While all people in the community are welcome to attend the service, being hosted by Beachside Christian Fellowship, Port residents with Filipino roots are especially encouraged to head along as the focus nation this year is the Philippines.

“We are inviting all the Filipinos in our community to be our special guests,” Beachside Christian Fellowship Pastor Bill Brill said.

“It is a combined churches gathering with guest speakers, Filipino food and decorations.”

Much like they share the organisation of the annual Christmas carols in Fly Point, the Combined Churches of Port Stephens take turns in hosting the World Day of Prayer service. Gateway Presbyterian Church in Anna Bay hosted the service last year. The focus nation was Cuba.

This year it is the Christian Fellowship hosting.

Next year St Michael’s Catholic Church will take up the torch. Their focus will be the small South American nation Suriname. The Port’s churches have been hosting a World Day of Prayer service in the area since 1984. A record book has been kept throughout that time, with each church documenting their service before passing it over to the next hosting church.

Father Kevin Corrigan from St Michael’s will speak during the service, as will Steven and Helen Blake about their work in the Philippines helping children.

A special offering will be received during the service with all proceeds to be forwarded to projects in the Philippines such as trauma counselling. Money raised from Friday’s service, which will be held at Beachside Christian Fellowship in Taylor’s Beach from 11am, will be directed to WDP 2017 Project. The project helps Filipino women and children who have faced trauma and grief caused by Cyclone Hainan and domestic abuse receive counselling. On a Port Stephens community level, however, Pastor Brill said he hoped all Filipinos would attend the March 3 service, connect with others and eat some tasty food.