• National Forgiveness Week – Explore and discover the power of Forgiveness

    Explore and discover the power of

    FORGIVENESS
    FROM THE HEART

    relational – interpersonal – heartfelt

    In homes, in families,
    in relationships from every sphere of life
    – churches, workplaces, communities
    and in the nation.

    The Vision

    • To introduce National Forgiveness Week (NFW) to a nation, an annual week designed to promote relational forgiveness.
    • To encourage churches to teach and practice one-on-one forgiveness within their congregations and into their communities.
    • To promote the principles of heartfelt forgiveness openly to the population of an entire nation.

    Abraham Lincoln said, “The strength of a nation lies in its homes.”

    The Need

    • Unforgiveness has adversely impacted our relationships, our communities and our nation.
    • Everyone has been offended, hurt or abused by someone. Likewise, everyone has offended, upset or abused others. Consequently, the value of forgiveness can be clearly understood and practised by those willing.

    Potential Benefits and Outcomes

    • Unifying churches across the nation in one annual endeavour;
    • Resolving tensions within our personal lives;
    • Promoting peace and genuine reconciliation between individuals, spouses, siblings and across families in general;
    • Healing destructive rifts in society, such as marital friction, interracial strife, religious discrimination, personal biases and conflicts of all kinds; and
    • Fostering unity and cooperation within communities, creating of an atmosphere of peace and harmony over nations, and promoting healthy relationships across all facets of our existence.

    “If each person cleans up their own backyard, the nation will be clean.”
    (David Newby 2003)

    Where it All Began

    • Forgiveness Week had its beginnings somewhere in the African jungle in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
    • In the early 2000s it developed into National Forgiveness Week when two Australians took the concept to some South Pacific island nations, namely Fiji and Vanuatu, and later to Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land Australia, where it continues to be held annually.

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    What is National Forgiveness Week?

    • National Forgiveness Week (NFW) is an 8-day week, running from Sunday to Sunday annually where people, both in churches and across the entire population, are exposed to the value of interpersonal one-on-one forgiveness.
    • Active forgiveness eases relational problems and releases people from the captivity inflicted by hurts and offences.

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    NFW Flowchart

    This Flow Chart is an overview of the organisational structure for National Forgiveness Week (NFW).

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    • It illustrates how churches and government can cooperate by forming an NFW Organising Committee to design and implement NFW throughout their nation.
    • It shows how forgiveness can be taught in establishments, institutions and businesses throughout communities during that week by churches, charitable organisations and NGOs.

    How to do NFW

    • NFW can be introduced into a nation through numerous routes … nationally (with the aid of government), or progressively through province/state, municipalities or communities.
    • NFW can be initiated by a church unity group (eg. Ministers’ Fraternal or Christian peak body), denomination(s) or individual churches depending on the most suitable on-ramp.
    NATION
    STATE / PROVINCE
    CITY / TOWN
    COMMUNITY / VILLAGE
    CHURCH DENOMINATION
    INDIVIDUAL CHURCH

    When is National Forgiveness Week?

    The week is run in September/October each year.
    Annual dates for National Forgiveness Week are…

    • 2027 – Sunday 3rd October to Sunday 10th October
    • 2028 – Sunday 24th September to Sunday 1st October
    • 2029 – Sunday 9th September to Sunday 16th September
    • 2030 – Sunday 29th September to Sunday 6th October

    If these dates conflict with national calendars, NFW can be held at alternative dates during the year.

    Stories and Testimonies

    • Genuine forgiveness is simply an expression of love. Here are a few heartwarming stories about forgiveness in action as it impacts both the forgiver and the forgiven.
    • Personal testimonies are the key to conveying the message of forgiveness to our hearts.

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    Resources

    Forgiveness can become a way of life. Here are some resources to teach forgiveness and to help apply it when the need arises in our daily interactions.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Read answers to all our Frequently Asked Questions.

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    Contact Us

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