The ecumenical prayer service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) 2026 on the 22nd of January brought together Christian leaders and worshippers throughout the world from across denominational traditions and backgrounds, reaffirming a shared commitment to unity rooted in Scripture and expressed through common worship, prayer, and public witness.
Also known as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the WPCU is observed annually between 18th to 25th January internationally. This has been an ecumenical tradition that has extended back to more than a century, since the proposition made by a Catholic priest, Paul Wattson, back in 1908. This significant event marks the period between the confession of Saint Peter and the conversion of Saint Paul.
The 2026 theme, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4), provided the theological and liturgical focus for the service. The verse was selected, the official WPCU materials note, because it speaks of Christian unity both as a gift from God and a continuing task given to believers of various traditions.
Unity Rooted in Scripture
Among the reflections highlighted in the WPCU 2026, it is stressed that religious unity is not something that came into focus only in contemporary ecumenism, contrary to what many might assume. Instead, this theme of religious unity is repeated throughout Scripture. Starting from the Old Testament, it is emphasized that from that point onward, God’s community has been called to a life of peaceful and forgiving relationships. Genesis 13:8, where there is a positive exhortation from Abram to Lot to eschew strife since they were relatives, is given as an early declaration of God’s will in matters of religious and peaceful coexistence.
In the New Testament, unity is heightened, yet it is imbued with a specifically spiritual content: the prayer in John 17, in which Jesus prays “that they may all be one,” understands unity in terms of the relationship between Christ and the Father. Thus, the WPCU literature emphasizes the relational nature of this unity. Unity is not based on organisation or creed, but on sharing in the shared life of the Triune God.
Paul’s words in Ephesians 4 reinforce this vision by affirming that believers, despite their diversity, belong to “one body” animated by “one Spirit,” called to a single hope. The passage also recognises the variety of gifts within the Church, presenting diversity not as a threat to unity, but as a means by which the Body of Christ is built up.
An International Ecumenical Effort
The preparation of the 2026 WPCU materials was jointly overseen by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Roman Catholic Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Drafting responsibilities were entrusted to the Inter-Church Relations’ Department of the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.
The Armenian Church produced the initial draft of the texts before collaborating with an international ecumenical team to finalise the liturgy and reflections. The materials highlight that Christian unity is not about uniformity but about a shared commitment to core truths of the faith, sustained by love, humility, and faithful witness.
A Shared Act of Worship in Kuala Lumpur
These theological convictions were given concrete expression in the Kuala Lumpur prayer service, organised by the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), and supported by the Catholic Church, NECF, and KL & PJ Churches. The service was hosted by the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia at St Mary’s Cathedral, and brought together clergy and lay participants from Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Evangelical, and other Christian traditions. The leadership of the service was intentionally shared, with the priests, ministers, and pastors from different denominations participating in the invocation, litanies, Scripture readings, prayers, and blessings.
The Order of Worship reflected the ecumenical character of the gathering. Ancient and contemporary elements were woven together, including traditional hymns such as “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” and “The Church’s One Foundation,” alongside choral pieces like “African Alleluia” and “The Glory of the Lord.” Musical offerings were provided by Cantus Musicus and the Ruth Milal Myanmar Youth Choir, reflecting the cultural breadth of the Christian community.
The liturgy also incorporated prayers adapted from early Christian sources, including St Gregory of Narek, underscoring a shared spiritual inheritance that predates later ecclesial divisions.
Scripture and Social Responsibility
Readings from Isaiah 58:6–11, led by Mr Augustus Jeremiah from the Methodist Church in Malaysia, linked unity with justice and compassion, calling believers to care for the hungry, the homeless, and the oppressed. The passage framed unity not only as a theological affirmation but as a moral imperative expressed through concrete acts of mercy.
This was followed by a reading from Ephesians 4:1–13, led by Ms Ann Sumitra from the Catholic Church in Malaysia, which urged believers to live in humility, gentleness, and patience, “bearing with one another in love” and maintaining “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The reading echoed the WPCU 2026 emphasis that spiritual maturity involves both doctrinal faithfulness and relational commitment.
Meanwhile, the Gospel reading from John 12:31–36, led by Rev Elisha Satvinder (New Covenant Community) from the NECF, in which Jesus speaks of being lifted up to draw all people to Himself, introduced the recurring image of light, a theme that ran throughout the 2026 materials. Unity, the texts suggest, is meant to be visible and transformative, offering guidance in a world marked by division and uncertainty.
This year’s homily was delivered by Bishop Dr Steven Abarrow of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia.
Prayers for the World and the Church
Intercessory prayers during the service, led by Elder Lim Kar Hor (Presbyterian), Elder Lee Choong San (Full Gospel Tabernacle), Rev Matthew Punnoose (Mar Thoma), Ms Mary Anne Woon (Catholic), Rev Zadok Jeevan (Presbyterian), Rev Daniel Loh, Ms Maria Yan (Catholic), and Rev Vijendra Daniel (Anglican), addressed global concerns, including war, civil unrest, and the suffering of refugees and displaced persons. The participants prayed for peace, justice, and healing, calling on Christians to become visible signs of reconciliation in a fractured world.
A prayer that was adapted from the aforementioned St Gregory of Narek and led by Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng (Full Gospel Tabernacle, Chairman of CFM and NECF) was also offered specifically for the Church in Malaysia, asking for Christ’s radiance to instill a deeper love for one another, a flourishing unity, and that the Church may bloom in harmony and reflect God’s glory to the end of the ages. The WPCU reflections this year had noted that the call to unity is directed not only at church institutions but at individual believers, each of whom bears responsibility for living out reconciliation in daily life.
Confessing a Common Faith
A central moment of the service was the communal recitation of the Nicene Creed (led by Bishop Jeyakumar from the Methodist Church in Malaysia) described in this year’s liturgy as a confession made together “bathed in the light of the Wisdom of Christ.” The shared affirmation of faith in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” served as a reminder of the deep theological foundations Christians hold in common.
The service concluded with the Lord’s Prayer and a joint blessing, led by the Archbishop Julian Leow from the Catholic Church in Malaysia, followed by words of appreciation by Rev Philip Lok, General Secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), acknowledging the host church, participating clergy, singers and musicians, and the member churches of the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), and the Catholic Church in Malaysia.
Unity as Witness
In its concluding reflections, the WPCU 2026 materials had earlier acknowledged that the Body of Christ continues to be wounded by divisions between traditions and confessions. Yet amidst this, they also affirm that unity is sustained by Christ’s love and expressed through faithful attention to everyday discipleship. The WPCU 2026 celebration at St Mary’s Cathedral was a moving affirmation of this.
As participants gathered for fellowship after the service, there was even a little birthday celebration for the January and February babies (which included Archbishop Julian Leow, Bishop Steven Abbarow, Rev Richard Tok, Rev Ashok Amarasingham, Rev Vijendra Daniel, Pastor Juining, Lisa and Andrew Hwang, Millie Tan, and a few others). The event stood as a visible reminder of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’s central conviction; that Christian unity, while often slow and demanding, remains integral to the Church’s witness and mission in the world.
Birthday celebration for church leaders born in January and February
May this bond of unity extend for years to come. All glory to the Lord.
Christianity Malaysia would like to thank the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), and the Catholic Church in Malaysia for their immense hospitality and help in the production of this article.
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