By Aimee Herd (September 7, 2009)
From out of the history of William Penn, after which the state of Pennsylvania is named, comes a call to return to Penn's vision of a God-honoring government, and individual lifestyle.
PA Awake is a gathering, much like those of The Call, where hundreds come together to pray, worship God and declare God's purposes for their state and country. It will be held on September 26th (rain or shine) from noon to 6pm, at the Skyline Sports Complex, City Island, Harrisburg, PA. There is no charge, however registration is necessary so adequate parking can be arranged.
William Penn's life may not be familiar to many, but he was touched by God at an early age after attending a Quaker meeting. In an attempt to rid him of his spiritual quest, Penn's father sent him to attend Oxford when he was 16, but he was soon expelled because he rejected institutionalized religion, seeking instead an authentic Christian message.
At one point Penn was sent to the Tower of London, where he used the time to write the first draft of his book No Cross No Crown, from which a quote reads: "No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown."*
Penn eventually was granted a large area west and south of New Jersey by King Charles II. Penn named it Sylvania (Latin for woods or forest) but Charles later changed it to Pennsylvania. (Tapestry depicting Holy Experiment/QuakerInfo.com)
William Penn envisioned a democratic system of government that "with full freedom of religion, fair trials, elected representatives of the people in power, and a separation of powers,"** ideas which later helped form the US Constitution. His understanding of the Gospel also led him to form a peace treaty and friendship with the area Native American tribes, making sure that they were paid fairly for their lands.** This vision of Penn's Pennsylvania was what he called a "Holy Experiment," and an example to the nations.
It is in this spirit—an authentic pursuit of God, and the honor of God and the Gospel in government, the state and the country—that PA Awake will meet on September 26th. Prior to the main event, there will be two "Pre-event Worship Rallies" held on Monday, 9/14 and 9/21, 7pm at Life Center Ministries.
To watch the PA Awake video, CLICK HERE. To watch an informative and inspiring message about William Penn, CLICK HERE.
For more information about PA Awake, follow the source link provided.
(*from QuakerInfo.com / **from US History.org)
Source: PA Awake
If you haven't already watched the video, please do so. The actors in it are some of the great people with whom I worship Jesus. Also, if you can't attend the event, please pray for my wonderful state of Pennsylvania on September 26th.
With Much Love...
Beautiful Grace
