Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is observed January 18-25, 2024. This year's theme is “You shall love the Lord your God ...and your neighbour as yourself…”
We will continue to update this page with events and resources as we find out about them. Please check back regularly.
Vancouver Island
Sunday, January 21 at 4:00 pm: Evensong and Prayer Service at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria (930 Burdett Ave)
Tuesday, January 23, 11 am – 3 pm: A Study Day at Hope Lutheran Church in Nanaimo (2174 Departure Bay Rd)
The theme of the Study Day is “Ecumenism – A Dialogue towards Synodality”. It will include talks from Dr. Nicholas Olkovich (Associate Professor and Marie Anne Blondin Chair in Catholic Theology at St. Mark’s College in Vancouver and member of the Anglican/Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Canada) and Canon Dr. Brendon Neilson (Executive Director of the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia, Theologian, and Anglican lay delegate to the last General Assembly of the World Council of Churches). Lunch will be provided. Please register by Wednesday, January 10.
Lower Mainland
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver is hosting a variety of events during this week. You can see the details on their website.
Wednesday, January 17 at 5:30 pm: Ecumenical Worship Service at St. Mark's Chapel, UBC (5935 Iona Dr, Vancouver)
Wednesday, January 24 at 3:30 pm: Ecumenical Prayer Service at John Paul Centre in Vancouver (4885 St John Paul II Way.) More details will follow.
Thursday, January 25 at 7 pm: Night of Prayer for Christian Unity at South Arm United Church (11051 No. 3 Road, Richmond)
Online Events
2024 De Margerie Lectures on Christian Reconciliation and Unity: Grassroots Ecumenism
with Rev. Dr. Karen Petersen Finch
The Rev. Dr. Karen Petersen Finch is an ecumenical theologian in the Reformed tradition who specializes in dialogue with Roman Catholic theology at the local, national, and international levels. Karen is Professor of Pastoral Leadership at The Presbyterian College in Montréal, QC, Canada and represents the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in the Reformed-Catholic Dialogue in the United States. Karen earned her doctoral degree from Gonzaga University with a dissertation recommending the theological method of Bernard Lonergan, S.J. for ecumenical dialogue. She later studied Lonergan as a Fellow of the Lonergan Institute at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Her book, Grassroots Ecumenism: The Way of Local Christian Reunion, is currently inspiring multilateral dialogue among lay people in the West Island of Montreal.
Re-imagining Lay People as Stewards of Doctrine
Wed., Jan. 24, 7 p.m.,
Riffel Auditorium, Campion College, University of Regina
Doctrine as the Fuel of Renewal
Thurs., Jan. 25, 7 p.m.,
Fr. O’Donnell Auditorium, St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan
Attend each of these unique lectures in-person, or through live stream using the QR code. Please also watch for workshops scheduled in your location.
The Annual De Margerie Lectures are named in honour of Fr. Bernard de Margerie, a priest of the Diocese of Saskatoon who has dedicated his whole life in ministry to the promotion of Christian unity. In this 12th year of the lecture series, we are offering lectures in both Regina and Saskatoon.
The De Margerie Lectures are presented by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, the Leslie & Irene Dubé Chair for Catholic Studies at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan, Campion College at the University of Regina, the Saskatoon Theological Union (College of Emmanuel & St. Chad, Lutheran Theological Seminary, and St. Andrew's College), the Archdiocese of Regina, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.
Resources:
Liturgical resources from The World Council of Churches are available here.
Canadian Council of Churches has prepared a variety of resources for ecumenical worship and prayer, Bible study, and for children and youth. You can find them here.
The United Church of Canada has prepared prayers for the week. You can find them here.
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