In Ohio, some pray at the pump for lower gas prices

TOLEDO, Ohio -- As cars surged steadily down the road in Toledo, Ohio, a familiar melody rose from the circle of people gathered beside the gas pumps at the Exxon-Mobil station on the corner.

"He's got the gas prices, in his hands. He's got the gas prices, in his hands. . . "

Heads bowed and hands clasped, Rocky Twyman and the congregants of his small worship session hoped to do what the country's leaders haven't: Put an end to the steep increase in national fuel prices.

"God is telling us to stop depending on ourselves so much and trust in him," said Twyman, founder of Pray at the Pump. "Bush can't solve this. McCain and Obama are not going to be able to solve this."

Paul Aduba, pastor of Toledo's Anglican Church of the Pentecost, said Twyman's mission provides a valuable opportunity to put beliefs into practice.

"The problem with this country is called microwave Christianity," Aduba said. "You put it in, two minutes, it's done. Nobody wants to toil. Nobody wants to pray."

Before the prayer, the Rev. Mike Fortune, pastor at Toledo's First Seventh-day Adventist church, drove congregants in a lap around the station. The enthusiasm in the van was palpable.

"Diesel?" he asked. "OK!" the others responded. And they were off, filing out of the van in a chorus of whoops and shouts.

The event drew a diverse crowd of about 15 people, the "largest group yet," according to Fortune.

Some worshippers wore shirts with messages that read: "The church has left the building. Gone outreaching." Some were parents with teenagers or small children in tow. Others were in town from as far away as Washington.

"We know you love us like crazy, Lord. We just ask in your name if you will work and intervene," said Fortune, as he looked toward the sky. "We also want you to bless this gas station and its owners."

As Fortune spoke, the crowd erupted into "Amens" and other murmurs of approval. Aduba rocked on his heels.

Michael Hood of Holland, Ohio, was driving home after picking up his son from summer school when he saw people clustered at a gas station. He had read about the Prayer at the Pump movement and decided to join in.

"I truly believe that the people who are behind this -- big gas companies and so forth -- don't care about the people. It's just about how much money they can make, and how far they can push gas prices before there is a public outcry," he said.

While the group prayed, two trucks pulled up to the pumps. The drivers left without filling their tanks with gas.

"I just lost a diesel sale, so I'm not happy about that," said an employee of the gas station, who asked not to be named. "The owner said he would love to lower gas prices, but those people really need to target the corporations. It's the refineries, not us."

Chris Oliphant, 28, was riding by the station on his bicycle and stopped in to see what was causing the commotion.

"We need some hope. We need something to change," he said. "See, I drive, but I'm on a bike right now."

E-mail Laura Bennett at lbennett(at)theblade.com

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)