The Leflore County Chapter of Mission Mississippi hopes to draw a big crowd to its first prayer breakfast Thursday.
The breakfast will be held at 6:45 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 804 E. Park Ave. The public is invited.
“The response that I’ve been hearing has been positive,” said the Rev. Peter Gray, priest-in-charge at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, who is co-chairing the effort with the Rev. Calvin Collins, pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Gray is white, and Collins is black.
Based in Jackson, Mission Mississippi promotes racial reconciliation and healing across denominational lines.
Gray said Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams, one of the chapter’s core members, promoted the event at a recent meeting of the Greenwood Rotary Club. McAdams also promoted it before Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Other core members include Bill Clay, president of the Greenwood School Board; businessman DeWitt Kimble; chef and restaurateur Taylor Ricketts; the Rev. Kenneth McClung of New Green Grove Church of Faith; city planner Tommy Gregory; Sidon Mayor Johnnie Neal; LaShon Brooks, chief of staff at Mississippi Valley State University; Bishop Earnest Miller of Greater Harvest Worship Center; and the Rev. Terry Williams.
The priest said the momentum seems to be building. “We don’t know until we gather, but I’m encouraged,” he said.
Gray said breakfast will constitute the first part of the meeting and is expected to last about 30 minutes. Afterward, the Rev. Richard Owens, pastor of Westminster, will speak briefly.
“The heart of our time together is to break out into small groups of three or four people who don’t know each other that well,” Gray said.
“We want people to name those things that we need prayer for in our own lives, in our communities and in our churches,” he said. “We’ll also say a prayer for the host church.”
The group plans to meet monthly at a different church in Leflore County.
The group’s second meeting is scheduled for Aug. 7 at Greater Harvest Worship Center.
Gray said things seem to be falling into place.
“I think, if we do it right, we can build a little momentum,” he said.
For more information on the Leflore County Chapter of Mission Mississippi, contact Gray at 453-7786 or Collins at 455-9311.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
