WASHINGTON, D.C.--A national gathering of Christian young people and their families is planned for the Mall in Washington Sept. 2.
The event is dubbed The Call or The Call DC, and it is intended to bring together the grassroots spiritual movement organizers say has sprung up around the country because of the Columbine High School shootings last year.
The Call will be a day of fasting and prayer for the nation, say organizers, who include leaders from numerous churches and ministries. The event is free, with private donations going to cover expenses.
The Call refers to Joel 2, which describes a holy fast and sacred assembly that were called in a time of great spiritual need, bringing together the elders and children.
Speakers will include Darrell Scott, whose daughter Rachael died at Columbine. Mr. Scott said that "this tragedy is not ending in tragedy, it's ending in triumph."
"Every time Satan does something to thwart God's will, it turns into dust in his mouth, and this tragedy is turning into dust because we're seeing a renewal and a revival," Mr. Scott said.
The Call also will provide young people with practical help to be more involved in their communities, said Che Ahn, pastor of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, and an organizer of The Call. They will return with a desire to start Christian groups at their schools, attend the annual See You at the Pole prayer rally, and start Lighthouses of Prayer, which are small groups of Christians who pray together regularly, do acts of kindness and share their faith, he said.
Eighty percent of America's more than 30 million teenagers don't go to church, said Pastor Ahn, and of the 12 percent who do attend, 80 percent will stop going before they graduate from high school.
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