|
Community
unites for schools
By BARRY
BURLESON
Editor
 |
|
Photo
by Barry Burleson
Prayer
service
Joining
in prayer Saturday morning at Spring Hollow Park in Holly Springs are
(standing, from left) Kelvin Buck, Robert Pearson, Al Beck, Jennifer
Gurley and Greg Campbell. Seated are Phyllis Pearson (left) and Juanita
Thomas.
|
A
new school year is here, and about 70 individuals came together
Saturday to pray for children, parents, teachers and administrators.
The
first “Bridging Our Community and Schools Through Prayer” event was
held at Spring Hollow Park in Holly Springs.
Organizers
included George Zinn, Dale DeBerry, Ed Moses, Jarvis Jeffries and Wayne
Jones.
“Today
we are here in the park to begin a journey that we hope will
lead to
an annual prayer service for our schools,” said Moses, pastor of Asbury
United Methodist Church. “We want you to meet new people and learn each
other’s concerns. It’s all about bringing our community together.”
Zinn,
a member of the Marshall County Board of Supervisors, said most
schools, public and private, were represented.
“In
my opinion, it’s a good start,” he said.
“The
good Lord has an answer to all of our concerns.”
Robert
Pearson, chief of the Holly Springs Police Department, said his hope is
for an excellent academic year.
“I
hope students recognize the opportunities ahead of them,” he said.
He
referred to the second chapter of Acts. Verse 42 mentions “continuing
steadfastly in prayers” and Verse 46 “continuing daily with
one
accord.”
Pearson
said, “It is my desire this will happen in our schools.”
Mayor
Andre’ DeBerry welcomed everyone to the park.
“Our
children are our future, and our children are also our now,” he said.
“My hope is for a productive school year and that God will smile on our
students.”
 |
|
Photos
by Barry Burleson
In
honor of America
Presenting
the flag for the “Pledge of Allegiance” are Kalieb DeBerry and Xavier
Lester.
|
Chancery
clerk Chuck Thomas said if ever there was a time when prayer was needed
– it is now.
“I’ve
seen youth court triple the last six and a half years,” he said.
“We
must give our kids a Christian background and show them the power of
prayer.”
Emmily
Hurdle, school nurse for Marshall County, inspired the crowd with a
spiritual song – “I Go To War On My Knees.”
Banker
Charles King applauded the organizers of the event, and then focused on
the positive.
“Every
person here can make a difference – in your school and in your
community,” he said. “We can all make Marshall County a better place.”
King
said his prayer for the schools included Joshua 24:15 – “As for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Jerry
Moore, assistant superintendent of the Marshall County School District,
said it was obvious by the many people gathered for the event that “God
is in our schools.”
“You
can’t run God out of schools if you have godly people in our schools,”
Moore said.
 |
Inspirational
Emmily
Hurdle sings “I Go To War On My Knees.”
|
Jane
Hubbard, headmaster at Marshall Academy, talked about the “wonderful
opportunity” for all schools to work together.
“Our
children need to see God in us – administrators and teachers,” Hubbard
said.
All
school administrators and elected officials in attendance addressed the
crowd – focusing on prayer and working together as a community to do
what’s best for the children.
“Righteousness
exalteth a nation, a town, and I believe – our schools,” said Pat
Kennedy, principal of Mary Reid School in Potts Camp.
To
close the event, the group came together at the bridge in the park to
pray. Prayers were led by Todd Sanderson, minister of the Holly Springs
Church of Christ, and Milton Whatley, pastor of Holly Springs United
Methodist Church.
Back-to-school
activities
continued Saturday with “Hands Around the Park,” which provided a venue
for school uniform swaps. It was held in the park at the corner of West
College and West Boundary in Holly Springs and also included prayer.
Organizer of this event was Michael Douglas Anderson.
Also,
this Saturday, Aug. 7, Mayor DeBerry invites youth and adults to come
“Bike and Hike for Health.”
Mississippi
ranks number one in the nation for childhood obesity. In January, the
mayor launched a walking campaign called “ALOAD” – At Least One Mile A
Day” of walking by residents of Holly Springs.
 |
Praying for children
Todd Sanderson leads a prayer. In back are George Zinn,
Dale DeBerry and Wayne Jones. |
As
a follow-up to that program, he asks everyone to join him from 9 a.m.
to 11 a.m. Saturday on Maury Street at the primary school as “we take a
giant step to improve the health of our community and especially our
children.”
|
