Women around the globe observed the 70th annual Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer Nov. 1.
The observance, which began in 1951 and is held each year on the first Monday in November or any day throughout the month of November, calls women to pray and to participate in a global offering that helps fund missional initiatives.
The 2021 observation was the first with J. Merritt Johnston at the helm of the organization.
Johnston was announced as the new executive director of Baptist World Alliance Women on Oct. 28 and her first day on the job was Nov. 1.
“What a day to begin,” Johnston wrote in a Facebook post. “Today I was blessed to join in for the 2021 Day of Prayer. What a joy and privilege to hear prayers raised in so many languages!”
Johnston also provides oversight for BWA communications and media.
Observances across Alabama, the U.S. and the world were held throughout the day.
Alabama-Crenshaw Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union held an evening prayer service at Brantley Baptist Church.
Leesa Massey, WMU director at Union Baptist Church in Honoraville, called it “a great blessing” to be part of the annual observance. “We had the honor of speaking directly to our Father and to give Him honor and praise His name as a group of Baptist women. We had the privilege of praying with and for women all around the world as they prayed for us.”
Baptist World Alliance Women represents women from 145 countries across seven Continental Unions.
Missions offering
This year’s missional initiatives supported by the Day of Prayer offering include the “F.R.O.G. Farm” project in Thailand.
The purpose of the Frog Farm (Faithful & Rely on God) is to care for orphans and other children and teach them about Jesus, according to the BWAW website. The Frog Farm project seeks to help the children “build a solid foundation of faith so that they can become leaders in faith to their friends and to see that the faith in Jesus Christ will be passed on from one generation to the next.”
Additional projects this year include a mental health and education support ministry in the Philippines; a library and education center in Cameroon; and a sewing club on the Pacific island of Vanuatu.
For more information on Baptist World Alliance Women and the annual Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer, visit bwawd.org.
Click here to see more photos from this year’s World Day of Prayer.
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