First Lutheran Church hosted World Day of Prayer

The first Friday in March is also know as the World Day of Prayer, which is celebrated annually in over 170 countries. The World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, and who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer and service. It is celebrated annually in over 170 countries and regions on the first Friday in March and becomes the focus of prayer and understanding.

It brings women of different races, cultures and traditions together in fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year. Through World Day of Prayer, women affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and have immeasurable influence in the world.  The motto of World Day of Prayer is "Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action." This is a reality: the movement has been active for nearly 100 years. Each year, a different participating country writes the service.

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

This year, Suriname is the country of our focus. Suriname is a beautiful country that is officially known as the Republic of Suriname. It is known for very colorful flowers and its rain forests. It is a sovereign nation on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is the smallest country in South America. Suriname has a population of approximately 558,368. Its economy is dependent on its extensive supply of natural resources, most notably bauxite, of which it is one of the top producers in the world.

The southern four-fifths of the country is almost entirely covered with pristine tropical rain forests. Its indigenous peoples have been increasingly active in claiming land rights and working to preserve their traditional lands and habitats. Suriname is the only sovereign nation outside Europe where Dutch is spoken by a majority of the population.