Linda Nelms Bruner, a member of FirstUnited Methodist Church, organized an event for people like herselfwho share the same concerns for the condition of the nation.

    The event is called “Day of Prayer for Our Nation,” and itoriginated in Texas at the behest of Gov. Rick Perry. TheRepublican governor is behind a new conservative movement called”The Response: A call for prayer for a nation in crisis.”

    According to a letter Nelms Bruner received about Perry’s event,”Right now, America is in crisis: we have been besieged byfinancial debt, terrorism and multitude of national disasters.”

    “We can’t look to Washington (D.C) to help with these things, butwe can go to God,” Nelms Bruner said.

    When she heard Perry had organized a Texas-wide day of prayer, shefelt inclined to bring the idea to her friends and other churchesin Brookhaven and in Mississippi.

    “I have spoken with friends here in Brookhaven, and we decided totry to get all the churches in our area to do the same thing,” shesaid. “I also called some friends who are going to do it inColumbus and in McComb. It’s just a grassroots thing that I wantedto bring here to Mississippi.”

    Nelms Bruner said the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer agreed toopen its doors from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday for silentprayer.

    “We are asking people of all ages, races, backgrounds anddenomination to join us there, or just a church of their choice inpraying that day for our nation,” she said. “We aren’t going tohave a service, we won’t take any donations. We just want everybodyto pray together at the same time because we can’t take on thisourselves. We can’t keep staying with it like this anymore.”

    Nelms Bruner said she worked to pass out flyers around town, todistrict offices and to area churches. The Episcopal church islocated at 230 West Monticello St., and the event is “come and goas you will.”

    Nelms Bruner said for the sake of the younger generation, peopleneed the help of God because politicians are so corrupt.

    “I don’t care if you take the best person, but if you put him in anelected position, things are going to go badly with him,” shesaid.

    People like Nelms Bruner think it is time to turn to other sourcesfor relief from the problems faced by the nation, and Perryprovided her with inspiration to spread the idea to peoplehere.

    “I just thought, ‘If Texas can do it, then Brookhaven can do it,'”she said.