Madison hosting prayer gathering

MADISON — Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler is inviting all residents to participate in “A Call to Prayer” on Thursday, Sept. 22, to gather, enrich their hearts, and to pray for themselves and one another.

The service is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at The First Baptist Church on Main Street and last until 7:30 p.m.

Hawkins-Butler said Madison is the city that prayer is building, and “nothing is more important than the conversations we have with our Lord and Savior.”

“We are blessed to live in a community that acknowledges the power of prayer,” Hawkins-Butler said. “Prayer is mighty. Hopefully, this service will inspire a revival in our community. We cannot be healed without our Lord’s mercy, and maybe this evening of worship will inspire other communities to have a call for prayer in their hometowns. We invite everyone to join us for this joyous and uplifting event.”

Peter Vozzo, chairman of the A Call to Prayer event and community volunteer for Madison, said the service is inspired by the general nature of everything going on in the world right now.

“The mayor has looked around and she is proud of the diversity in this town and how everyone works very well together in Madison,” Vozzo said. “This is an opportunity to continue that. We’ve talked to a lot of people who are enthusiastic about it. First Baptist of Madison holds around 1,400 people in the main hall, and our intention is to completely fill that room and maybe even have some people overflowing out of there. We’re very excited about it.”

Nashville Song Writer’s Hall of Famer Dickey Lee will lead off the service, singing “The Old Rugged Cross.” The main speaker is Dr. Robert Jeffress from First Baptist Church of Dallas, and he will share his ideas on the power of prayer and its role in being one single community in Christ as we address the challenges in our collective lives.

“We’ve spoken to all the pastors in the area, and there was unanimous enthusiasm among them,” Vozzo said. “We want to get the word out as much as possible. I think people who come to this service will enrich their hearts and have an uplifting feeling that we can all work together as they walk out of there. Dr. Jeffress is a very charismatic speaker and I think his words are going to be encouraging and uplifting.”

Vozzo noted he and other service organizers are trying to make sure the service is succinct and short and timed to where families can participate and still be home in time for supper.

First Baptist Church of Madison is located at 2100 Main Street.