Women, men and children in over 170 countries will gather at 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, to celebrate World Day of Prayer. In the Lehighton / Weissport area, a service will be celebrated at the First Presbyterian Church, Third and Mahoning Streets, Lehighton, PA. The service begins at p.m. and is sponsored by Life (Lehighton Interfaith Fellowship). The church is handicapped accessible.

World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March. Services begin at sunrise in the Pacific and follow the sun around the globe. This year, the women of France wrote the service focusing on the theme "I Was A Stranger and You Welcomed Me".Participating in the service from the host church are: Gerry Andrews, Bill Lester, Tracy Lester and Shirley Stamm. Other persons participating are: Mary Fay Levendusky - All Saint's Episcopal Church, Jean Gothard (pianist), Jenny Keiper, Joan Mertz and SALM Emma Weaver - Grace/Zion Lutheran Church, Rose Marie Austin - Sts. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, Rae Grow and Shirley Radler - Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church.There will be a time for refreshments and fellowship after the service.