All of us recognize the urgent need to pray for our country. This year, America has witnessed the threat and realization of a pandemic virus which has caused a great toll on lives and our economy. New Horizons Ministries churches and pastors have responded with wisdom, grace, conviction and love to the issues surrounding COVID-19. I am proud of you and honored to be a minister of the Gospel in this amazing conference of churches and ministers.

Our country has also experienced social turmoil and racial tensions. We are all aware of the deaths of citizens and police officers. We know the problems we are facing in race relations in America. I will not focus on the problem, nor ignore it. Instead, let us focus on the solution and answer: LOVE.

God is love. 1 John 4:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

By this will all men know you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

You are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5

You are a chosen generation, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, a people belonging to God, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 2 Thessalonians 1:3

In NHM, we are male, female, many generations, races & ethnicities, clergy, and church members. We may look different, but, in Christ, we are the same. We are Kingdom of God Citizens and Children of Light filled with God’s love through the power of the Holy Spirit, loving one another through the grace of Jesus Christ the Son. We are the Church.

In our world, when people are fighting, protesting, rioting over whose lives matter, who is right or wrong, what is truth or opinion, perception or reality, we, The Church, have the answer for the problems of this world – LOVE. God’s Love. Saving Love. Jesus’ Love. Christian Love.

Our love must be more than just words. Our faith and love must be accompanied by works, deeds, actions. We must share the Good News, the Gospel, the story of Love, because this is what God has commanded us to do. We must love our neighbors as ourselves. God’s love shown through His  people will change the world. We must GO & TELL! Let us join together in prayer: To kneel before God. To cry out to God for His grace, mercy, love, wisdom, power in our lives, in our churches, in our world. We will kneel in honor and submission to our God, our King, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord.

We repent of our sin, in our wrong attitudes, thoughts, speech, action and inaction. We pray for forgiveness, for clean hearts, for pure motives, for God’s love to flow through us to a hurting world. We join together as Children of Light, People of Promise, a Place of Hope, as Citizens of the Kingdom of God, as The Church of Love.

We offer ourselves as living sacrifices to be used by God to bring His love and life to our homes, our communities, our country, our world. Let us Pray. Let us Learn. Let us Love. GO & TELL!

PASTORS' NOTE: This is the script from Bishop Drake's video.

If you are unable to show the video to your congregation, you are welcome to read this to them during a Sunday morning service and then have prayer together.