By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A dozen local church and community leaders will participate in a live online community prayer gathering this Sunday night, April 5, to begin Holy Week in Yukon.
Pastor Brian Mills has invited Canadian County pastors and leaders to share in what he called a “unified effort” hosted by Trinity Baptist Yukon, 620 N Cemetery Road.
“We have pastors from different denominations who will participate,” Mills said. “There is a lot of unity right now among churches and we are excited they have partnered with us on this.”
Church and community leaders will take turns leading this unique prayer effort, which starts at 7 p.m. Sunday for Holy Week.
U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, will present a video message and Pastor Cody Dunbar of Trinity will lead worship.
Other participants will be: Yukon football Coach Jeremy Reed, Mustang football Coach Lee Blankenship, Pastor Ray Rhoton of Bethel Community Church, Pastor Chad Penner of Canadian Hills Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Jim McNabb of The Bridge Church, Pastor Aaron Tiger of Mustang United Methodist Church, Pastor David Bryan of Chisholm Heights Baptist Church, Pastor Mark Borseth of Resurrection Lutheran Church, and Pastor Michael Staton of First Baptist Church – Mustang.
Sunday’s community prayer service will be shown live through Trinity Baptist Yukon’s Facebook page, YouTube and Twitter account.
Trinity Baptist Church – Yukon will host another special online Easter service on Sunday, April 12 to end Holy Week.
‘CHURCH IS NOT A BUILDING’
With the guidelines implemented by Gov. Kevin Stitt due to COVID-19, Trinity Baptist Church is providing online worship services through its website (www.trinityyukon.com) while posting encouraging messages three times weekly.
Pastors and members are utilizing the Zoom video conferencing app for small group meetings.
Trinity’s senior pastor emphasized the importance of church leaders and staff staying connected with members during this period when congregating in groups of 10 or more is forbidden.
“The church is not a building,” Mills said. “It is people.”
Current restrictions that keep services and groups from meeting at the church has left Trinity in “uncharted waters,” he added.
As church leaders adapt to these changes, Mills said they are using what the Lord has given them to “breathe life” into people across the United States.
The live online services and video messages have allowed churches to reach more people – but church leaders and members alike miss being around each other.
“The churches’ response all through the community is really strong,” Pastor Mills said.
“But there’s nothing like worshipping together. … You can’t replace that.”
Learning more by visiting Trinity Yukon’s website or calling 354-4839.
