Prayer and Fasing to End Violence

Our parish is just down the road from South Bend, Indiana. One of our parishioners drew the following article to the parish family's attention and asked if all of us could join in this important effort to pray for peace. We can and we will. The congregation will join their prayers for an end to the violence in the community. Additionally, special prayers will be added to our daily morning prayer services which are at 10 am Monday through Friday. Normally during these services we raise all our voices for peace and healing, but we pray even harder for an end to violence in South Bend. The same will occure during evening prayer services and following the Holy Qurbana on Sundays.

We ask that all our readers do the same. Please pray not only for the end to violence in the South Bend community, but in all the world. Through fasting and prayer we can make a difference in all of our communities. St.Paul tells us, teaches us, to pray and pray unceassingly. The early church did so. Why are we not doing it today? But rather than talk about why we do not do it today, we need to just do it. Remember that when two or more of us come together in prayer and fellowship, Christ is with us. While our prayers may be weak, joined together with Christ and the Holy Spirit, a powerful cry is raised to Heaven. Let us do so.

Area faithful plan 40-day fasting, prayer to end violence

Church leaders and congregations to participate for 40 days.

By ERIN BLASKO
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND — In response to the plague of violence that has gripped the city the past several weeks, about 40 local pastors on Sunday plan to ask their congregants to participate in 40 days of prayer and fasting.

During the 40-day period, congregants will be asked to fast in some fashion and to commit to pray at church for at least one three-hour period.

The prayers will address violence and issues related to violence, such as education, poverty, drug use and inequality.

The aim is to have at least one member of each church praying every hour of every day until the 40 days is finished.

The idea was hatched by the Rev. Keith Witherspoon, pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church on Fillmore

Road in South Bend, in response to recent shootings and killings in the city.

Between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3, nine people were shot in South Bend, resulting in three deaths. Another person was stabbed during the same period.

The plan was discussed and finalized during a passionate two-hour meeting Friday evening at Bethlehem Baptist Church. The meeting, organized by Witherspoon, was attended by dozens of religious leaders and several lay people.

Witherspoon said the period of praying and fasting is simply a beginning, and that he and others are committed to forming a long-term and wide-ranging plan-of-action to address violence in the community.

source: http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081108/News01/811080304/1130/Sports01