National Day of Prayer HOLLYWOOD

The National Day of Prayer HOLLYWOOD was held at the CBS Studio Center in Studio City on May 3rd and Christians from different churches and different walks of life were well represented at the event though there were many many entertainment industry people there, too.

We had a glorious time giving God praise and praying for God's blessings. Opening Prayers were said by Karen Covell, Director of Hollywood Prayer Network(HPN), and Kim Dorr-Tilley, Associate Pastor of Bel-Air Presbyterian Church. Prayers for our Nation was lead by Jack Kerr, a war Veteran then prayer for the Government was lead by Gary Montecuollo, Chief of Police at Glendale City College. Cheryl Allen, Director of the Pasadena International House of Praise PIHOP, lead prayer for the City followed by Eric Hannah, President of Lift Up America, who lead prayer for  Relationships & Families. Kim Dorr-Tilley lead the prayers for the Churches followed by Mark Joseph, a producer at MJM Entertainment Group, who lead prayers for Hollywood and the Entertainment Industry.

There was also strong prayers for the Youth lead by actress, Avrielle Corti and prayers for a local and a world-wide Revival lead by Jimmy Fisher, Pastor of Worship at Faithful Central Church. Fisher also lead us to pray for Christians around the world especially the persecuted church in China, Nigeria and Egypt. There was great corporal prayer and beautiful praise music including "How Great Is Our God", "Be Exalted", "Alleluia", "worthy of It All", "Amazing Grace" and "All My Worship" performed by David Brymer, the Worships/Arts Director at PIHOP. Plus, a stirring "stomp and parise" rendition of "Great is Thou Faithfullness" perfomed by Contagious Praise of Faithful Central and written by Jimmy Fisher to close out the evening.

There were also Personal Prayer Stations so that indiviuals could receive prayer for any personal short comings or need. They also had various stations set up espousing godly characteristics (like LOVE, HOPE, PURITY, CHARACTER, SALVATION) with the applicable Bible verses. We ended the night with a final Prayer then we were able to meet and greet friends or new acquaintences after. I met .... ., the Pastor of PIHOP and a few of his friends then I talked with some friends from Ecclesia who were also there.

I left CBS Studios so filled up with hope and the Holy Spirit that I was not feeling any pain anywhere and my friend T.H. and I praised the Lord all the way home. Wow, when God called me to Hollywood, I never ever could imagine that I would be at a major Hollywood studio praising the Lord with a room full of other Christians and praising Him as mightily and as beautifully as we did. NEVER, EVER, EVER!!! God is amazing!!!

May God bless CBS Studios for allowing us to have our National Day of Prayer on their property and may they continue to be open to being used by the Lord for His glory. May more of the CBS TV shows reflect a love for the Lord and His people and may the Bible be extolled as the very Word of God that it is. I have been praying for the CBS Studios, Charlie Sheen, Chuck Lorre and the two Lorre sit-coms Two and a half Men and Big Bang Theory since the Charlie Sheen/Men fall out last year but I will try to pray even more now.

Update: CBS Comedies
Sat May 5th: Speaking of CBS comedies, I got some old shooting scripts for the TV show, Two and a Half Men when I was at the Alameda Writers Group. I had written about 1 page for a "clean" Two and Half Men spec in 2010 but abandned it because I felt the show was at the end of its run. Now I can use this old shooting script and compare it with how they are writing for the show with Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie.

Sun May 6th:

I was with friends after church on Sunday and just happened to run into Simon Helberg aka Howard Wolowitz of The Big Bang fame at the Farmer's Market between Sunset and Hollywood. He was walking through the crowd unrecognized in a cap when I saw him and did a double take. He looked real cool and he was sporting a beard and holding hands with a cute 20 something girl(his wife?). I just had to tug him and tell him how much I love his portrayal of his character on the show etc. but I did it quietly so no one else would recognize him and spoil his privacy. Helberg just smiled happily at my response and he seemed truly surprised and humbled to be recognized amidst the thick throng.
I even managed to hug him and whisper to him that I actual pray for him and for his success and I really do! Weirdly, Helberg's Howard character (though fictional) has really given me some insights to Jewish-Christian relations. It's like he is the walking breathing version of the "Jewish Book Of Why" that I often read.