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Community Outreach
Missionaries
Christians Gather to Pray for Unity
Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance joins together
Norma King, Media Director (Rush Creek Ward)
Christian believers from different denominations in the Liberty area gathered to pray for unity during the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Jan 22.
The Week of Prayer “helps us remember we’re all a part of one big family,” said the Rev. Nikki Cooley, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Liberty, which hosted the event.
“It’s just a way of trying to acknowledge we all believe in Jesus,” said Father Ron Will, an organizer for the event and member of the Liberty Ministerial Alliance which sponsored it. “What we believe is more common than what we disbelieve. We tend to point at each other and say, ‘they’re bad, they’re not as good as us.’ When in reality, we’ve all got a piece of the wisdom. And when we bring that together, it’s a way of respecting and honoring each other.”
The 45-minute service included messages of faith, music, a discussion on Christ’s light, and Taizé-style prayer using music, chants and scripture.
Mike Thorne (Doniphan Ward) said it was a great opportunity to get to know faithful people of other local churches. “Anne and I loved the overall format of the service, the moments of meditation and reflection, the bell choir, and the feeling inside the beautiful sanctuary where the First Presbyterian Church hosted the event. It’s refreshing to rub shoulders with so many good people in our city, and to see and hear their faith in Christ.
Barb Scott, a deacon at First Presbyterian, said she loved the candles, the quiet, and the reflection of the service. “It’s very calming,” she said.
The event was a spiritual uplift, said Rep. Marty Jacobs who represents Missouri’s 38th House District and attended the event.
“A foundation of our existence is in the various religious views that we have,” said Jacobs. “To me having an interfaith thing is indicative of what I believe is vitally important. You may come from one faith, I may come from another, but we share some things in common. So we may have a different way of worshiping God, but we’re still working at that. So it’s just nice to be here and share some spiritual uplift.”
“It was a great service and chance to get to know faithful people who attend the various local churches,” said Mike Thorne, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “It’s refreshing to rub shoulders with so many good people in our city and to see and hear their faith in Christ.”
Central messages of the service were that Jesus Christ is the light, believing in Him, and becoming children of the light are important for all Christians.
Captions
01 – Choir members from First Presbyterian Church in Liberty opened the service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, singing “God of Day and God of Darkness.” Photo by Norma King
02 – Rep. Marty Jacobs, from Missouri House District 38, attended the annual Week of Prayer event at First Presbyterian Church on Jan. 22. Shown are: (l-r) Frankie Harper (Hodge Park Ward) Rep. Jacobs, Rudi and Lori Garcia (Hodge Park Ward). Photo by Norma King
03 – Members of the choir lead the group from the sanctuary to the social hall. Photo by Tessa Shaeffer
04 – Church leaders from several Christian denominations attended and participated in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Shown are (l-r) front row: Rev. Nikki Cooley, First Presbyterian; Kerri Booth, Associate Presiding Elder at Community of Christ; Father Lac Pham, St. James Catholic Church; Rev Kelly Schneikart, Liberty Christian Church; Middle row: Rudi Garcia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Bernie Verssue, InAsMuch Ministries; Evangelist Gary Collins; Back row: Mike Kern, Hosanna! Lutheran; Mike Roach, St. James Catholic; Ron Wills, Precious Blood Renewal Center; Jay Meacham, St. James Catholic; Timothy Armbruster, Precious Blood Renewal Center. Photo by Lori Garcia
05 – Many candles lit the sanctuary at the First Presbyterian Church of Liberty during the Week of Prayer event. Photo by Tessa Shaeffer
“Being baptized makes us a child of the light. And in reality, wherever we are, we say that we believe in Christ. Even people who do not believe in Christ would see us as a child of that light, a child of Christ. And so, I think we are very visible once we claim ourselves, who we are, as a child of the light,” said Father Lac Pham from St. James Catholic Church during a panel discussion.
“When we are using Jesus’s teachings and examples in all of our everyday interactions and encounters with people, that’s how we are the children of the light and sharing that light,” said Kerri Booth, Associate Presiding Elder at Community of Christ. “We’re called to respond and react like Christ did in his day and age, and he got into trouble, as we all know. But he fed the hungry. He healed the sick. He welcomed the outcast in, and I think as we respond as children of light, we’re called to do that. And we’re called to speak truth to power. And know that everyone is of worth and is loved by Christ.”
“We, as Christians, are called to help heal and bring people together by our words and our actions. We just help the outsiders and we stand up for those that are being treated unfairly,” said Booth.
“Jesus didn’t hang out with people that looked like him or thought exactly like him,” added the Rev Kelly Schneikart of Liberty Christian Church. “He welcomed sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, outcasts. As Christians, that’s our job here on Earth to welcome and advocate for those who need it the most, and those who maybe can’t or don’t have the resources to advocate for themselves.”
Liberty Missouri Stake members also participated in the program. Jennifer Tilletsen (Rush Creek) treasurer of the Ministerial Alliance, assisted in lighting of the candles. Abe Korn (Shoal Creek Valley Ward) gave a scripture reading. And, Rudi Garcia (Hodge Park Ward) president of the Liberty-Area Ministerial Alliance, led the closing prayers.
Following the service, a social was held in the First Presbyterian Fellowship Hall.
Frankie Harper (Hodge Park Ward) who serves on the Stake Communication Council, echoed the feelings of many in attendance who enjoyed attending and meeting and talking to people of other faiths. “It was different from my normal way of worshipping. It was great to see everything come together and see the various talents of people as well.”
Natalie Christensen (North Brook Park Ward) is also on the Stake Communication Council and attended with her husband Jared. “The ceremony was very reverent and uplifting to worship the Lord in different ways,” she said. “It was exciting to see so many faiths represented and encouraging to watch everyone enjoying themselves and mingling together.”