the Anglican Church of Korea and assistant music director at WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
Jesus, the key of unity: A prayer written by Rev. Martin Hoegger, Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Join the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace: Song in Portuguese created during a workshop of Red Crearte, an ecumenical network of artists and musicians in Latin America. Louis Marcelo Illenseer was local director of music at the WCC 9th Assembly.
Lead Us, God of Life: Song contributed by Louis Marcelo Illenseer, local director of music at the WCC 9th Assembly, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
May the Truth of God Be Your Truth: Sending song. Contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
On My Way: Song in Portuguese created during a workshop of Red Crearte, an ecumenical network of artists and musicians in Latin America. Louis Marcelo Illenseer was local director of music at the WCC 9th Assembly.
Peace and Justice Will Kiss: Song in Spanish (La Paz y la Justicia se besarán) contributed for the WCC 70th anniversary.
Peace in Creation: Song in Portuguese created during a workshop of Red Crearte, an ecumenical network of artists and musicians in Latin America. Louis Marcelo Illenseer was local director of music at the WCC 9th Assembly.
Prayer - Litany of unity: A prayer in the form of a litany of unity from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Prayer for Church Unity: A prayer written by Rev. Martin Hoegger, Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Prayer for the 70th anniversary of the WCC: Adapted from a prayer by Chiara Lubich at the World Council of Churches, 28 October 2002.
Prayer for Unity: A prayer for unity written by Archbishop Dr Joris Vercammen, WCC Central Committee member from the Old-Catholic Church in the Netherlands, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Prayer of the Walk: Song in Portuguese created during a workshop of Red Crearte, an ecumenical network of artists and musicians in Latin America.
Prayers by a former Bossey student from Aotearoa New Zealand: A set of prayers written by Rev. John Stewart Murray, (1929-2017), Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, and former Bossey student in 1955/56.
Pungent Pain: Prayer for the Somali people written by Rev. Luiz Carlos Ramos, Methodist pastor from Brasil, October 2017
Refill Us with Compassion: Song contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
The hidden treasure and the pearl of great price: A prayer written by Rev. Martin Hoegger, Reformed Church of the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, for the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches.
Together We Share Food: Song contributed by the Revd. Dr Lee Geonyong, member of the Anglican Church of Korea and assistant music director at WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
We Bring to You Our Worries: Prayer of submission in the form of a song. Contributed by Rev. Per Harling, member of the Church of Sweden and of the WCC 7th Assembly worship committee, for the WCC 70th anniversary.
We’ve Come a Long Way, Lord: Song from Liberia contributed by Dr C. Michael Hawn, pastoral music program director and retired professor of church music in the USA, for the WCC 70th anniversary. As taught by Liberian students Isaac Chukpue-Padmore, Anna G. Kaydor, and Yatta Roslyn Young at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, in 2003.