The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity takes place January 18-25 each year, between the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul. Its observance is over 100 years old. The international text is jointly published by the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. This year’s theme is “Abide in my love…you shall bear much fruit” from John 15:1-17.

A team of faith leaders in Wisconsin has compiled a prayer service based upon an adapted version of the international text. We offer this opportunity for ecumenical prayer to faith communities as a way increasing the unity of the church, helping us grow in appreciation for its diversity. We also hope to offer respite to weary pastors, worship leaders and musicians amid an intense and extended season of ministry to people in crisis.

Register here to receive an email with links to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service.

You will receive:

  • Private link to a Youtube recording of the entire service which may be shared with your congregation during your usual worship time.
  • Link to a Google Drive with recorded elements you could choose to incorporate into your own worship or prayer service. This includes the mp4 of the entire service from which you could select clips, as well as separate files with the ecumenical virtual choir and words of greeting from the Wisconsin Council of Churches staff.
  • PDF worship aid which may be downloaded and printed. We recommend you send this via USPS or email to your congregation to offer background on the service and assist them in participating fully in worship.

We will share the recording and PDF publicly on Sunday morning, January 24 via our Facebook page and Youtube channel.


CREDITS

With gratitude for the collaborative team for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021: The Rev. Lois Buchholz (United Church of Christ Congregational, Osseo), Mr. Dean Daniels (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee) Ms. Lynn Lemberger (Holy Wisdom Monastery), Mr. Craig Richter (student at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Hales Corners), The Rev. Kerri Parker (Wisconsin Council of Churches Executive Director).

Compilation of submitted videos by the Rev. Breanna Illene, Content Curator/ Ecumenical Innovation Coordinator for the Wisconsin Council of Churches. Give thanks for your technical crew!

This prayer service adapted from the text for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches, through the its Commission on Faith and Order. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2021 was prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp, Switzerland. The theme that was chosen is based on John 15:1-17 and expresses Grandchamp Community’s vocation to prayer, reconciliation and unity in the church and the human family.  For further information on the international ecumenical text, visit https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity.

Prelude, Drum Improvisation by Ms. Trish Bailey, McFarland UCC

Virtual Choir

Soprano
Barbara Dick, Wellspring United Methodist Church
Jenny Hartlaub, North Shore Presbyterian
Julie Gaulke, Christ Church Episcopal, Whitefish Bay

Alto
Anne Stone, Grace Episcopal Church
Carmen Shaw, First Presbyterian Church, Oshkosh
Cherie Norquay, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 
Jane Ferris, Grace Episcopal Church, Madison 
Janet M. Irvine, Trinity Episcopal Church, Janesville 
Sherri Hansen,  Holy Wisdom Monastery

Tenor
Dean Daniels, Archdiocese of Milwaukee Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs
Peter B. Irvine, Trinity Episcopal Church, Janesville 

Bass
Michael Ferris, Grace Episcopal Church, Madison
Pastor Felix Malpica, Faith Lutheran Church, Janesville (ELCA) 
The Rev. David Simmons, St Matthias Episcopal Church, Waukesha
Tom Ludwig, McFarland United Church of Christ

Arranging, Direction, Orchestration and Audio
The Rev. David Simmons, St. Matthias Episcopal Church, Waukesha

Piano, Video Compositing and Editing
The Rev. Don Fleischman, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
and St. Francis House, Madison

Video Preparation
Julie Gaulke, Christ Church Episcopal, Whitefish Bay

“Sing a New Church Into Being”
Lyrics by Delores Duffner, OSB, Copyright 1991, The Sisters of St. Benedict
Tune: NETTLETON, Original Harmonization by Gerre Hancock

Te Deum
Mr. Kirby Metoxen, Oneida Tribal Councilman
Member, Oneida Singers; Parishioner, Church of the Holy Apostles

Church of the Holy Apostles is the oldest Native American mission of the Episcopal Church, dating to the early 1700s in New York state. The first party of the Oneida who made the journey in the 1820s were the first Episcopalians in what is now Wisconsin. Mr. Metoxen sings the Te Deum in the Oneida language. The Te Deum is usually sung at Christmas and Easter and whenever the bishop makes a visitation to the parish. It has also been sung at every ordination of a bishop in the Diocese of Fond du Lac. The English text follows.

Psalm 103/God Can Only Give Faithful Love
The Rev. Felix Malpica, Faith Lutheran Church ELCA, vocals. Ms. Cherie Norquay, ELCA, piano. Text: Psalm 103; Taizé Community. Tune: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994 ©1998. Les Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications Inc., agent

Come and Find the Quiet Center
Mr. Steven Jensen, organist; Ms. Kathryn Henry, chancel choir, soprano
Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Milwaukee. Lyrics by Shirley Erena Murray, Copyright 1992 Hope Publishing Company. Music Arr. Copyright 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (Admin Augsburg Fortress). Tune BEACH SPRING

Psalm 85/Dona Nobis Pacem
Ann Baltes, Bill Rosholt, vocalists. Grace Rosholt, violin Lynn Lemberger, organ. Text: traditional. Music: The Community of Taizé, © 1982,1983, 1984. Ateliers et Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications agent. All rights reserved

Óyenos Señor   
Text and music ©1988, 2002, Bob Hurd. Publiched by OCP. All rights reserved. Ms. Kim Mandelkow, Office of Worship, Archdiocese of Milwaukee, piano and vocals
                                                                                      
Passing of the Peace

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Words by Robert Robinson. Traditional American Melody. Performed and Arranged by Michael Fischer. Arr. ©2000 Lillenas Publishing Company (SESAC). All rights reserved.

Psalm 96 / Praise and Thanksgiving
Mr. David Melby-Gibbons, guitar and vocals. Text: Edith Thomas & Marie J Post. Tune: LOBET UND PREISET. St 2,3 ©1987 by CRC Publications. Harm ©1987 by CRC Publications

In Christ There Is No East or West  
Mr. Maurice Cotton, piano.  Music Director, St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church. Words: John Oxenham (1852-1941), Used by permission of Desmond Dunkerly. Tune McKEE, Traditional Spiritual Melody, Arr. By Harry T. Burleigh, 1866-1949

MC KEE was originally an Irish tune taken to the United States and adapted by enslaved African Americans. The spiritual was adapted into a hymn tune by famous African-American composer and songwriter, Harry T. Burleigh. The recording we hear today is from the sanctuary of St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church in Milwaukee. St. Mark AME is the oldest African-American congregation in Wisconsin.

Readers and Speakers (in order of appearance)

The Rev. Kerri Parker, Executive Director, WI Council of Churches

The Rev. Breanna Illene, Content Curator & Ecumenical Innovation Coordinator, WI Council of Churches

Dr. Peter Bakken, Justice & Witness Coordinator, WI Council of Churches

The Rev. Rodger Patience, Oneida, Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac

The Rev. Afi Dobbins-Mays, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Conference United Methodist Church

Rev. Fr. Avedis Kalayjian, Racine, Armenian Church in America

The Rev. Rob Ater, Milwaukee, Presbytery of Milwaukee

Mr. Craig Richter, Hales Corners, Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology

Ms. Kim Mandelkow, Milwaukee, Office of Worship, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Ms. Ellie Kosek, Madison, Madison Mennonite Church

Mr. Dean Daniels, Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

The Most Rev. Jeffrey Haines, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

The Rev. Kelsey Beebe, Union Grove, Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ

Ms. Rhonda Hill, Milwaukee, Greater Milwaukee Synod ELCA Bishop Katherine Finegan, Northern Great Lakes Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America