Prayer breakfast seeks unity in fractious times
Courtesy photo Terry McGonigal, director of church engagement at Whitworth University in Spokane, will speak at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast next Tuesday.
MOSES LAKE — Next Tuesday is a day for prayer in Moses Lake.
“We take time to pray for our nation, our state, our county, and our city,” said Francie Irwin, chairperson and organizer of the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.
“It’s a time to get together as a community to recognize God is a part of our community,” Irwin added.
Sponsored by the Kiwanis, the 24th annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast will be held in the ATEC Building at Big Bend Community College from 7-9 a.m., May 2. Tickets are $20 per person and $150 for a table of eight.
“We do this very ecumenically, and it’s not limited to Christians,” Irwin said. “We assume most are Christians, but we will not eliminate people of other faiths.”
This year’s featured speaker is Terry McGonigal, director of church engagement at Whitworth University in Spokane, and the organizer of the North Spokane Prayer Breakfast later next week.
“Terry is passionate about connecting the spiritual resources provided through the scriptures with the community of God’s people in order to encourage their growth as disciples of Jesus in the proclamation of Jesus’ Gospel,” according to a short biographical statement on McGonigal.
Irwin said McGonigal was a natural choice given his focus on equipping disciples and engaging the world.
“He asked, ‘What are the issues in Moses Lake?’ How do we as Christians cope with the extremes and are not able to talk to each other in our society,” she said.
Irwin lamented the divisions and the rancor in American society, noting that she finds it difficult to even listen to the news these days.
“Republicans won’t talk to Democrats, and Democrats won’t work with Republicans. No one will talk to or work with each other,” she said.
Irwin said the organizing and planning for the prayer breakfast has gotten off to a late start this year, and she encouraged local businesses, churches, and community groups to purchase tables for this year’s breakfast.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com