125th Anniversary Prayer Meeting Scheduled for Barney Creek
Friday, August 19, marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Church of God. From its fledging beginnings in the hollows of the mountains near the boundaries of North Carolina and Tennessee, the church has grown to some 35,000 congregations in 181 nations. A special prayer journey will take place on August 19, beginning at Barney Creek. For those who have never visited the historical sites that marked our inauguration, this is once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Dr. David Roebuck, head of the Pentecostal Research Center will lead the historical story-telling dimension of the tour. General Officials and others will take part in the ceremonial proclamations.
Five sites will be visited in the six-hour event. The tour will begin at Barney Creek, the place where the Spurling mill sat, and prayer took place for two years prior to the founding of the Christian Union in 1886. The Shearer Schoolhouse site will be visited where the revival took place. Across the road is the site of the first log building that provided a place for the believers to gather after they were locked out of the Schoolhouse. The small house where the First Assembly took place and a movement gained impetus transitioning to multiple congregations will be visited next. And finally, Field of the Woods, where our sister organization, the Church of God of Prophecy has developed a park to commemorate the founding of the Church and its global vision.
Dr. Tim Hill says, “This is a moment for us to reflect not only our past, but on our purposes now. This is a day to revisit the mission of the church, to consider what God was doing in laying the foundation for our movement.” At each place, ample time will be given to prayer. Doug Small, Coordinator of Prayer Ministries says, “This is really designed as a day of prayer! We want to recapture the vision of the apostolic beginnings of our movement, to recall and pray into our history, and reflect on the unfinished business before us.”
There is no fee for the event. A special program is being prepared. Many of the sites have limited parking and access, so car-pooling is encouraged. Look for more details in the next few weeks. The approximate hours for the event are 9 AM to 3 PM.
