2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the first Christian Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea, near Constantinople in 325 AD. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the creed formulated during this council.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 offers an invitation to draw on this shared heritage and to enter more deeply into the faith that unites all Christians.

The guiding biblical text for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 comes from John 11:17-27. The theme for the week, “Do you believe this?” (v. 26), takes its cue from the dialogue between Jesus and Martha when Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany following the death of their brother Lazarus.

The traditional period in the northern hemisphere for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is 18-25 January. In the southern hemisphere churches often find other days to celebrate the Week of Prayer, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for the unity of the church.

The Southwest Conference will take part in two statewide services; one in Arizona and one in New Mexico.

The 2024 New Mexico celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held at First Presbyterian in Albuquerque, 215 Locust St NE.

Every year, Christian communities and churches join together to pray for the visible unity of the Church, faithfully abiding by the will of Christ, who prayed “that all may be one” (John 17:21) during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In much of the world, this Week of Prayer is commemorated from January 18-25. In other places, it is celebrated during the eight days preceding Pentecost.

See the 2024 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity events happening in our geographical area.