In a country politically divided, local pastors hope gathering in prayer will help promote unity.
For the past several years, a local church has organized a gathering on the Johnson County Courthouse lawn on the annual National Day of Prayer. This year, Grace United Methodist Church is looking to expand the event by getting other churches and local government officials involved, pastor Andy Kinsey said.
This year, the theme of the National Day of Prayer is unity, which pastors described as being especially appropriate given current political divisiveness in the country.
“We live in a very divided and polarized country, and we see a lot of fragmentation taking place in the wider culture,” Kinsey said.
Leading up to the event, pastors spent time talking with Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett and other city officials to learn about specific areas of concern that they could pray about for the community, he said.
Kinsey wants community leaders to know that local churches are supporting them and praying for their success.
The opioid epidemic, homelessness and poverty are several of the key issues that local officials said they were most concerned about, Kinsey said.
They also connected with two other local churches, Franklin City Church and Victory Christian Church, to get them involved as well, Kinsey said.
“We’ve been reaching out and trying to build bridges, and this is an opportunity to do that,” he said.
The plan is to meet and pray on the courthouse lawn for about 30 minutes beginning at noon on Thursday.
Josh Caldwell, the pastor of Victory Christian church, said his church was taking part in the event out of a desire to make sure that they are out and involved in the community.
Grace United Methodist Church is also inviting people to a drive-thru prayer event at their church, 1300 E. Adams Drive, Franklin, from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m Thursday. Drivers can come by the church’s entrance and someone will be there to pray with them, Kinsey said.
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A group of local churches are inviting members of the public to pray for the community on National Day of Prayer this week.
Where: Johnson County Courthouse lawn, 5 E. Jefferson St., Franklin
When: Noon to 12:30 p.m. Thursday
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