Community Comes Together to Celebrate National Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance meets together to find unity

Lori Garcia, Stake Communications Director (Hodge Park Ward)

Pastor Nikki Cooley, First Presbyterian Church, discusses the past, present and future of Christianity with Pastor Mike Kern, Hosanna! Lutheran Church, and Senior Pastor Jason Edwards, Second Baptist Church during the Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance Celebrates National Week of Prayer for Christian Unity event on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the Community of Christ Church in Liberty.

Christians from all different Liberty denominations met together on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the Community of Christ Church to unite in their common beliefs. The Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance put on the prayer service in conjunction with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an annual international ecumenical celebration that invites Christians to pray for unity.

“In a time when it feels like people are more divided, and focus more on their differences, I believe God wants us to come together to name and celebrate all that we have in common, Pastor Mike Kern, Hosanna! Lutheran Church and co-president of the Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance, said. “We’re never going to agree on everything, but I believe God’s church can serve as a witness that it’s possible and beneficial to love, respect, and value our neighbors.”

As part of the service, preachers, pastors and presidents along with congregants from several Liberty-area churches took part including those from First Presbyterian Church, Hosana! Lutheran Church, St James Catholic Church, Second Baptist Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Liberty Disciples of Christ, and Precious Blood Renewal Center participating reading prayers, singing hymns and discussing the past, present and future of the church in society at large. A candle-lighting also took place, noting for Christians to “be a light unto the world.” Calvin Permenter from First Presbyterian Church in Liberty served as the pianist.

“We are grateful to be part of the Liberty Ministerial Alliance,” President Rudi Garcia said. “These are good people with good values. There is so much more that unites as Christians and as a community, than that divides us.”

National Week of Prayer for Christian Unity takes place from January 18–25.

Members of the Liberty-area Ministerial Alliance (LMA) pose together for a picture after the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity event on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the Community of Christ Church in Liberty. Back row: Father Mike Roach, St. James Catholic Church; Pastor Mike Kern, Hosanna! Lutheran Church and co-president of the LMA; Pastor Nikki Cooley, First Presbyterian Church and co-president of the LMA; President Rudi Garcia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Senior Pastor Jason Edwards, Second Baptist Church. Front row: Abe Korb, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Pastor Dave Culver, Liberty Disciples of Christ; Father Ron Will, Precious Blood Renewal Center; Assistant Pastor Kerri Booth, Community of Christ; Calvin Permenter, First Presbyterian Church. Photo by Lori Garcia
Father Ron Will, Precious Blood Renewal Center, shares his candle light with David Bergen (Liberty Ward) during the event. Photo by Lori Garcia
Pres. Rudi Garcia, first counselor of the Liberty Stake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reads scriptures during the service. Photo by Lori Garcia
Members sing while holding candles, remembering to be a "light unto the world." Photo by Lori Garcia