Conway's Christians Plan Prayer During 'Gay Pride' Parade

by Allie Martin
June 24, 2004

(AgapePress) - Officials in one Arkansas city are coming under fire from area Christians who are upset that city councilmen took no action on a proposed resolution to deal with a homosexual pride parade.

Although the resolution authored by Alderman Sandy Brewer had no legal impact, it could have had the effect of disassociating the city of Conway, Arkansas, from the homosexual pride event scheduled to be held there this weekend. Brewer's resolution described the parade as a potentially divisive and disruptive activity; however, the motion to adopt it died because no one seconded.

Troy George, pastor for adult ministries at Second Baptist Church in Conway, says he is not surprised that the council members failed to adopt the resolution that would have declared the city's disassociation from the parade. Conway, a suburb of Little Rock, has a population of about 50,000 people, and the pastor says many of its citizens -- particularly Christians in the community -- were surprised when plans for the parade were announced.

"It was something that caused a great amount of stir amongst the people, just to talk about it, knowing that many did oppose it," George says, "and we certainly wanted to have, as a church group, some type of indication of what we wanted to do as far as seeking the Lord through this."

According to the Baptist pastor, area church leaders got together to discuss the situation and come up with a unified response. "The Ministerial Alliance group here in Conway met and decided that the best response that we could have as churches and ministers in this community would be to just pray for our community and pray that God will work a great work in the midst of things going on in our city," he says.

The group decided that the best way to do that would be to organize a time of prayer during the event. George says a prayer vigil will be held this Sunday afternoon while the homosexual pride parade is under way.