WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2026

Focus on Nigeria. Friday, 6 March St Mary’s Anglican Church @ 2pm

AND NOW YOU KNOW

When the Gospel is about to be proclaimed, something changes in the church.

People rise to their feet. This is not courtesy. It is recognition. In the Church, standing is the posture reserved for authority, honour, and readiness. We stand because Christ Himself is about to speak. The Gospel is not merely a reading; it is the living Word proclaimed in the assembly. In ancient times, people stood when a king entered the room or when a royal decree was announced. By standing for the Gospel, the Church confesses that Jesus is King, and His words demand our full attention and reverence. Standing is also a sign of respect for the Resurrection. The early Christians prayed standing

because they believed Christ had conquered death. When we stand for the Gospel, we proclaim that the One who speaks is alive, not a memory from the past. There is also a personal challenge hidden in this posture. Standing means readiness to respond. The Gospel is not meant to comfort us alone, it is

meant to call us, correct us, and send us. So before the Gospel is even proclaimed, the Church asks us to preach with our bodies: - “I am listening. I am ready. I will follow.” The Gospel is the moment when heaven addresses earth, and the Church stands to receive it.