Inspired by Asbury revival, EKY group aims to extend worship beyond church walls

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - After seeing people across the Commonwealth come together in various places of worship, one Perry County woman and her friends were moved to offer a similar experience to the people of their community.

“It started out talking about maybe a couple of us wanting to get together at someone’s house, and just the more friends we mentioned it to, it got a little bigger,” said Amanda Lawrence. “I would just say this happened in the last week.”

Soon enough, Lawrence and a few others would be hosting the Community Prayer and Praise event at the ArtStation in downtown Hazard.

“I think a lot of us were just feeling a desire for unity, just to share some time together with the community, pray for needs in the community and beyond the community, and but really just to gather together in unity and to just worship God,” she said.

Both Lawrence and Terrah Combs, who also helped to organize the event, said it is exciting to offer opportunities of worship to people that extend beyond church walls.

“This was just an opportunity to provide that for our community. We know that you don’t have to be at Asbury or you don’t have to be at one of these other places to experience an encounter with God,” said Combs. “If you’re a believer, the holy spirit dwells inside you, and when you’re with other believers, that’s just magnified and that’s fantastic.”

Lawrence and Combs said although there are no definite plans for future events, they would love to continue these gatherings if the community feels called to do so.