By Staff
MCC GOSPEL CHOIR Shelia Bush, right, Felicia Brown and Kate Jones, with Scotty Cole on the piano, of the MCC Gospel Choir, opened local activities during Thursday's National Day of Prayer. Photo by Carisa McCain / The Meridian Star
By Chris Allen Baker / staff writer
May 3, 2002
Gospel music and prayers resonated across Meridian on Thursday in local services that came on a presidentially-designated National Day of Prayer.
Students, faculty and staff at Meridian Community College gathered in McCain Theater as the MCC Gospel Choir and a local chaplain lead them in prayer. Many of those attending said the Sept. 11 attacks gave them a new sense of purpose.
Elizabeth Woodall, 20, an MCC student from Bailey, said she hopes to see more students involved in "uplifting" activities. "I was overwhelmed with the turnout," Woodall said. "The faculty support was very encouraging to see."
Rev. Hugh Poole, chaplain at Rush Foundation Hospital, read several scriptures before leading the audience in prayer.
At noon, about 70 Meridian city employees and other residents gathered on the front lawn of City Hall, singing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and hearing two scriptures read from the Bible.
Rev. Odell Hopkins, a pastor of West Mt. Moriah Baptist Church who works in the city's Solid Waste Management office, was one of the speakers.
Arthur Moore, 46, of Meridian, said he was glad the city held the prayer service.