DAEJEON, Korea (UCAN) -- Christian leaders at a service marking the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity stressed the importance of continual prayer toward this goal.

"We, Christians from various traditions, need to pray to be united as followers of our Lord, Jesus Christ," urged Methodist Bishop Shin Kyoung-ha in his homily at the Jan. 18 prayer service. Bomoon Methodist Church in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, hosted the event.

The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the Korean Catholic bishops' Committee for Promoting Christian Unity and Interreligious Dialogue organized the gathering for the annual unity week, observed Jan. 18-25 in many places around the world. About 200 members of the Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Orthodox Churches attended.

This year's theme for the week, Pray Without Ceasing, was chosen by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches. For the past several years, these two organizations have jointly set the theme as well as prepared materials for use during Unity Week services.

At the Daejeon gathering, Bishop Shin reminded the participants from various traditions that "as Jesus urged his apostles to pray for unity even though they were from different classes of Jewish society, we need to admit there are differences among us and to strive for harmony under Jesus Christ."

The prelate, president of the Council of Bishops of the Korean Methodist Church, pointed out that prayer is already a sign of Christians' connection with God.

The prayer service began with eight Catholic and Protestant clerics carrying lighted candles into the altar area, while a choir of Catholic nuns from the Sacred Word congregation sang.

After prayers to the Holy Spirit, a Sacred Word nun read a biblical passage and an Orthodox priest presented a Gospel reading. The eight Christian clerics then exchanged peace greetings and, as a sign of Christians' commitment to keep praying and engaging in ecumenical work, used their candles to light the candles the rest of the congregation held.

The service ended with a profession of faith and the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, according to each Church's formulation.

NCCK secretary Reverend Kwon Oh-sung asked participants not only to pray for fellow Christians but also for their "suffering neighbors" such as migrant workers, irregular workers and other marginalized people, "and for reconciliation of the two (North and South) Koreas."

Auxiliary Bishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong of Kwangju, pointed out in his address, "If we were not followers confessing Jesus Christ as our savior, we would not meet together here." The Catholic bishop told UCA News that same day: "For years we have been stressing the differences between the Catholic and Protestant Churches. From now on, we should focus on what we have in common."

During the service, Father John Song Yong-min, secretary of the Catholic bishops' ecumenism committee, explained to the congregation the order of the service and what some parts meant.

According to a booklet published for the gathering, the service incorporated "elements of Roman Catholic liturgy, Protestant pietism and the special contribution of American Pentecostalism and other major Christian traditions."

Bomoon Methodist Church member Kim Hye-in, commenting on the prayer service, told UCA News, "I'm happy to meet lots of Christians from various denominations." He added that he wants Christians to "to build together communities that are worthy of Jesus Christ."

The ecumenical movement in Korea gathered momentum from 1965, when the Catholic and Anglican Churches started visiting one another and holding joint prayer meetings. The Catholic Church, NCCK and Lutheran Church have jointly conducted annual Unity Week prayer gatherings since 1986. The Orthodox Church often joined such gatherings.

Beginning in 2000, theologians from various traditions also have met for theological discussions and joint production of materials for homilies.

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