By Lou Shirey
On April 16, 2015 denominational leaders and prayer leaders gathered in Atlanta, Georgia for an afternoon of focused prayer. Presiding Bishop Doug Beacham and Dr. Lou Shirey represented the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. This event was an outcome of Encounter 2015, which was a gathering of leaders and pastors of Pentecostal churches in Fayetteville, NC in January 2015. The Atlanta experience was a more diverse group, with leaders from Pentecostal and Evangelical churches present. There is a growing sense of unity among all denominations. One specific item of prayer was the call for a national day of solemn assembly. The leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention is leading this effort, which is planned for Pentecost Sunday, 2016. The IPHC will participate in this national effort, along with many other denominations. We will have more information in the future about the solemn assembly. The core value theme for the IPHC in 2016 is “We Prayerfully Value Holiness”. Our theme and the plan for the national prayer effort meshes wonderfully together. It is significant that denominational leaders and many para-church groups are uniting in prayer.