Pray globally, picnic locally

Amy Wagner - Contributing Writer
Published: May 11, 2008

“There is a motivation bubbling up in the body of Christ,” says the Rev. Jeffrey Light, pastor at Novum Baptist Church and organizer for the Culpeper’s Global Day of Prayer event.

The motivation he speaks of is the desire to share the good news and develop an intimate relationship with God, living a life of obedience and love.

This is the third year Culpeper has hosted an event at Yowell Meadow Park for the Global Day of Prayer. Always held on Pentecost Sunday, this year’s observance will be held today.  Area worship leaders and worship bands will facilitate four hours of praise and worship, at pavilion A, beginning at 3:30 p.m. and continuing until dusk. Picnics are encouraged, as are blankets and lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, Global Day of Prayer will be held at Culpeper United Methodist Church.

Speakers include: Erick Kalenga with Rize Up; Brian Hume from Grace Church in Fredericksburg; Draper Smith from Temple, Texas; and Sylvester Matthews and Don Fletcher, both from Augusta, Georgia. Light points out that all these speakers are gifted in prophetic ministry.

Currently, two Christian groups have expressed interest in participating: Wild Olives and Immersed.  These group’s worship leaders will be facilitating prayers between songs. Others, in attendance, are invited to participate and facilitate prayer as well.

The National Day of Prayer and Global Day of Prayer are connected by 10 days that are marked by fasting and prayer. These 10 days constitute the first part, of three, of the birth of the Church. The second part is the Global Day of Prayer where Christians in almost every country will assemble to pray. The third part is 90 days of blessing from Monday through Aug. 9. This is described as a time to form or further develop local alliances among pastors, churches, missions and business leaders, to bring practical, transformational blessing to their communities.

In the past, there has been varied attendance of the Global Day of Prayer in Culpeper and this year, Light hopes to reach out to many more. Light describes this event as, “a time of worship; intimacy with God. It is not sensational but rather a simple, relaxed coming together.” He adds that, “it is all about God and love; turning ourselves over to God.”

In one of her books, Christian author, Karen Kingsbury points out that it’s what you do between Sundays that really matters. This statement is reflective of one’s faith and serves to remind people that it’s ongoing, everyday. Prayer needs to be woven into daily life and when this happens relationships with God will grow stronger. Through this event, the National Day of Prayer, and the motivation of Christians globally, the yearning for God is expected to build.

Dr. Randy Peck, founder of A Life of Blessing, has organized this event for the past two years and describes the Christian community, and the Global Day of Prayer, like this, “if God’s people would take care of each other and tend to each other’s needs then so many more non-Christians would be drawn in. It’s about unity.”

On unity, Peck refers to John 17, verse 21: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you . . . that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

“Americans think individually, not corporately, until something catastrophic like 9/11 happens. We are at our best during a catastrophe because that is when we all pull together,” the Rev. Pat Bopp, pastor at Raccoon Ford Christian Fellowship. “It is difficult to pastor in the United States because of this belief.”

Dwight Parker, of the Christian group, Wild Olives, notes the difference between this event and the National Day of Prayer, stating that the latter is the American Day of Prayer and as a result he feels God bless America seems to be the idea for that event.

“I believe God blesses everyone.”

Amy Wagner covers church news for the Star Exponent. Have a story idea? E-mail her at