Upcoming Prayer Walk and Summit to address Chattanooga area violence

It’s a comfort zone many people turn to when they’re seeking answers – prayer.

With the ever-increasing acts of violence occurring in communities in and around Chattanooga, a group of people are trying to combat the trend by promoting peace in a public way – a citywide Prayer Walk and Prayer Summit.

Transformative Prayer Partners, a group of church officials, parishioners and community leaders, is holding the walk on Saturday, March 19, and the summit on Sunday, March 20, says the Rev. E.L. Young, pastor of Mount Paran Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga.

“Transformative Prayer Partners is a group of concerned pastors and community leaders who get together to talk and pray about different issues going on in our city,” Young says. “We are men and women of different races and faiths who are spearheading the walk and a prayer summit to discuss these issues.”

“A few of we pastors started talking about the need to bring people together so we could work on a prayer walk and summit,” he says, and anyone who promotes peace and believes in the power of prayer is welcome to participate.

There will be two walks on March 19, both beginning at 10 a.m. One will start at New Monumental Baptist Church, 901 Woodmore Lane in Brainerd. There will be stops during the walk at schools in the community where walkers will collectively pray. The walk will culminate at Brainerd High School.

The second walk will start at the corner of Lindsey and 11th Streets in downtown and circle around the city, stopping in different locations to pray, ending back where it started.

The Prayer Summit will be held at First Centenary United Methodist Church, 419 McCallie Ave., at 3 p.m. March 20. The one-hour summit will include a concert and talks of motivation and inspiration from local pastors and leaders.

Along with focusing on violence, the two events also will discuss such pertinent local issues as employment challenges, affordable housing barriers, homelessness, marriage and family and education, Young says.

So far, about 30 local churches representing many denominations are involved in Transformative Prayer Partners, he says.

“There’s so much crime going on in our world today that shouldn’t be happening,” says the Rev. Zalendria Williams, minister at New Monumental Baptist Church. “It’s time to be proactive. Prayer is essential and so is action. We’ve decided to have more of a physical presence in our communities. Enough is enough and we need to come together and make our city better.

“It doesn’t matter your faith, economic background, race,” she says. “We are one people and we all hurt. We need to let these people in trouble know that we care about them and that we’re here for them. But we need to start with the basics – prayer.

“Prayer is the foundation,” she says. “The Bible says we have power in authority and we have to activate it. It’s time to combat the situation by putting action with our words. The Prayer Walk is a springboard to do this. It’s only the beginning.”

Williams is passionate about the need to take control of crime that’s taking place not only locally but nationally as well.

“The senseless shootings and killings, the robberies, rampant sexual abuse, the enemies attack on marriages and families, the growing disrespect for authority – we are living in some terrible times,” she says. “It is important that we take time together, to walk together, to pray together. It is imperative that God’s people today be devoted to changing our city, changing our region. And it starts through prayer.”

Young says the walk and summit are only the beginning.

“We want people to understand that this won’t end at the conclusion of this upcoming event,” he says. “We’re already working on additional prayer walks and summits.

“We don’t want people to come to the event and pray and then go back to their corners. We want them to stay involved. People who attend will have the opportunity to help us develop an action plan.”

Contact Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396.