I want to take a moment and introduce you to the man that is my dad. I have been fortunate enough to have been raised by someone who was such a great testament of faith. I have witnessed how God can take an ordinary man to do extraordinary things. It's hard to think of anything more extraordinary than to witness the power of God's children united as one body of Christ...the way God had intended...
Blessings to All,
On August 29, 2009, Missouri's state capital welcomed over 6,000 Christians to the United As One Christian Festival.
Eight years ago, a man named Perry Carey envisioned a choir clothed in robes of different colors coming together to sing and praise God. After many sleepless nights, Perry knew what it meant and what he had to do. It was a calling to unite the children of God, divided by denominational walls, to gather on common ground (the lawn of Missouri's state capital) for one purpose, for one day - to praise and worship our one and only God. His dream, his vision gave way to the United As One Christian Festival in Jefferson City, MO. After seven years, this festival has grown from 500 to 6,500 witnesses to the power of God's children UNITED - united as one body of Christ! That is something that can't be ignored!
"A Man with a Vision" is in memory of Perry Carey, our dad, who listened and obeyed to what God set on his heart to do. And he didn't stop until his dying breath...
The 2008 Christian Festival became the last that dad would see on this earth. On November 21, 2008 dad passed away peacefully while taking a nap. Dad suffered from kidney failure and his condition worsened from other health complications. During the dark days of battling with his illness and trials, he became even closer to God. He always said, "I can't quit on God; He's never quite on me." So he kept going and kept working at uniting the children of God in the community. He succeeded!
Dad had a different view of the Christian Festival this year, but this event wouldn't have been made possible without the dedicated volunteers that continued on to make this dream a reality. Thank You!
And for one day, over 6,000 Christians gathered on the capital lawn to stand United As One!
God Bless!
Rachelle Glavin & Zach Carey
Piece of Trivia: Missouri is one of only two states, Alaska being the other, that allows Christians to organize on capital grounds to exercise the greatest freedom of all.
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For more information about the United As One Christian Festival visit http://www.unitedasone.info/
This year's Christian Festival was also featured in Sunday's paper of the News Tribune. "United as One Christian founder dies, but his event flourishes" http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2009/08/30/news_local/123local10united09.txt
"Divine inspiration led Perry Carey to organize Christian festival"
http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2008/08/25/news_local/128localnews02portrait.txt
