300 Attend Mid-Continent Prayer Service

A Sunday afternoon prayer service at Mid-Continent University attracted more than 300 people from throughout the region.
 
The crowd included students, current faculty and staff, retired employees, employees laid off last week in an effort to cut costs, and many residents of the community.

The service, organized by area pastors. was held in the Founders Prayer Circle located in the center of the campus.
 
Acting President Ken Winters said he appreciated the strong showing of community support.  He told the crowd that God’s intervention through prayer is needed to help the university through difficult financial times.
 
The Rev. Ronnie Stinson Jr., pastor of Trace Creek Baptist Church, reminded the crowd that God instructed believers to petition their needs to Him through prayer. He was followed by the Rev. Rusty Wirt, pastor of Community Fellowship Baptist Church, who prayed for students; The Rev. Keith Allred, pastor of Chief Cornerstone Baptist Church, who prayed for staff and faculty; and the Rev. Wes Fowler, pastor of Mayfield First Baptist Church, who prayed for the administration.
 
Winters said the greatest financial challenge for the school is to submit the paperwork needed for the U.S. Department of Education to release federal student aid funds that already have been paid by the university. He said he’s confident a new strategy for making a submission will produce positive results. He added that it will take five to six weeks for it to be completed and reviewed and for the funds to be released, if approved.