To conclude the first week of the new year, several gathered at Turner Lake Recreational Complex for the annual community prayer breakfast.
In the presence of local city and county officials, an attorney from Suwanee, Georgia, Cornel Potra told the story of how he escaped Romania — a former communist country — at 24 years old.
After listening to Potra’s story, all attendees gave a standing ovation. Then, judge Samuel Ozburn came to the podium and shared the significance of having the annual prayer breakfast for the past 15 years.
“This prayer breakfast, if you think about it, is the only event that we have in this county where the entire community can sit down, have fellowship together and pray for each other,” Ozburn said. “No partisan agenda, no division, no competition just lifting each other up unified, One Newton.”
As the prayer breakfast’s special speaker, Potra relayed his testimony. Parts of his testimony were given via a press release to The Covington News.
“Prior to his successful escape, he was caught several times and was imprisoned and sentenced to forced labor. Due to his Christian faith and continued refusal to compromise his religious and political views, he and his family were subjected to death threats and prison time. However, such pressures did not deter Cornel from wanting to be free and trying to escape communism,” a press release stated. “In August 1988, he attempted [to] escape again and succeeded. After one year in a refugee camp in Austria, he was granted political asylum. In June 1989, he came to the United States of America as a free man. In August 1989, Cornel married Kristina. Together, they have five beautiful children and one grandchild. Since 2001, they are both practicing attorneys at their law firm in Gwinnett County. They are thankful and blessed to live in one of the most blessed countries in the world.”
Each year, the prayer breakfast is co-hosted by either the Rotary Club of Covington or Kiwanis Club. Rotary Club was this year’s rotation to host, but each club had several of its members present for the occasion.
Kiwanis Club’s president judge Melanie Bell was present along with Rotary Club’s president Lauren Poynter, who led the event.
Poynter’s welcome to the event was followed by an opening prayer. People present then enjoyed a Chick-fil-A breakfast followed by an introduction of Potra.
Ozburn then addressed the crowd with a Bible verse — Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
“We are all image bearers,” Ozburn said. “Being created in the image of God gives all men and women deep value. Those who bear God’s image should not be treated with disrespect. You mistreat or disrespect an image bearer then you disrespect God. Now I want you to look around you. Each person here is an image bearer.”
Over 50 people showed up to the event with many notable faces in attendance.
State senator Brian Strickland attended along with Newton County Board of Commissioners chairman Marcello Banes and District 3 representative Alana Sander as well as county manager Harold Cooper.
Marcus Jordan, Newton County tax commissioner, was in attendance. Newton County sheriff Ezell Brown was also present.
City of Covington mayor Fleeta Baggett attended the event along with West Post 1 representative Kim Johnson. City of Porterdale mayor Michael Patterson attended, too, as well as the executive director of the Newton County Industrial Development Authority, Serra Hall.
Before the breakfast came to an official close, Ozburn encouraged everyone in attendance with a special message for 2024.
“At this unique occasion today, let us appreciate our lights together. Let us exercise our valuable rights with respect for each other. By doing this, our community will be stronger. We may disagree sometimes, but we must treat each other with the dignity an image bearer deserves,” Ozburn said. “Now let us pray for each other. Pray for our government leaders, leaders in our churches and our businesses. And let our God given rights unite us as we go into the new year.”
