Strickland highlights Memphis progress at prayer breakfast
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland thanked faith leaders for their investment in Memphis and urged people to continue making a difference in the city at his New Year’s Eve prayer breakfast on Dec. 31.
The breakfast was attended by city, county and religious leaders.
During his remarks, Strickland credited Memphis’ faith leaders with bringing the city through difficult times — as far back as the yellow fever outbreaks in the 1870s. Faith leaders started the city’s hospitals, led much of the civil rights movement and started many educational institutions, Strickland said.
“For our entire 200-year history of Memphis, it has been people of faith who’ve fed the hungry, housed the homeless and provided for needs of the poor on a day-in and day-out basis,” Strickland said.
Strickland highlighted economic progress in Memphis, including Indigo Ag deciding to establish its North American headquarters in Memphis and jobs being brought by companies like Amazon.
“I’m going to ordain all of you as evangelists to go out and spread the good news — that’s with a small ‘g’ and small ‘n’ — that Memphis is an opportunity city,” Strickland said.
Strickland urged those gathered to invest in young people by mentoring or participating in programs like Team Read.
“It is incumbent on all of us, from City Hall to every family, from schools to every pew to intervene in the lives of our young people, to help save a generation, to ensure that every single Memphian can enjoy the opportunities our city has to offer,” Strickland said.
Other speakers included the Rev. J. Lawrence Turner, pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, who gave a message about God’s plan. Faith leaders from a variety of denominations gave prayers.
Katherine Burgess covers county government and the suburbs. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.