c. 2003 Religion News Service
WASHINGTON _ Members of the Assemblies of God concluded their biennial General Council meeting with a truncated prayer gathering on the National Mall on Sunday (Aug. 3).
Thousands had gathered between rain showers with ponchos and umbrellas, but were forced to end their service early due to the prediction of severe thunderstorms.
“The Bible instructs us to obey those who have the rules,” the Rev. Thomas Trask, general superintendent of the Pentecostal group, said from a stage in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. “The Park Service has ordered us to close the rest of the service. … Why don’t you turn the buses into a prayer meeting on your way home?”
Sen. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., one of several Assemblies of God members of Congress who took quick turns at a microphone, uttered a prayer of repentance to God.
“We humbly confess that we have sinned against you in thought, in word, in deed,” he said, adding that Americans have “mocked you in our media” and “ruled against you in our courts.”
“We are truly sorry and we humbly repent,” he continued. “Call us from death to life, from error to truth. Rebuild our cities and our country.”
Others prayed for national leaders and the world’s needs.
Trask and grass-roots members of the religious group said the change in plans for the service was a disappointment, especially with many driving from within a 200-mile radius to attend the “Pray the Way” rally. Originally planned for 21/2 hours, it started ahead of schedule and lasted less than half that time.
But others were satisfied that they got to pray with members of Congress and hear contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith lead them in a couple of worship songs, which prompted many to lift their arms skyward as they sang.
“I thought it was still a good thing,” said youth pastor Lanessa Amburgey of Albuquerque, N.M., after leaving the grassy expanse between the Capitol and the Washington Monument. “I was bummed that it got canceled. It was fun. We don’t get much rain in New Mexico.”
Some people formed impromptu prayer circles on the Mall before heading home.
In an interview afterward, Trask said he was pleased with the outcome of the General Council gathering, the first time it was held here.
During its meetings, numerous resolutions related to the group’s “Vision for Transformation” were passed. The aim is to promote spiritual renewal and possible restructure throughout the laity and clergy as well as the regional and national levels of the church.
“What we said is everything is up for a look except our doctrine,” Trask said.
One resolution that was defeated dealt with the role of women in the church group. A resolution that would have appointed three women to the General Presbytery, the official policy-making body of the Assemblies of God when it is not having a General Council, lost by a vote of 299-467.
“There were those that were looking at it as affirmative action,” Trask said.
Although women are eligible to serve, none has been elected to the body of about 270 members.
Outside the business sessions, members of the Assemblies of God helped in an outreach effort in southeast Washington with the Convoy of Hope ministry, feeding and evangelizing 6,500 people on Saturday.
Earlier in the meeting, Trask called on members of the Assemblies of God to maintain their Pentecostal mission, saying, “Either we will be a spirit-filled movement or we will become a monument.”
Attorney General John Ashcroft was honored during a banquet that recognized the church group’s “compassion ministries.”
More than 21,000 people registered for the gathering, including about 12,000 young people who attended concurrent meetings. Trask estimates that a total of more than 30,000 people participated in the events from July 31 to Aug. 3.
The fellowship, which was formed in 1914, has 2.7 million members nationwide and close to 48 million worldwide.
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