In January, as many Chattanoogans began the new year with 21 days of prayer and fasting, pastors were calling around. Did they want to get together to pray? Before long, members of several churches were convening, hundreds strong, for ecumenical prayer gatherings.
“It was so good,” said Chad Harris, the pastor at The Crossing Church, which hosted one of the events.
The vitality stemmed in part from the fact that not all Christians pray the same, he said. Some prayers are contemplative, where as others are liturgical, drawn directly from Scripture. Then there’s moments of cooperative prayer, where everyone is loud, unified.
More churches gathered again Good Friday, and now Thursday evening, more than 20 churches are set to unite at The Crossing Church near Tyner to observe the National Day of Prayer.
The nonprofit Chattanooga House of Prayer, which Harris called the “mastermind” behind the events, has historically marked the occasion with a service outside the Hamilton County Courthouse. This year’s 7 p.m. church gathering is aimed at boosting attendance — and channeling the special energy of the earlier ecumenical gatherings.