The 2026 World Day of Prayer was held at St. James Lutheran Church on March 6, 2026. Women from local churches in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, participated in a Christian program with a message focused on women in Nigeria facing human suffering and poverty.
The worship service shared the lives of three women in Nigeria facing burdens of being single with young children, dealing with shame and poverty, and how their experiences reveal that God provides rest through community support, faith, and hope.
We learn to embody Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all you who are weary.
Seeking grace from each other will bring God’s rest in our troubled world. The event was well attended, with 50 people from surrounding communities gathering to worship together. The Pickers played hymns and music. A delicious lunch was provided after the program, consisting of Nigerian dishes such as rice, yams, and black-eyed peas. A free-will offering was collected to directly support women and children on this special World Day of Prayer, in remembrance of Nigerian women.
“It was a wonderful time of worship and an enjoyable lunch shared with our community,” said Mary Wendt. “I want to thank St. James Lutheran for hosting this year’s beautiful program.”
Next year’s World Day of Prayer, which has been held nationwide for many years and always on the first Friday of March, will host the country of Ghana in March 2027.
Read the full issue of the Belle Fourche Beacon by clicking here.
