Young Women and Older Women Working Together
PRAYERS for 2024 WORLD COMMUNITY DAY
Prepared by Members of the National Committee of ACW Inc.
11 October 2024
PSALM 145:4–5
(GNB)
What you have done will be praised from one generation to the next; they will proclaim your mighty acts. They will speak of your glory and majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.
PRAYER
Father God, we praise you for all you have done for humankind in this world, and thank you for the people through all generations who have served you faithfully. Help us to share your love with others through our lives and actions.
AMEN
12 October 2024
Acts 2:17
(NKJV)
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams."
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your Spirit poured out on all people, young and old. As daughters and mothers, sisters and friends, we ask that You guide us with visions and dreams that reflect Your will for this world. Help us to listen to the wisdom of our elders and be inspired by the energy of the young. May we be bold in sharing Your truth and steadfast in working together to bring Your love and justice into every corner of our lives. Empower us to build bridges across generations, united by the power of Your Holy Spirit.
AMEN
Photo by Ismael Paramo on Unsplash
14 October 2024
Luke 10:38–42
(NLT)
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, on that long ago night You looked with love into the hearts of two sisters in Bethany. Look now into our hearts.
Under the guidance of your Holy Spirit, may we like Martha and Mary move past our limitations to a deeper commitment to serving You as You would have us do.
AMEN
Henryk Siemiradzki, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
15 October 2024
2 Timothy 1:5
(GNT)
I remember the sincere faith you have, the kind of faith that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice also had. I am sure that you have it also.
PRAYER
Dear God, we thank you for women such as Lois and Eunice who taught and lived out their faith. We thank you for Timothy who came to share that faith and was able to encourage Paul in the faith.
May we also live out our faith to the blessing and encouragement of others.
AMEN
16 October 2024
1 Thessalonians
5:16–18 (NKJV)
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
PRAYER
Almighty God, we give thanks today for the role of women in Your kingdom—older women who offer guidance and experience, and younger women who bring enthusiasm and a fresh perspective. As we live out the call to give thanks, we rejoice in this beautiful partnership across generations. May we pray for one another without ceasing, encouraging and uplifting each other as we walk through life’s challenges and joys. Thank You for the ways You have uniquely gifted every woman, and may our lives be a continual song of praise and thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
18 October 2024
John 11:17-20
(NIV)
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, as you once shared in the grief of Martha and Mary and honoured their different reactions to the death of their brother Lazarus, look now with love on the many different ways in which Christian women in our own communities seek to respond to the sufferings of our broken world.
May we always seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in ministering to those you came to redeem.
AMEN.
Image from www.LumoProject.com per FreeBibleimages.org terms of download at https://freebibleimages.org/photos/lumo-lazarus2/
19 October 2024
ROMANS 16:1–2
(GNT)
I recommend to you our sister Phoebe who serves the church at Cenchreae. Receive her in the Lord’s name, as God’s people should, and give her any help she may need from you: for she herself has been a good friend to many people and also to me.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, we thank you for Phoebe who lived in a society where women had no rights, yet she served you and the church faithfully through her friendship with so many. Help us to reach out to others in friendship and service.
AMEN.
20 October 2024
Ecclesiastes
3:1–8 (NKJV)
To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the beautiful tapestry of life, woven with diverse seasons. We rejoice in the wisdom of older women who have weathered many seasons, and we celebrate the hope and energy of younger women who are stepping into new beginnings. Help us to embrace each moment—whether it be a time for laughing, mourning, or dancing—knowing that You are present in every circumstance. Teach us to support one another through these changes, understanding that each season holds its own purpose. May we grow together in faith and love, reflecting Your light in every moment of our journey. In Jesus’ name,
AMEN.
21 October 2024
Luke 1:39-45
(GNT)
Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me? For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness. How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!”
Public Domain image
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, even before your birth you were a sign to us of the bond between women of different generations.
As Elizabeth and Mary glimpsed in their hearts their role in bringing the Good News of salvation, may we too come to know ever more deeply what God would have each of us do to advance the coming of His Kingdom.
AMEN
22 October 2024
Matthew 5:16
(NKJV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
PRAYER
Gracious Lord, You have given older and younger women the privilege of carrying Your light. May our lives, united in purpose, be like a city on a hill—visible for all to see. Let the wisdom and experience of older women inspire the younger, and let the energy and fresh vision of the young bring renewal to the elders. As we live and work together, may our acts of kindness, encouragement, and service reflect Your heart, leading others to glorify You. Strengthen us, O Lord, to be lights that shine brighter through our unity in Christ. In Jesus’ precious name we pray,
AMEN
Photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash
23 October 2024
Ruth 3:16–17
(NLT)
When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “What happened, my daughter?”
Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, and she added, “He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
PRAYER
Lord God, we see in the story of Naomi and Ruth an example of mutual love, support and respect that had consequences far beyond their imagining.
May we too, as we share In Christian ministry across generations and backgrounds, become open to a deep sharing of our lives that brings lasting fruit.
AMEN
Ai-generated image
24 October 2024
Acts 2:17
In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young people shall see visions, and your old people shall dream dreams.
PRAYER
Dear Lord God, we thank you that young and old can be inspired by you and serve you in partnership. We thank you for the new ways the young find to express their faith and serve you, and we thank you for the wisdom and experience of the old. Help us to encourage each other in the faith.
AMEN
