World Day of Prayer
Taiwan 2023
"I Have Heard About Your Faith"

"Taiwan was selected as the focus country for 2023 World Day of Prayer (WDP)" said Nancy Lin, the representative of WDP National Committee of Taiwan. The good news was announced by Nancy Lin on 27 April 2018 during a community building workshop for the members of National Committee.

The Women's Ministry Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan as liaison office of WDP National Committee of Taiwan submitted an application to the WDPIC in 2016, and Taiwan was selected as the writer country for 2023 WDP during the International Meeting for WDP which convened on August 20-27, 2017, in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil.

On the first Friday of March in 2023 the designated day for World Day of Prayer, Nancy Lin continued, more than 100 countries will pray for Taiwan during WDP Worship Services. Different countries in different time zones will take turn praying for Taiwan which naturally loops into a 24-hour relay praying. It will be quite an exhilarating and touching moment.

Furthermore, Nancy Lin explained, the theme together with the Bible text was assigned by the WDPIC. The materials of 2023 World Day of Prayer will be written focusing on the context of the status of Taiwanese women. After two preparatory workshops which will be led by the Executive Director of WDPIC the worship materials will then be prepared ecumenically, collectively and with grassroots women during the period 2019 until September 2021. We rejoice that Taiwan will be the focus of 2023 World Day of Prayer.

The community building workshop was organized by PCT Women's Ministry Committee in Beitou Resort on April 27 and 28, 2018.

On the afternoon of the 27th WDP National Committee of Taiwan invited YWCA-WDP Taiwan Committee for a joint session. Ten committee members including Li, Ping, the Executive Secretary of the Taipei YWCA and Rev. Betty Chang, the Chairperson of the committee were present. Others are representatives from the Women's Joint Prayer Meeting and the Ministry to Pastors' Wives, Taiwan Lutheran Church, Episcopal Diocese of Taiwan, Roman Catholic Church in Taiwan, Taiwan Methodist Church and Salvation Army in Taiwan.

History tells us women prayed and worked ecumenically around the world already in the mid-19th Century we witness seeds were sown as far back as 1812 and how the World Day of Prayer eventually evolved to be a global movement. By 1927 the WDP International Committee began to take shape in North America and was eventually established (1930).*

Regarding Taiwan's participation the WDP national movement began in 1960 and originally comprised churchwomen from different mainstream denominations. In the 1970's PCT General Assembly proclaimed three public statements which urged for basic human rights, self-determination and Taiwan's independence. Hence for its political position PCT suffered severe oppression from the ruling authority, KMT Chinese Nationalist Party, which fled from China after being defeated by the Chinese Communist Party (1947-49). From 1978, PCT was gradually isolated locally from other churches in WDP movement and sadly by 1979, PCT became the only remaining church denomination that annually organized WDP worship services nationwide in Taiwan. However, in 1981, a separate WDP worship service was organized by some other churches and organizations. Such separation is still ongoing.

On 27 April 2018 for the first time these two WDP committees sat together and had a wonderful fellowship. This icebreaking encounter marked a milestone in the history of WDP movement in Taiwan.

*Reference: WDPIC Quadrennial Meeting, Cape Town. AN INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORY OF WORLD DAY OF PRAYER by Helga Hiller and Eileen King

Read more: PCT The Women's Ministry Committee

Mrs. Nancy Lin, the representative of WDP National Committee of Taiwan.

Rev. Lian Siong-Bi, the Programmes Secretary of PCT Women's Ministry Committee

Rev. Betty Chang,the Chairperson of the committee

Mrs.LIN He, Fei-Fei, the representative of the Women’s Joint Prayer Meeting and the Ministry to Pastors' Wives ROC

Mrs. LI, Ping, the General Secretary of the Taipei Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)