By By MICHELE GERLACH Publisher
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments in two cases involving the Ten Commandments this week, Baptists in Brewton plan to appeal the cases to a higher authority.
First Baptist Church will hold a 24-hour prayer vigil from noon on Monday, March 1, until noon on Tuesday, March 2.
The Supreme Court announced in October it would hear two cases involving the display of the Ten Commandments on government property. The high court last addressed the Ten Commandments in 1980, when it struck down in a 5-4 vote a Kentucky law requiring the posting of the commandments in school classrooms.
This week, the court will review Van Orden v. Perry, in which a federal appeals court upheld a six-foot-tall monument to the commandments on the grounds of the state capitol in Austin, Texas. It also will review McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky, in which a federal appeals court barred an exhibition of the commandments with other historical documents in a Kentucky courthouse.
There are three other cases pending before the Supreme Court that relate to the display of the commandments in public schools. Among the numerous cases the court refused to hear was the case of Roy Moore, former chief justice of Alabama's Supreme Court.
Headley said the vigil is slated for the church's Prayer Room, located on the side of Bell Chapel. The church plans to have staff members and church members provide security through the night, and is asking members to sign up for 30-minute prayer intervals.
Headley said the vigil is not limited to members of the congregation and others in the community who are interested in participating may sign up by calling 867-5769.