It was a sunny spring day. With flowers blossoming, World Day of Prayer (WDP) fell on the first day of March, 2019.

Each year female Christians from different countries take turns to prepare the order of worship on specific theme used for that year’s World Day of Prayer. The theme of this year is “Come－－Everything is Ready”, which was given by the WDP National Committee of Slovenia Church. It is a parable from Luke 14:15-24 about a banquet where the host saw no one coming and those who were invited excused themselves. He then turned to invite the crippled, the poor and the lame to taste the dinner. 

Many seminaries held worship service on the Women’s World Day of Prayer.

All students and faculty members in Nanjing Union Theological Seminary held the worship service for 2019 World Day of Prayer. Dean Rev. Lin Manhong presided over the ceremony, with Rev. Xu Lingxiao, Rev. Liu Lingwei, Rev. Xie Hong and Rev. Han Bei’ou assisting the service. Rev. Lin Manhong gave a sermon titled “Play the role and realize the truth”.

Rev. Zhen Cuihua from Yanjing Theological Seminary exhorted the audience with the sermon titled “How to respond to an invitation?” President Rev. Gao Ying gave the benediction.

Fujian Theological Seminary also celebrated World Day of Prayer and the International Women’s Day. All students and faculty members were present. Rev. Lu Han hosted the service and Rev. Hao Zhiqiang prayed. Rev. Yue Qinghua preached on the topic “God’s salvation is ready” and enumerated the ministries by saints in the history as well as the stories in the course of church development. Rev Lin Delai then gave a sermon and Rev. Yue Qinghua gave benediction.

Guangdong Union Theological Seminary and Xiehe Church jointly held a service for World Day of Prayer. Teacher Wang Biyan hosted the activity, with students assisting. Rev. Wang Yuan from Xiehe Church prayed and teacher Zhang Jiu from the seminary read the lection. Dean Rev. Huang Zhaoping gave a sermon and urged all to take the initiative to invite people to come to the Kingdom of God since everything is ready in Him. Preacher Xie Lihuang and preacher Fan Xuexia from Xiehe Church read the prayers. Teacher Xiu Dan exhorted all to take courage to move forward, serve others and become the witness of God. At last, Rev. Huang Zhaoping gave the benediction.

Students and faculty members of Shaanxi Bible School held worship service. Student Li Wenhui hosted the service. Students from Lay Preachers Training Class assisted the service. Teacher Li Hali played the piano. Vice President Chen Dingliang shared the message of “Come to the feast together” and President Rev. Wang Hong led the induction and gave the benediction. Students then gave the performance of a play called “Invitation” which impressively presented a vivid picture of “the parable of the feast”.

There was a worship service held in Jiangxi Bible School for the 2019 World Day of Prayer. Teacher Deng Rui introduced the theme of the WDP; three women students assisted the service who performed a sitcom as a way to read the testimony from the Bible study files; Rev. Wu Yumei gave a sermon.

Yunnan Theological Seminary held a worship service for 2019 WDP in Caiyun Church. Sister Wang Fuxian presided over the service and Teacher He Huiling gave a sermon. Over 170 believers, including students and faculty members from the seminary, attended the service.