Uniting Troup County through prayer

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 4, 2015

Women advocate change through faith

By Melanie Ruberti

mruberti@civitasmedia.com

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LaGRANGE — While Sept. 11 will be a day of prayer and remembrance for many, it will be just the beginning of a bigger observance for two women hoping to bring the community closer together.

Kendall Butler, a local Realtor with FLI Properties, and Wanda Walker, host of the local TV show “You Make the Difference,” are on a mission.

“We’re coming together to proclaim LaGrange and Troup County as a community for God,” said Butler. “We’re praising him for all that he’s done and thanking him for all that he will do in the future.”

To do that, the women have organized an event on Lafayette Square set for Friday and dedicated the month of September to various activities of faith open to the entire community — with people of all religions, races, ages and socio-economic backgrounds welcome to join.

Starting on Friday, Butler and Walker are holding a Prayer, Praise and Proclamation Feast at Lafayette Square 8–10 a.m. City and county leaders are planned to pray over different areas of the community, such as business, government and education.

LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton will be one of the guest speakers.

“September 11th is obviously a significant day in the history of our nation, and it is important for all of us to pause and reflect upon that day and all of its tragic consequences,” he said via email. “I am also pleased that so many local churches and community groups are coming together for this joint time of prayer, remembrance and reflection.”

The women said at 9:11 a.m., there will be a special, silent two-minute prayer to remember those who lost their lives in the September 11th attacks on America.

On Sept. 13, Walker and Butler plan to hold a community celebration at Calumet Park from 4 to 6 p.m.

The duo said with the help of the LaGrange Police Department they were able to identify 12 neighborhoods within the city that could benefit from some type of church ministry. The women are hoping other congregations or families will join them in their efforts.

“We’re asking all the churches to come together in unity and adopt these (neighborhood) sites,” Butler explained. “Particularly churches near the areas … or if anyone owns a home in these communities and can offer their house as a ministry site in the neighborhood.”

On Sept. 26, starting at sundown, the women and a group of prayer partners plan to hold 48 hours of scripture reading on Lafayette Square. Folks can read in 15-minute, 30-minute or one-hour intervals. It will end 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 with a praise band and gathering on the square.

Butler said the women chose Sept. 11 as the starting point of their mission for a very specific reason.

“It was an attack that we havn’t seen before on a nation that was created under God,” she explained. “There was some significance for that happening. So this is for us to proclaim God’s hedge of protection on Troup County. He (God) was very vivid about proclaiming that and that we accept his favor and be his hands and feet in our community.”

“We accept the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living,” added Walker. “This is to advance the kingdom of God … and advance the kingdom community.”

Thornton said he welcomes positive enthusiasm.

“There is tremendous energy in LaGrange right now and many people who want to unite our community around a common vision of peace and prosperity. I’m eager to participate and encourage that work,” he stated. “I hope the participants in the prayer ceremony and the related events planned over the next few months will be inspired to work collectively to address education, crime, economic development and the other myriad concerns we have as a community.”

Anyone wanting more information on events or to help out may contact Wanda Walker at 706-402-5634 or email her at kingdomcommunity@hotmail.com.

Melanie Ruberti is a reporter at LaGrange Daily News. She may be reached at 706-884-7311, ext. 2156.