Community Prayer Service This Week

The ongoing financial crisis at the Stephens County school system and corresponding recent cuts are bringing members of the community together for a prayer service later this week.

A community prayer service for the Stephens County school system will take place on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church on Tugalo Street in Toccoa.

First United Methodist Church Senior Pastor the Rev. Dr. John Brown said it stemmed from people wondering what they could do to help with the crisis that the Stephens County school system faces.

“There is a lot of hand-wringing and a lot of speculation and talk, but we wanted to know what we could do and what is the one thing a church can do, that’s pray,” said Dr. Brown.

The Rev. Brown went on to say that they will also use the service to help collect donations for the school system.

“We will have bins set up to bring school supplies and donate,” he said. “We will receive a monetary offering for the school system as well.”

A number of other churches are also taking part in the community prayer service.

The Rev. Brown said he encourages the entire community to attend to show its support for the teachers, staff, and students of the Stephens County school system.

“We hope people of our community will turn out to support our schools by offering their prayers,” said Dr. Brown, who added he hoped the service would be a spiritual lift and a morale lift.

Thursday’s community prayer service is scheduled to last about an hour.