Day of Prayer: ''Love One Another"
Local residents came together Thursday, May 2, with the focus "Love One Another" on National Day of Prayer.
A observance organized by the Greencastle-Antrim Christian Women's Fellowship and the Greencastle-Antrim Ministerium in First United Methodist Church was followed by a gathering for prayer outside Greencastle Borough Hall.
This year's national theme is based on John 13:34, "Love one another as I have loved you."
Every person asked to participate in the program said yes, according to Dotti Zimmerman of the women's fellowship.
"That tells you God's hand is upon our morning," Zimmerman said in her welcome. "We need a massive prayer movement that will lead us back to God and bring healing to this land."
Pastor David Rawley talked about identifying marks like scars and tattoos on people featured on wanted person posters at the post office. When a person is filled with the spirit of Christ, it begins on the inside and then shows on the outside.
"Jesus said, 'You will know they're one of mine by their love,'" Rawley said in comments offered before people representing various facets of the community offered prayers. They included:
- Government – State Rep. Paul Schemel, 90th Legislative District
Schemel admitted some people are grumpy, grouchy and not easy to love.
We must recognize the humanity of others and remember "God loves them just as God loves us."
- Business – Sam Horst, retired founder of Horst-Craft Cabinets Inc.
Horst talked about all the opportunities given to him by people in the community and how much the community means to him, made the statement "I love wood" and explained how God led him to the business where he was supposed to go.
"Lord, I pray that you remain at the forefront of all our business practices," Horst said.
- Churches – Kelsey Marshall, interim preaching pastor at Greencastle Presbyterian Church and sign language interpreter for hymns
She likened the church to a tapestry with many threads.
"We are all woven together and each of us is God's holy temple so we were meant to be people of prayer," Marshall said. We need to be mindful that regardless of things like age, gender and upbringing each "embodies your holy spirit."
- Families – Anna Lee Kopp, mother of two, grandmother of three and a marriage mentor with husband Dave.
"God calls us to love one another," said Kopp.
People need to spend time together, make memories and learn to forgive from the heart, said Kopp, who encouraged uplifting conflict resolution and peaceful communication.
- Education – Mark Herman, principal Greencastle-Antrim Middle
"Whoever does not love, doesn't know God," Herman said, quoting from 1 John I, Chapter 4.
School is not always a nice place and "it makes me happy to know God is in control," said Herman, who asked people to pray for everyone who works with a child "that we will be able to be God-loving in their lives."
- Military – Steve Miller, West Point graduate, retired U.S. Army captain and Letterkenny retiree
Miller, who also is president of Greencastle Borough Council, asked for a show of hands for those involved in the military, first responders and their families. Nearly every hand in the room went up.
He said the military may sound incompatible with love, but he believes God called him to service.
"David was a man of God's own heart, but he was a warrior," Miller said.
He referred to his brother-in-law, Greencastle Police Chief John Phillippy, and how he and his officers "shield us from the warts in our community."
Military values sound a lot like Christian values, Miller said, listing loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.
Media – Ben Thomas, mayor of Greencastle, active with Greencastle radio station WRGG
Thomas talked about the UPI teletype running 24 hours a day in 1968 at WKSL, the Greencastle radio station founded by his father. The news was coming from men and women who sometimes were in harm's way in Vietnam or at riots in cities.
"Some of them would die trying to get the news," Thomas said, praying for the safety of those who go after the news.