As we celebrate 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea, the worship service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) 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 of us is called to sit with Jesus’ provocative question to Martha: “Do you believe this?”
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland General Secretary, Dr Nicola Brady, says in her introduction to this year’s resources: “Read in isolation the question might appear as a stark challenge, but from the Gospel story it is clear that the words of Jesus are spoken in love and experienced as invitation as well as challenge. Similarly, while the Council of Nicaea was not without its challenges as a wounded and scattered church sought to discern the truth of the Gospel message, there was an obvious desire to deepen connection and belonging and to live faithfully as disciples of Christ.”
The WPCU service has been prepared by the community of Bose, an ecumenical monastery of brothers and sisters in Northern Italy.
The Biblical texts for each of the eight days highlight in turn key statements of the Nicene Creed.
- Day 1: The fatherhood and motherhood of God who rules the universe.
- Day 2: Creation as God’s work.
- Day 3: The Incarnation of the Son.
- Day 4: The Paschal Mystery: Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
- Day 5: The Holy Spirit, breath of God.
- Day 6: The Church: Community of believers.
- Day 7: Baptism into the Death and Resurrection of the Lord.
- Day 8: Waiting for the Kingdom.
Order or download the WPCU 2025 resources.
CTBI also provides Go and Do points for each day of WPCU to turn reflections into action.
What is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity?
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) takes place each year from the 18 to 25 January. It is an international ecumenical celebration.
Each January individuals pray, and churches and ecumenical organisations celebrate the WPCU in a variety of ways. These include events large and small, a simple prayer meeting, an ecumenical breakfast, a prayer walk, speaker events, online prayer relays, preaching swaps in villages and towns, using social media to share online reflections and prayers from church leaders as well as joint services bringing together Christians from across the traditions in prayer and worship.
WPCU from the World Council of Churches.
WPCU social media
Show your support for Christian unity by posting messages and details of your events to the WPCU X wall – simply add the #wpcuwall hashtag to your X post (note there is a delay before they appear). You can also find updates about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on X by following the #wpcu2025 hashtag.