ST. PETERSBURG — Unity Worldwide Ministries, a positive path for spirituality founded by Charles and Mrytle Fillmore in 1889, observed a National Day of Prayer, last Thurs. Sept. 10.
Unity of Midtown, which promotes practical Christianity and is located at 511 Prescott St. S, St. Petersburg, is one of the member churches of this great organization. The doors of the church were open for prayer and guided meditation led by the chaplains and ministers.
People from all over Pinellas County took time out of their schedule to sit and listen to the still small voice within themselves (I Kings 19:11-13, Psalms 46:10). There was also a fellowship dinner where people were able to share their prayer experiences with others.
The sanctuary was filled with congregants of various faith traditions worshipping together in a spirit of love and unity. The Interfaith Service began with Praise & Worship led by Minister of Music Armando Bickum, a welcome by Rev. Dr. Doral R. Pulley and the singing of the Lord’s Prayer by Staff Minister Reverend Don Sandin.
Pulley, secretary of the St. Petersburg Interfaith Association, invited his fellow clergy to participate in the service and they responded. Clergy from various denominations and religions led three to five minute prayers and brief teachings about their beliefs.
Some of the ministers present were: Sepideh Eskandari (Baha’i Faith), Iman Askia Muhammad Aquil and Rev. Al LaFar (Isalm), Rev. Paul Gibson (Lutheran), Rita Fredrick (Hinduism), Rev. Kathryn Morrow (Sufism), Frank Tedesco (Buddhism), Beverly Banov Brown (Judaism) and Rev. Kim Wells (United Church of Christ).
This one-hour worship experience ended in a Circle of Love and the singing of the Peace Song, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” followed by the Prayer of Protection. At the end of the service people stayed around to greet one another with hugs and kisses, to fellowship around their common beliefs and to learn more about their differences.
The Interfaith Service was one of the kick-off celebrations for Interfaith Week, Sept. 13-20. For more information visit www.integralchurch.org.
