The first We Are One community worship event of the year is set to occur at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18. The free service will be held outdoors on the square in Downtown Poplar Bluff. There will be prayer, words of worship and music by the Palace of Praise band.
Five more similar events are scheduled to occur bi-monthly with the last one on Dec. 16.
The worship service events began Jan. 3, 2021, with a small crowd of 30 drawn together by flyers posted across the city and by word of mouth. The crowds have grown since then, reaching 170 for the Oct. 27, 2021, event. That event was part of the opening festivities of the Butler County Fair.
“People came down a day early to attend that worship service,” said event organizer Sierra Henson.
The community events grew out of an experience Henson had during a trip to Washington, D.C.
She attended a worship service on the National Mall on Oct. 25, 2020. It was part of the Let Us Worship series of revival events and it had a lasting impact on her.
“I felt a tug to bring something like it here,” Henson said.
She wanted the Poplar Bluff events to be simple and casual.
“There’s no feeling of walking into a church,” she said. “They’re pretty laid back.”
The We Are One events are built on a foundation of the two principles of unity and evangelism. Everyone, regardless of background, race or religious denomination, is welcome to come and hear the word, she said.
At one of last year’s services, a woman walking by heard the music and followed it to the downtown square, she said.
“The presence of God was so strong, she got saved right there on the street,” said Henson.
The Palace of Praise band will be on stage for the service. They have a portable sound system and a television screen to display song lyrics so attendees can sing with them.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and be prepared for the weather. It rained on the night of last year’s fair-related event, but the service went on.
“We had umbrellas,” said Henson. “We made it work.”
Those interested in We Are One can keep informed of the events on their Facebook page or by contacting Sierra Henson at 573-772-0921.