As we celebrate the centenary of prayer for Christian Unity this year, our thoughts turn to one major stream in the history of this extraordinary phenomenon. This stream was the Church Unity Octave that was first observed in January 1908. Celebrated in the chapel of a small Atonement Franciscan Convent of the Protestant Episcopal Church, on a  remote hillside 50 miles from New York City, this new prayer movement caught the imagination of others beyond the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement to become an energetic movement that gradually blossomed into a worldwide observance involving many nations and millions of people.

In Great Bend, something extraordinary will be taking place to commemorate this 100th year observance of Christian Unity. Eight ministers from different denominations will preach about the Life of Christ, beginning Friday, Jan. 18, through Friday, Jan. 25. All of the messages will center around the life of Christ, from His birth to His return. Christ will be preached. Our main thought in this Crusade is to get “Christ” into people and not preach domination or “Church” to them.

Most of the services will be taking place at Central Baptist Church, 3301 Lakin, Great Bend. One service will be at Trinity Lutheran 2701 24th, Great Bend. Our speakers will be Hector Varela of Church on the Rock. He will begin our revival services on Friday night.

Saturday night we will hear Kevin Baxter of Foundry Methodist. Leroy Keith of First Baptist Church will preach on Sunday night. Brother Keith will bring a men’s quartet to sing for us. David Ford from First Baptist Belleville will speak on Monday night. Tuesday night, the pastor F. L. Jameson of Tower of Power Church of God will speak.

Mike Joiner of Extreme Hope Christian Fellowship will speak on Wednesday night. We will move to Trinity Lutheran on Thursday where Jim Strasen will speak to us, and as well will provide their special music. Our crusade will close on Friday, Jan. 25, back at Central Baptist. I will bring the final message.

The time for each night’s message will be 7 p.m.

Some of the Dominican Sisters will help with our program with a psalm on various nights. Our music director, Caria Markovich, will lead and direct a mass choir. If someone wants to be part of the music, please let her know. Other singers will be on the program throughout the week.

Our subjects go from “The Birth Of Christ” to the “Baptism of Christ.” We will have two nights of messages concerning “The Miracles of Christ.” We will continue on Wednesday with “TheBetrayal of Christ” to “The Death of Christ.” Our final two nights our subjects will be “The Resurrection of Christ” and “The Return Of Christ.”

Come each night if you can. Support your minister and support him on the night he speaks. Let’s pray for Christian Unity for all of our churches and especially for the week of the Unity Revival Crusade. God will be honored and you will be blessed.