Charlotte’s 24-7 Prayer Room: A ‘fueling station for the city’s spiritually hungry’
Visiting Charlotte’s 24-7 Prayer Room is a little like walking into another dimension.
Coming in off the street from traffic, hectic schedules and countless technological devices to the warehouse space described as a “fueling station for the city’s spiritually hungry” is refreshingly calming.
The room, on 15th Street near North Davidson, is meant to be a place where people can disconnect from their busy lives, have a candid conversation with God and partner with passionate people across the city.
While the Prayer Room is rooted in the Christian tradition, it’s a place for anyone, according to director Lisa Koons, who helped found 24-7 in 2005.
“Everyone needs to forgive and drop weights and burdens,” she said. “These are common to all human beings, not just Christians, so in that regard it doesn’t matter where you are spiritually.”
A little bit of something for everyone
The large area is made up of micro-spaces for people to come and recharge mentally and spiritually.
If you like art, there’s a table set up with room to create and draw, along with books like “The Heart of the Artist.”
Rows of desk kiosks have different themes and décor where you can journal or read the prayer books scattered about for reflection.
There are small booth-like areas with scribbled heartfelt prayers and pleas for forgiveness of others and self — a tiny Charlotte wailing wall amidst towering replicas of a cityscape.
All of the spaces overlook a giant map of the world where people have written notes and prayers for others across the seven continents.
Reaching out
While the Prayer Room itself is an important aspect of the 24-7 ministry, the group also partners with local churches for prayer initiatives and retreats, and also does outreach to fight homelessness and human trafficking.
One of their biggest initiatives is The Justice Project, which is a grassroots community service project partnering with local churches and the mayor’s office.
“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, & we’ll come & make our home with them” -Jesus pic.twitter.com/rzt9EUQfk3
— 24-7 (@charlotte24_7) May 18, 2015
Churches and people from all over the city adopt one fragile inner-city neighborhood for nine months each year to help bring about change and improvement. Some of the places they have worked in include Villa Heights and Reid Park.
What’s next
For Koons and those she works with, the goal for the next year is to continue partnering with those in the community and also replicate the Prayer Room in more than a dozen places in Charlotte.
“I’ve been at this for 10 years,” she said. “I still hear stories of what’s happening week to week in the Prayer Room, of people being healed and laying down burdens and forgiving themselves and taking responsibility for their community and friends. As long as those stories keep happening we’ll keep it alive in the city.”
This story was originally published June 14, 2015 at 9:30 PM.