Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023

2023 Theme: “Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” — Isaiah 1:17

Hosted by the Liberty-Area Ministerial Alliance and the Precious Blood Renewal Center

2023 Week of Prayer Schedule of Events

Ecumenical Prayer Service (Open to the Public)
Thursday, January 19 | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
St. James Catholic Church, Liberty, Missouri
Reception and dialogue follow in parish hall.

We will collect cash and food items to donate to In As Much Ministry, the food pantry that serves Clay County, Missouri. Checks can be made out to the Liberty Ministerial Alliance.

Day of Study for Clergy & Church Staffs
Tuesday, January 24 | 11 a.m. – 2  p.m.
Precious Blood Renewal Center, Liberty, Missouri
Includes lunch and access to retreat grounds. (Registration required for the study day.)

Public Presentation: Introduction to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints
Tuesday, January 24 | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. (Registration appreciated.)
Precious Blood Renewal Center, Liberty, Missouri

January 24 Speakers

Alan Edelman “On the Prophetic Tradition in Judaism”
A native of Kansas City, Alan attended the Jewish Theological Seminary where he received a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education. He has served as the regional director for the Conservative Movement and executive director of the Central Agency for Jewish Education. Beginning in 1994, he was the Associate Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City until his retirement in 2017. He is currently the incoming chair of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council.

Fr. Sunoj Thomas, OSB “On the First Chapter of the Book of Isaiah”
A native of Kerala, India, he is the oldest of three sons. After graduating high school, he joined the Benedictine monastery and was ordained in 2002. Father Thomas is proficient in numerous languages, including Greek and Hebrew. He received a licentiate degree from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He currently serves as the pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in the Northland.

Brent Johnston “On the Church of Latter-day Saints”
Originally from Arizona, Brent and his wife, Michelle, moved to Liberty in 2009 after Brent graduated from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas. Brent and Michelle have four children. Brent served as a full-time missionary for the LDS church in Argentina from 1999-2001. Since returning from Argentina, he has served in many leadership positions within the church, including as Bishop of a congregation in Liberty from 2015-2020. He and his wife are very active in charitable and interfaith efforts. Brent has previously served as the president and is currently the vice president, of the Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance.

Background

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an ecumenical Christian observance celebrated internationally; and since 1908 has been observed in the northern hemisphere between the feasts of the Conversion of St. Paul and the Confession of St. Peter (January 18-25). The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches appointed the Minnesota Council of Churches to develop the 2023 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity theme and materials. Their reflections are influenced by the global pandemic and the most recent movement for racial justice in response to the murder of George Floyd.