Today the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer.

In 2012, Trinity Lutheran Church applied for a state program in Missouri that reimburses nonprofits for the purchase and installation of rubber playground surfaces made from recycled tires. Trinity Lutheran Church hoped to use the funds from the state program to replace its playground but was denied by the Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources based on a provision of the state constitution that prohibits money from the state treasury from going “directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect, or denomination of religion.”

The Trinity Lutheran playground case is the last remaining religious freedom case to be heard before the Supreme Court this term.

READ TRANSCRIPT HERE

We held our annual prayer service at the Supreme Court. Our prayer service is the only observance of the National Day of Prayer at the seat of the Judicial Branch of The United States.

Only a few years ago, leading a service like this would be enough to get you arrested and charged with a federal offense.

We prayed for the judicial branch, the nine justices, and for the 850 federal judges under them. We hope that you’ll say a prayer as well!

After speaking to our President, Rev. Rob Schenck, on the thrilling impact of the Closing Ceremony of the Bible Reading Marathon, he excitedly observed:

“While inside the Congress was wrestling with one of the most contentious pieces of legislation ever — the repeal of Obamacare; with members actually calling each other names and impugning each others’ motives — outside peace filled the air with the beautiful sounds of prayers, the reading of the Word of God [with its hope of Jesus’ soon return], and the gorgeous, harmonious voices of young people, echoing off the gleaming marble as they sang out praises to the Lord. The tone of the two settings couldn’t have been more different, but when it came to outside the Capitol, it couldn’t have been more joyful and hope-filled! What an inspiration — and what a reminder of just how great our God truly is!”

Yes, the reading of the Word of God was a stark contrast to the usual contentious voices that fill the Capitol and all of Washington, D.C. This year’s Closing Ceremony attracted the largest crowd we have seen in our 28 years of sponsoring the U.S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon! In fact, in its entirety, this year’s Marathon was the most exciting and impacting event that I have witnessed.

Thanks to you, our supporters, we were able to bring this important program once again to Capitol Hill!

Time and again, we were told by those who had signed up to read, that they had chills reading the Word of God in the heart of our nation’s capital city. Several said that when they were done reading they just couldn’t help but smile. We had congressional leaders, pastors, ministry leaders, business leaders, government staffers, grandparents, moms, dads, young adults, and even kids take a turn reading Scripture over five days.

As exciting as it was to see the level of involvement in the event, that paled compared to those who stopped to listen! Every cross section of society stopped in front of the Capitol to hear the Word of God read unabashedly. Even in the dead of night, with the light of the Capitol behind the podium, God’s Word pierced the darkness and touched the hearts of the curious, the lonely, and the stressed out government employee working late into the night.

It is our hope and prayer that the seed of faith has been planted into the hearts of those who heard the Word of God spoken in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Hosting, organizing events of this magnitude and importance are only possible with your support! We need your help to continue this and outreaches like it. Please consider supporting us with a gift of $100, $250 or even a $1,000 so that we may continue this important work. Simply mail in your gift to Faith and Action at 109 2nd St NE, Washington, DC 20002. Or you may call in your donation to Patty Bills, at (202–546–8329).

If you have not signed up to be a member of our Extended Missionary Team by making a monthly pledge we encourage you to consider doing so! Simply Click Here.

Thank you again for all you do to help us share the Gospel in Washington, D.C.!

On Behalf of Your Faith & Action Ministry Team,

Mrs. Peggy Nienaber
Vice President of Operations
Faith & Action in the Nation’s Capital

P.S. As you know, on the National Day of Prayer, Faith & Action sponsors the only annual prayer observance on the plaza of the Supreme Court building, the seat of the judicial branch of the federal government! We are happy to say that this year we saw the largest participating crowd in prayer at our Daybreak event in all the years that we have been conducting this important event!

Hundreds of volunteers from across the nation participated in this year’s 28th Annual U.S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon. Peggy Nienaber concluded the Bible reading marathon alongside Rev. Michael Hall, Dave Kistler, Nate Kistler, and other supporting pastors. There were performances by Liberty University’s “Shine.” The Color Guard and Flag Ceremony was performed by the American Heritage Troop and Trail Life USA Troop. Special thanks to all the volunteers and supporters of this year’s U.S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon.

Established in 1990 by Dr. John Hash and Dr. Corinthia Boone, the U.S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon brings hundreds of believers to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol to read aloud the entire Word of God without commentary over ninety continuous hours.

The public reading of God’s Holy Word will call the nation to return to God’s precepts and will lay a solid foundation for the National Day of Prayer.