Please stand, lower your head, and wash your hands with holy fracking fluid. It's time to pray for the oil fields.
Well, at least it is according to Mary Fallin and her friends with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. They've designated October 13th as "Oilfield Prayer Day" across the state. It's one of those absurd real life things I wish I was making up, but I'm not.
Via NewsOK.com:
A statewide prayer initiative focusing on the oil fields and beleaguered energy industry will culminate Oct. 13 with an annual breakfast in downtown Oklahoma City.
The Rev. Tom Beddow of Ada, coordinator of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's Oil Patch Chaplains ministry, said he would like to see similar gatherings around the state as people pray for individuals affected by current economic woes, with the energy industry at the center.
“The oil field is hurting right now,” he said.
“We're asking churches all over Oklahoma to open their doors, put on a pot of coffee and pray for the oil field, and not only for the oil field but the state, because the economy of our state is so connected to the oil field.”
Jeff Hubbard, with Oilfield Christian Fellowship- Oklahoma City, agreed.
“We have a saying: The oil field trickles down to everyone,” he said.
Hubbard said Gov. Mary Fallin has proclaimed Oct. 13 as Oilfield Prayer Day to raise awareness about the initiative.
That's great! I hope it works. If so, maybe then we can ask God to come up with a solution for more important things like global warming and pollution, or better yet, a diversified state economy that's not so dependant on one evil, greedy, polluting industry that it gets its own day of prayer.
Beddow is an ordained Southern Baptist minister who formerly worked as an oil field welder and director of counseling and family ministry at First Baptist Church of McAlester.
He said the downtown Oklahoma City breakfast is the final event in a series of “Praying for the Patch” breakfasts across the state. The Oklahoma City event will be at the Tower Hotel, 3233 Northwest Expressway, and feature Southern Baptist bivocational preacher the Rev. Harold Mathena, former owner of oil field equipment company Mathena Inc., as keynote speaker.
Beddow and Hubbard said Oilfield Christian Fellowship, a type of “big brother” organization to the oil field chaplains ministry, has been hosting an annual prayer breakfast in Oklahoma City for many years.
Hubbard, a senior account manager at Schlumberger oil field equipment supplier and member of Crossings Community Church, said the breakfasts bring together oil field workers, oil patch chaplains, energy industry executives and attorneys and others related to the energy industry.
“You've got guys in coveralls and guys in suits and ties,” he said.
I always like to remind our readers that the energy industry controls virtually all levels of Oklahoma government, education and the media. I guess I forgot they control our religious leaders, too! Before you know it, local churches will start putting all their tithes in energy industry stocks to help pay the less fortunate their executive bonuses. Also, expect Life Church to erect a 100 ft tall white oil derrick in honor of the sacrifices the energy industry has made for its people.
As the article mentions, the day of prayer is October 13th. Even if you think the day is an eye-rolling, hypocritical piece of B.S., I encourage you to participate. At the very least, we'll see what God values most – his planet or its people.
