By Suzanne Haugh, Special To The Bulletin

ATLANTA-Entitled "Jericho," the Cathedral of Christ the King offers an evangelistic ministry Thursdays at 7 p.m. for Catholics and non-Catholics alike to "shout to the Lord" through prayer and praise. Jericho includes exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. It is named after the Old Testament story in which Joshua and the Israelites, upon the Lord's command, give a loud shout that causes the walls of Jericho to crumble before them. Keri Allen, Cathedral director of evangelization, hopes the ministry will break down walls-in individual hearts, in families, in the city of Atlanta and beyond-walls that prevent people from experiencing conversion or from deeper spiritual healing and growth. "We want to pray that the walls are torn down, not just between people, but especially the walls that keep people from coming to the Lord," she said. "We began from there and then thought about what the evening would look like." Meeting in the parish hall at the Cathedral, each Jericho begins with the blowing of the shofar (a rams horn) and with songs of praise, followed by a Scripture reading and a short teaching. Moving from praise into a time of worship, Allen takes a moment to speak about the place the Eucharist holds in the Catholic faith for those who may not be Catholic, explaining that eucharistic adoration is time spent in the presence of Jesus. She likes to ask those gathered how they would react if Jesus walked up the church aisles, which is what he does as the Blessed Sacrament is carried forth. Then a priest or deacon brings in the Blessed Sacrament for adoration. While people pray in silence during this time, some kneeling, some sitting, some prostrate, the words from John 6:54 are projected onto a screen: "Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day." The time of adoration concludes with Benediction. Songs of thanksgiving and praise, intercessions, and a time of fellowship close the two-hour gathering. All are welcome. The ministry came out of a calling heard by some within the church community. "What we're trying to do is reclaim the city for the Lord," Allen said. "Maybe that sounds too ambitious, but it didn't come from us. We want to take back the family, marriages and other relationships, and people who left the church. We want to pray for the city, homes, bars and crack houses, office buildings, government buildings." Hoping for a spiritual revival, Allen said that there are "a lot of people on the edge. They could lose their chance for eternal life in the kingdom and we want to pray to help keep them." For information about Jericho, call the evangelization office at (404) 233-2145, ext. 691.