Fatheree Encourages Those Gathered at Prayer Breakfast to Consider Who is Their Neighbor

The guest speaker at Wednesday's National Day of Prayer observance in Effingham asked those gathered to consider the question Jesus was asked, "Who is my neighbor?" and how they should answer that question.

Nationally-known educator Joe Fatheree told those gathered that "relationships matter the most" in establishing relationships that could lead others to Jesus. The examples shown by Jesus in the Scriptures include many teaching times before great crowds, but it also tells of many one-on-one conversations between Jesus and individuals.

Fatheree asked his audience to "look for the people God puts in front of you" when seeking mission opportunities.

Fatheree and his wife Darlene are retiring from teaching in the Unit 40 school district this year. He is completing 34 years teaching in the district. They are still exploring their future opportunities.

The National Day of Prayer observance is sponsored by a group of local businesspeople who are Christians and want to give the community an opportunity to gather and pray. They also paid for breakfast for those gathered.

This year's beneficiary of the special offering taken up at the breakfast was El Shaddai Homes, the ministry to pregnant women and their on-the-way or newborn children. Those gathered gave a free will offering totaling $6,147.