Approximately 75 Coahoma County residents came together outside of the Clarksdale Civic Auditorium on Thursday for an annual National Day of Prayer service.
The Rev. Joel Stroud, who has been the pastor of Lyon Baptist Church for the past 28 years, began overseeing the event during his second year.
According to Stroud, as many as 150 individuals have attended the National Day of Prayer service, but the number has been half that the past couple of years.
Stroud’s son, Seth, played music during the service and groups came together praying for issues such as unity of family, church and the body of Christ.
“This issue of unity is fundamental,” Stroud said. “Jesus said in John 17, He prayed that we would be one as He was one with the Father, that the world might believe that God. The reality is when there’s no unity in the body of Christ in our families, in our homes and our churches, our message lacks credibility. There’s so much division and brokenness in the body of Christ that our message is falling on deaf ears. We’ve got to seek the Lord.
“We’ve got family problems. We’ve got divorce, remarriage and issues like that, that are subject to subject to children.”
Stroud said his church has held services with other churches with majority black members to bring things together. He specifically noted Lyon Baptist Church held services with its sister church Liberty Baptist Church down the street, which was established by slaves. He added there was a wonderful fellowship when this was done.
“Sometimes we feel like what we’re doing at our church is the only show in town,” Stroud said. “There needs to be some crossing over between churches — the same denomination and different denominations and sharing worship together.
“I think that could go a long way, not only denomination, but racially.”
