Leader of Downtown Church Coordinates Event
Christians from congregations throughout the City of Erie, and the entire area, gathered at Erie City Council Chambersthis afternoon to pray for the nation, the city and its leaders.
The one-hour prayer event was the culmination of 24-hours of continuous Bible reading at Perry Square by teams of volunteers, which began at 11:00 am Wednesday, May 1, and concluded with the National Day of Prayer service.
Apostle Anita McCoy, Pastor and Executive Director at Field of Dreams Harvest Ministries, served as organizer and emcee for the event. She said, “This year’s theme is ‘Love One Another,’ from John 13:34.”
McCoy continued, “Jesus commanded us to ‘Love one another, just as I have loved you.’ Jesus’ love for us is sacrificial. Our love for each other must be sacrificial also. We put aside our own agenda to love each other despite our differences. It’s a privilege, and a responsibility, as Christians, to show our love by praying for one another and our leaders. Included in prayer is the power of blessing which builds bridges between people from differing backgrounds, churches, and even political parties. “Angelo Phillips and Shani Bills led worship for the prayer gathering.
Recognizing that prayer has been, and continues to be, an integral part of this nation’s history, the National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress. The Erie Prayer Task Force is the local Judeo-Christian expression of this resolution. Its goals are to:
- Foster unity within the Christian Church through unified public prayer
- Protect America’s Constitutional Freedoms to gather, worship, pray and speak freely
- Publicize and preserve America’s Christian heritage
- Encourage prayer, regardless of current issues and positions
- Respect all people, regardless of denomination or creed
- Glorify God in word and deed
