15 Ways to Celebrate World Prayer Day

World Day of Prayer is celebrated in 170 countries every year on the first Friday in March. Despite it being a Christian initiative, it welcomes all religious and non-religious people around the world. World Prayer Day aims at bringing awareness to different cultures and traditions and spreading understanding and tolerance throughout the globe.

Ideas for planning a World Prayer Day Event

1. Make a list according to residents’ wishes to establish who they want to pray for (country, group of people, family, etc.)
2. Invite staff, residents and their families to participate by reading a prayer or a poem.
3. Hold a craft session to make card invitations for the event.
4. Decorate facility with posters displaying exotic people from other countries and inspirational words and phrases relating to peace and spiritual wellbeing (see below list of ideas)
5. Organize a VIP guest such as a pastor, a Rabbi or an Iman to lead the prayers.
6. Make a program to distribute to the audience.
7. Sing religious hymns accompanied by piano or guitar.
8. Alternatively sing popular prayer songs (List of songs below).
9. Have a resident together with his son/daughter to read a prayer.
10. Write words of wisdom on strips of paper and hang from ceiling or walls.
11. Invite local school children to pray with the residents.
12. Light a candle (battery candle) for a group of people going through hardship such as: refugees, orphans of war, people fighting illnesses, destitute groups.
13. End the event by serving hot drinks and other beverages, cupcakes or biscuits while listening to Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ (or any other inspirational music).
14. Distribute the World Prayer Word Search (see below)
15. Use the “Names of Gods in Different Languages” quiz below to test audience’s knowledge.

Words and Spiritual Phrases for World Prayer Day

“There is Power In prayer”
“Happiness is Homemade!”
“Happiness is Peace of Mind”
“The Journey is what Counts, Not the Destination”
“God is Good”
“Peace on Earth”
“The Lord is my Shepherd”
“We are All and We Are Many”
“Let Your Light Shine”
“One World…One Breath”
“Wonderful World”
“Pray with your thoughts on God not on the difficulties”
“Be a Warrior not a Worrier”
“The Greatest Goodness is a Peaceful Mind”
“Love Thyself”
“There is no Time to be Bored in a World as Beautiful as This”
“If Opportunity doesn’t knock, Build a Door”
“Find good people & ignore the bad in them. No One Is Perfect!”
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!”
“Expect Nothing and Appreciate Everything”
“Life is 10% what you make it, and 90% how you take it!”
“Present Moment…Wonderful Moment”
“Take the time today to appreciate someone who does something you take for granted”

“The first to apologize is the bravest
The first to forgive is the strongest
The first to forget is the happiest”

“What you think, you become
What you fear, you attract
What you imagine, you create”
Buddha

Native American Prayer
Chief Dan George

May the stars
Carry your sadness away,
May the flowers
Fill your heart with beauty,
May hope forever
Wipe you tears,
And, above all,
May silence make you strong

Singalong Ideas for World Prayer Day

Here is a list of well-known hymns, popular religious songs, and prayers made into songs with their respective lyrics. If you don’t have a pianist or guitist I have suggested links on YouTube for people to follow. Choose one or more of the following songs. It is recommended to have a trial rehearsal with the YouTube accompaniment before the celebration date.

Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkOwm2YFS8U

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see

How Great Thou Art
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br5a5BVHGcE

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Chorus

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

- Chorus –

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

- Chorus –

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

- Chorus -

Abide With Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzWZ7Qjq_u0

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away
Change and decay in all around I see
O Thou who changest not, abide with me

I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tear no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting Where, grave, thy victory
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

The Lord’s Prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd4iJkNCaZ8

Chorus

Our Father
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven

- Chorus -

Give us this day our daily bread
Forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive them who trespass against us
Forgive us our trespasses

- Chorus -

Our Lord lead us not into temptation
But save us from evil
And the kingdom, the power
And the glory forever
Will be Yours

- Chorus – twice

Dominique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuNc6YHOt5o

Refrain

Dominique, nique, nique, over the land he plods along
And sings a little song, never asking for reward
He just talks about the Lord
He just talks about the Lord

At a time when Johnny Lackland
Over England was the King
Dominique was in the backland
Fighting sin like anything

Refrain

Now a heretic, one day
Among the thorns forced him to crawl
Dominique with just one prayer
Made him hear the good Lord's call

Refrain

Without horse or fancy wagon
He crossed Europe up and down
Poverty was his companion
As he walked from town to town

Refrain

One day, in the budding Order
There was nothing left to eat
Suddenly two angels walked in
With a loaf of bread and meat

Refrain

Grant us now, oh Dominique
The grace of love and simple mirth
That we all may help to quicken
Godly life and truth on earth

Michael (Row your Boat Ashore)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMszhdPbB1o

Chorus

Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah

Sister, help to trim the sails, hallelujah
Sister, help to trim the sails, hallelujah

Chorus

River Jordan is chilly and cold, hallelujah
Chills the body but not the soul, hallelujah

Chorus

River is deep and the river is wide
Milk and honey on the other side

Chorus