Over the last 80 -100 years the Christian church has gone through a vast and varied process of change. Some might question the wisdom and desirability of many of these changes and question whether the changes have been beneficial. One of the outcomes that might have been desired was to get more people into church. That has manifestly failed to be achieved. On the contrary, in many countries, not least in the UK, the decline in the number of those attending church is alarming. Many of the historically established denominations are reaching critical points, both numerical and financial.

This time scale and decline corresponds with the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Every year for a week, 18th – 25th January, Christians from various traditions have gathered to pray for their unity. During these services and gatherings we have tried to explore together what this concept of ‘unity’ might actually mean and to perceive God’s will. More recently, and given the rather depressing prevailing church climate, a different note has been sounded. What is the point of praying for unity? Is God not listening to our prayers? If he does hear, why does he not answer and fill our churches again?
Maybe he does answer, but we refuse to listen!

Christian denominations say they want and pray for unity but it seems only as long as this unity is at no cost to themselves. Indeed during the last 50 years there has been a huge explosion in the number of Christian groups and denominations rather than a decrease, with little real coming together of different traditions. It is true that there is much more acceptance of each other and our different traditions and practices, and a much closer cooperation in many of our charitable organisations, but we are still a long way from being united. There remain denominations that resolutely resist recognizing each other as legitimate Christian’s churches in the sight of God. There are many deeply held rules and regulations that keep us apart including the central act of unity – the Eucharist.

God, I believe, is answering our prayers for Christian unity, but maybe we are not ready to hear and rise to the challenge of what he is asking us to do. He is not requiring us all to be the same. The Church, his body on earth, represents an infinitely varied tapestry of colour, culture, tradition and perception of his power and presence in creation expressed in a myriad ways.
Maybe God is calling us to do a little less praying, but pray nonetheless, but more importantly to ACT – sacrificially!
With every blessing


Alan Hayday