By Lois Rogers | Correspondent

Every year, as their contribution to the World Day of Prayer, a group of women from nine area parishes throughout southern Ocean County parishes prepare and celebrate an ecumenical prayer service on the first Friday in March.

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For 25 years, Grace Ranellone has been either among the organizers or the participants of this day of shared faith.

Ask Ranellone, a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Brant Beach, host of the event this year, what draws her back time and again, and her answer is immediate.

“It’s a great day for learning, reflection, prayer and educating ourselves about women in a different country,” began Ranellone.

She noted that the event was attended by upwards of 70 members of Catholic, Episcopal, United Methodist and Evangelical Lutheran congregations from Waretown south on the mainland to Long Beach Island.

Aside from St. Francis Parish, the faith communities attending were St. Mary Parish, Barnegat; Holy Innocents Episcopal, Beach Haven; Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran, Brant Beach; Manahawkin United Methodist, Manahawkin; Terrace United Methodist, Beach Haven Terrace; Kynett United Methodist, Beach Haven; Waretown United Methodist, Waretown and Zion Lutheran, Barnegat Light.

Ranellone, a member of the planning committee this year, described how every year the service focuses on the women of a different country. This year, in a service entitled “Streams in the Desert,” the focus was on Egypt.

Franciscan Sister Patricia Klemm, pastoral associate in St. Francis Parish, who also helped organize this year’s event, said a great value of the service is that it unites everyone in one place to pray and reflect on the country chosen by the World Day of Prayer international committee.

The services are composed over three year periods by the national and regional committees of that country. There is always an emphasis on prayer and action in the services which reflects the concerns of the women of the focus country according to material from the International Committee.

Sister Patricia explained that the offerings received during the service are used to provide grants to non-profit organizations that deal with the issues identified by the focus country. This year, $500 was raised during the service to help fund grants for women or children in need, she said.

The World Day of Prayer was founded in 1887 in the United States to encourage awareness of other countries and cultures. Sister Patricia noted that participants are encouraged to help with the burdens of other people, to sympathize with their problems and to pray with and for them.

Ranellone said that what she appreciates most about the day is its emphasis on peace and understanding. A few days after the event, she theorized about the role women play in “trying to bring more understanding in the world. I think if women had their way, the world would be different, more peaceful.

“The fact that different denominations are involved is great,” she said.

The annual gathering has helped to build a sense of community that extends throughout the year, she said. “We get together, we see each other. We meet in the supermarket and around town. We know each other and that’s a wonderful thing.”