For our prayer time today we are going to East St. Louis, Illinois, which is across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri, where the big arch is. Many of the factories that used to operate in East St. Louis have closed. Now parts of the city are known mostly for gangs, drugs and high murder rates.
Does it sound like folks there need hope? Of course they do. And that’s why two of our missionaries – Kempton and Caryn Turner – have moved there and planted a new church called City of Joy Fellowship. Kempton himself grew up in the rough inner city area of East St. Louis, so he understands the problems people here face.
The church does regular outreaches in their neighborhood, but they have also started a ministry of renovating houses that are often in bad condition. This has helped build friendships with people that allow the Gospel to be shared.
Our church helped send the Turners to East St. Louis and our church is helping support them there – through our Cooperative Program giving.
Now let’s pray that God will supernaturally transform the Turners and their church into a movement that would see hundreds and even thousands across East St. Louis come to faith in Jesus Christ.