`Prayerfest' gathering set at Capitol

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of stories in The Oklahoman aimed at fostering healthy conversations about race and community relations. It is part of an initiative called United Voice Oklahoma, whose mission is to bring local media outlets together to give Oklahoma a united voice in promoting healthy dialogue on race.

A diverse group of people from all over the metro are expected to gather at 3 p.m. Sunday for "Oklahoma Prayerfest" at the state Capitol.

The Rev. Clarence Hill, leader of the Stronger Together movement, said the Christian event will take place on the south steps of the Capitol. He said the best way to describe it is a "multiethnic, interdenominational and intergenerational event" designed to unify the body of Christ in Oklahoma and specifically, the Oklahoma City metro area.

Hill said Sunday's event was born out of a monthly prayer gathering called City Prayer that brings people from all over the city together for prayer at Hobby Lobby's corporate headquarters. He said people are invited to represent their church to pray for Oklahoma City and the flourishing of the metro residents, particularly the most vulnerable. The group also prays that walls would be broken down among churches and ethnic groups, and that political divisions won't hinder efforts to unify the city area.

"The cool thing about Prayerfest is we are celebrating the opportunity to invite some of the parts of the body of Christ that are often overlooked, liked the Hispanic churches and some of the other minority church families," Hill said. "We are creating a platform so that the big 'C' Church of greater Oklahoma City and the surrounding cities would have a space to pray together and worship together."

Hill said U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, will issue a call to action at the gathering, challenging attendees to find new friends whose race and backgrounds are different from their own. Several years ago, Lankford, a former director of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's Falls Creek youth camp, issued what he called the "Sunday Solution" challenge to encourage people to invite individuals and families of another race or culture to their home for Sunday dinner.

"We're heading into an election year. We already know the level of division we are at politically. This is not a political event. We are not supporting a political candidate. We hope to stir people's compassion to make things different in Oklahoma, even when it comes to politics, that there would be a different sound, a sound of unity and oneness.

For more information, go to https://strongertogether. global/united-voiceoklahoma or visit the Oklahoma Prayerfest page on Facebook.