Praying for those with no homes

On Sunday, a relatively balmy day in the Fox Valley, people from multiple churches and groups spent the day inside praying for the needy and the homeless.

In half-hour increments on this annual day of prayer on the day of Epiphany, people entered Zion Lutheran Church on Elgin's west side, asking God to have mercy on the less fortunate.

The event, organized by PADS of Elgin, a shelter for the homeless, attracted the following churches and groups: Second Baptist Church of Elgin, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, First Presbyterian Church, Westridge Community Church, Messiah Lutheran Church, Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Sherman Hospital, PADS of Elgin, Hope Church, First Church of Christ Sciences and Zion Lutheran Church.

At 7 p.m., members of all the groups reconvened at Zion for a joint service. The event attracted residents from Elgin, South Elgin, West Dundee, Gilberts, Algonquin and McHenry.

"The poor and the homeless are often overlooked in our society and by hosting the prayer event, we bring attention to their plight," said Mary Goodrich, the PADS volunteer who helped organize the fourth annual event. "They need advocates."

The Rev. Johnny Jackson, a minister at Second Baptist, sat quietly at the front of the church, reading through a list of prayer petitions. Second Baptist has been a part of the annual prayer event for each year it's been in existence. The church already does its part in the fight against area homelessness by holding monthly dinners for people in need.

But Sunday's services were important to Second Baptist "to pray that one day this epidemic of homelessness will be no more," Jackson said.