In the 19th century, Christian women of the U.S. and Canada began engaging in cooperative activities to support women’s involvement in missions across the world. In 1887, Presbyterian women called for a day of prayer for home missions which the Methodist women joined from 1892 to 1894 after calling for a week of prayer. The Baptist started a day of prayer for foreign missions in 1891.
Forming a committee in 1897, women from six denominations would eventually start a united day of prayer for home missions. These women took turns in the other participating denominations and organized the common worship service. In 1912, the Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions decided that there should be a united day of prayer for foreign missions that would be observed in different parts of the world.
After the success of the Ecumenical Missionary Conference in New York City in 1900, a group of laywomen organized an interdenominational Central Committee for United Study that prepared publications, summer conferences, study days, and courses so that women could be up-to-date about the lives of women in other parts of the world. These courses also enabled them to study biblical foundations and important issues related to mission work. Women took initiatives to organize interdenominational structures that were effective and cooperative in home and foreign missions. In 1908, the women founded the Council of Women for Home Missions that assumed responsibility for the rehabilitation of immigrants and other social issues, and for the preparation of the joint day of prayer.