The sound of sirens puts prayer into action

~ Church establishes emergency prayer system

Throughout Cape Girardeau, people are praying each time they hear an emergency siren.

About 200 people from Centenary United Methodist Church have formed an emergency prayer system, pledging to pray each time they hear an ambulance, firetruck, police car siren or other form of emergency siren.

The idea started with a six-week sermon series Centenary pastor Jeff Long preached on the importance of prayer.

"One of the goals of the series was to help each of us become more involved and active in prayer life on a daily basis to make it more real and to recognize the things in daily life that can call us to prayer," said Centenary associate pastor Karen Mustoe.

The prayer system was a way to involve a large group of people in a prayer effort.

"When we hear a siren from an emergency vehicle, that's a call to prayer, a sign someone is in trouble," said Mustoe.

So those involved in the project pray not just for whoever may be in need of help, but also for emergency responders.

The church recently presented a prayer system poster signed by about 200 people to the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

"It's really about putting prayer into action," Mustoe said.

Centenary hopes other churches may take an interest in the effort and form their own version of the emergency prayer system,which they've dubbed EPS.

For more information, call the church at 334-2869.

cmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128