Five Metro-East churches partner for service
By Gerald Pace
For The St. Louis American
The pastors of five Metro East churches partnered to have the first Unity in the Community Worship Service celebrating Christian racial unity at Faith Family Church Shiloh on Sunday. Over 1,200 worshipers packed the sanctuary and overflow areas of the church.
Pastors G. Vincient Dudley of New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church in O’Fallon, Shane Bishop of Christ United Methodist Church in Shiloh, Joe Sucher of Glad Tidings Church in Swansea, Rose Booker-Jones of Trinity United Methodist Church in East St. Louis and Rick Hufton of Faith Family Church coordinated the worship service.
According to a press release, they were each concerned with helping to do something about church services, the ‘most segregated hour in America.’ Pastor G. Vincient Dudley was the visionary of the service and keynote speaker.
“ It was something the Lord put in my heart to see people of all races and denominations worshiping Christ in a unified fashion. Those pastors and I had conversation and the common denominator was that those pastors had similar desires,” Dudley said. “It sent a powerful message to the community that this is what God has ordained.”
According to Hufton, 100 percent of contributions collected during the service was given to the Katrina Relief effort.
“There is a hunger in the body of Christ to cross out denominational lines and tradition because we all have a sense that we are living in the end times. There’s a hunger nationally. When leaders step out with sincerity and authenticity there is a rallying cry. People are waiting for someone to say, ‘Let’s come together’ without an ulterior motive of personal gain,” he said.
The service began with the lifting of the stage curtains that reveal a multi-racial choir of about 100 singers and musicians. The audience spontaneously burst into thunderous cheers and applause at the sight of a choir comprised of members from different races and denominations. The first song performed was “We’re agape, extending agape love” followed by a medley of praise and worship songs. Leslie Johnson, a local gospel singer, performed “We Need a Word From The Lord” with the choir.
“I thought it was awesome,” said Hope Money, a member of New Life in Christ. “The sermon was wonderful. It was great to see given that Metropolitan St. Louis is a racist area. We were all there for one purpose.” “It was nice to see that,” Money continued. “I’m taken back to the recent funeral for Coretta Scott King. In moments like these, it should be about us all getting along.”
Hufton, host of the service, said, “It confirmed something that we say and teach from the platform. Although we’re from different congregations, we are of the same body of Christ.” Hufton said. “It was a signal of unity. We want to send a signal that we will let nothing divide us.”
“As soon as the curtain opened of the mass choir, people stood to their feet applauding,” said Hufton. “This sent a really strong visual signal and was a living demonstration of what we’ve been saying.”
“All of the five pastors feel it was a great success and the enthusiasm of the crowd was a surprise,” Hufton said. “We didn’t know what to expect but they were happy to be there together worshiping.”
“The worship atmosphere was annointed and electrifying. God was in the room,” Dudley said. “It was an indicator of Christ’s soon coming. It’s a sense that people need to come together. There is a desire in people for someone to call them into a higher level of expectation. People were wondering when we are going to do it again.”
Plans have begun immediately for the next unity service. The date has been set for February 18th of next year.
