City leaders, educators, first responders, health care workers, and business leaders were among the groups lifted up in prayer Monday at the Johnson City Prayer Breakfast.
The keynote speaker was the Rev. Rickey Bolden, a former offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns.
Bolden spoke on John 3:16, which says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” He reminded the audience that “unconditional love cannot be unconditional love until there’s a condition.”
Bolden spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington earlier this year. He was animated and energetic with his words, as he urged those in attendance to “lead with grace, then mercy, and then facts.”
Guests at the prayer breakfast were asked to think about topics of prayer prior to arrival and were told they be praying together over “city leaders, educators, first responders, health care workers, pastors, families, students and business leaders.” The guests were urged to consider how to ask God to move in and through the community via each of these populations.
Following a time of praise and worship music, Donald Mushayamunda, one of the ministers at First Christian Church, began the prayer time by praying for city leaders. Tyler Mackie followed by praying for educators. Johnson City Mayor Todd Fowler then prayed for first responders, followed by a prayer for health care workers by LeAnne Blackmore, a noted Christian author.
T.R. Dunn, with Summit Leadership, prayed for ministers; he invited his son to pray for the children of ministers and his wife to pray for the wives of ministers. Alan Levine, CEO of Ballad Health, prayed for business leaders. Johnson City Schools Superintendent Steve Barnett prayed for the student population, along with two students. Michael Turley, with Rise Up!, prayed for families.
Following the keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. Dianna Harshbarger closed the event in prayer.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://harshbarger.house.gov/media/in-the-news/rep-harshbarger-attends-johnson-city-prayer-breakfast