World Council

The World Council of the GFS exists to ‘promote fellowship between members of the Society throughout the world, by the exchange of ideas and information’.

This Council meets every three years and each country where GFS is operating is invited to be represented by 2 delegates, a Senior Delegate and a Junior Delegate from the country. The Junior Delegate is be aged under 25 years.

GFS World Wide is a democracy and each country attending has 1 vote for any matters of business that require a vote. It is common for a number of Observers to attend from the various countries to support their Delegates. Part of the business of the World Council is to decide on the World Project to be supported by GFS World Wide. – See the section on World Projects which show the variety of projects supported. While all countries are encouraged to support and stay in contact with each other between World Council meetings, smaller support and mentoring groups are formed where typically 3/4 countries form these ‘Link Groups’. Staying in contact has been made much easier with the use of technology and social media.

World Council is hosted by the different countries in which GFS is operating.

GFS Worldwide Website

Girls Friendly Society

World Day of Prayer

The GFS World Day of Prayer is held every year on the 29th September (the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels) and is the occasion when all Branches worldwide may be linked together in prayer.

The World Day of Prayer automatically circulates around the countries in alphabetical order, in consultation with the current World President. Therefore, a special Order of Service, for use by branches and dioceses, is produced by a different country each year; copies of the Order of Service may be obtained from the Central Office. If the special leaflet for this service is not used, (e.g. the day is observed at a church service on the nearest Sunday as sometimes is more suitable in parishes) then the Rector should be consulted and asked to coordinate hymns, lessons, readings, prayers and sermon to the theme of the year, allied to the special worldwide significance of the day.

It is generally accepted that Junior Members or Members read the lessons and take up the collection on that day. The collection at all branch World Day of Prayer services should be donated to the GFS World Project.