|
|
|
|
Prayer service unites several denominations By Jake Griffin Daily Herald Staff Writer Posted Friday, September 02, 2005 A group of interfaith ministers relied on proven scripture rather than original sermons Thursday as they led a group of about 40 inter-denominational parishioners in prayer for Hurricane Katrina victims at a Naperville church. The short-notice service at the First Congregational United Church of Christ was attended by many who had loose affiliations with the gulf coast region, but it also brought out a few who still are hoping to hear word from family in the devastated region. “My brother and his family live in that New Orleans Ward 9 that they keep talking about,” said Sheena Coleman of Naperville. “His daughter said she was at the Superdome and that the rest of them were trying to get out of town to relatives a ways off. She said they were safe, but I don’t know what safe is.” The church’s pastor, Greg Skiba, organized the service to bring together members of his flock who had just returned from Biloxi, Miss., less than a month ago as part of a youth mission to work with impoverished residents in that area. “God, you know their pain more deeply than anyone,” he prayed. “Hear all these prayers.” People come together to pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Leaders from six local churches and synagogues joined the service. “I’m not going to be disappointed by the number of people inside the church because there’s not been a lot of notice,” said The Rev. Emy Lou Belcher of the DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church in Naperville. “I hopefully will be surprised.” Herb Golinkin, a member of Naperville’s Congregation Beth Shalom, said the interfaith service is a reminder to all that people need to come together in times of crisis. “I think it’s a good idea to get people together especially at times like this when we’ve got to support one another,” he said. Instead of taking donations for hurricane survivors at the door, the organizers handed out fliers detailing where attendees could send monetary help themselves. The group sang hymns together and at the end lit candles “as a symbol of our willingness to go on and help,” Skiba said. |
• Copyright © 2008 First Congregational Church |
