There is still hope, prayer and remembrance. Founded following the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks, Cry Out America is a grassroots prayer initiative signaling hope. Though the State of Emergency announcements canceled the local annual event organized to remember those who lost their lives 17 years ago, residents are still asked to pray.
September 11, 2001 was a moment that forever changed America. “It was a national event which affected us all,” stated Ashley Wilson, former Cry Out America National Coordinator and current pastor of Lifegate Church in Lexington, KY.
Collapsing structures, a culture of fear, emotional despair, increasing terrorism, and the encroachment of Islam sounded a spiritual alarm for this century. How did the church responded?
For weeks and months following the 9/11 attacks, sanctuaries were full. People reached out to God for meaning. We rallied together in a real spirit of unity. However, our churches emptied quickly, and spiritual apathy resettled over our country. Deeply moved by this atmosphere of recurring slumber, the Awakening America Alliance sensed God calling them to issue a resounding wake-up call to the church.
Cry Out America was initially promoted as a 9/11 noon-time prayer meeting at every county courthouse in America. People began Crying Out in repentance and asking God for mercy at the place of justice. Since 2007, COA has mobilized hundreds of thousands at 9/11 prayer gatherings in all 50 states, including 38 U.S. counties with one-million or more population.
This year the local Cry Out America event in Bladen County was set to take place today, September 11, at 6 PM on the front lawn of the Bladen County Courthouse in Elizabethtown. However, due to the call of Bladen County being under a State of Emergency because of Hurricane Florence; the event was canceled.
However, our residents are still called to pray in unity. The scripture for this year’s event was to be Psalm 3:3, “But You, Lord, are a shield around me,” according to the Cry Out America website.
Rev. Larry Hayes one of the event organizers in Bladen County said, “Together we can cry out to God for the healing of our land. We count on the involvement of the body of Christ across Bladen County as we pursue the goal of unity between all citizens in our county.”
The day is to remind each citizen the power of prayer; that if we stand and work together we will defeat our enemies, Hayes explained about the meaning event planned.
“Cry Out America has to start somewhere, why not here in Bladen County. A movement to create the strongest, most comprehensive net to catch the Last Days harvest. Bladen County is our Garden, we must keep it tilled,” Hayes stated.
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