(Montgomery, AL) - The Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church of Montgomery’s Work Area on Church & Society hosted a prayer breakfast on February 23 in the fellowship hall of The New Church at 301 Dexter Avenue (formerly Dexter Ave. United Methodist Church). Alabama Supreme Court Justices Tom Parker and Lyn Stuart, numerous state legislators, area United Methodist pastors and lay persons gathered to pray for our state.
Susan Hunt, Conference Director of Mission and Advocacy, welcomed the group. Guest speaker Dr. Lawson Bryan, Senior Minister at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery, encouraged those present to follow the example of Priscilla and Aquila as told in the Book of Acts and find ways to work together with mutual respect for each others’ differences.
Dr. Bryan also pointed out the similarities between the governance of the United Methodist Church and the democratic model on which the federal and state governments are based. He suggested that government officials and church leaders can benefit from each others’ counsel and explained that the eight million members of the United Methodist Church are governed by their Book of Discipline, which includes thoughtful discussion of many issues in the contemporary world. Guests were provided with a specially prepared pamphlet offering Social Principles from the Book of Discipline addressing some of the issues facing lawmakers at the present time. Montgomery-Opelika District Superintendent Rev. Ron Ball concluded the program with a benediction.
“We appreciate our elected state officials taking time from their busy schedules to join us in prayer and reflection,” said Brenda Boman, Chairperson of the Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Church & Society. “We pray that the decisions they make for our state are grounded in the teachings of Jesus, who commanded us to love one another as ourselves.”
Boman also stated, “I would also like to express my appreciation to Rev. Tony McCullough and the congregation of The New Church for their hospitality and support of this event. Our Conference is very fortunate to have such a wonderful facility so conveniently located in downtown Montgomery.”
