Community prays for IMPACT Tour

By Beth Moland

News-Gazette reporter

Pews at Evangelical United Methodist Church Tuesday evening were not quite full, but the 42 faithful and hopeful who participated in the community prayer and hymn service had a mission in mind, Impact World Tour (IWT). The second largest mission agency in the world will be arriving at the Union City Community High School gymnasium on Tuesday, Oct. 7 and Wednesday, Oct. 8 with a new twist on a very old message.

IWT, with an endorsement from high-profile evangelist Billy Graham, will offer the word of God with twenty-first century cultural elements. Team Extreme consisting of athletes, skaters and boarders will share their talents and testimonies on Tuesday evening, followed by Island Breeze, a Polynesian dance and musical troupe on Wednesday. Earlier this summer, an IWT representative from England expressed the importance of pre-planning and follow-up, which includes prayer meetings for new souls transpired from the impact of the tour.

"There have only been three or four revivals in history and they all began with prayer," said EUM Pastor Nick Philiposian.

The Tuesday service was am opportunity for the small group of parishioners to involve themselves in a, collectively, spiritual way for the success of IWT, which has proven to not only impact personal lives, but permeate their communities. Led by Philiposian who offered scriptures about prayer, the evening proceeded with prayers by Kenny Bowman for local government, people in service and businesses. Mary Hampshire prayed for schools, families and social services and Dave Smith requested God's guidance for local pastors, churches and IWT.

"It is pretty sad that we, who live in the greatest nation on earth, need a missionary from another country to come to us," Smith said.

IWT prayer committee has scheduled another prayer service, open to anyone, for Tuesday, September 23 at the UCCHS. The reverent group will walk around the school as they pray for the upcoming event.

Roberta Hart invited anyone interested in attending training sessions for "Local Links" to be at the EUM church Saturday, September 13 from 9-12. Local Links are mentors willing to be linked up with those making a commitment on World Tour nights. Training sessions will be held in part A and part B. For further information about IWT events, call Evangelical United Methodist Church, 117 N. Franklin St., Union City, Ohio at (937) 968-4301.