The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
This year’s event will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 6:45 p.m. at Broadman Baptist Church. We are all aware of the issues in our culture, community, and country today. Please join me in coming together to pray for our church, believers everywhere, our schools, our leaders in our local communities, the leaders of our country, and those who serve to protect us. We will meet at the church and disperse into groups of at least 3 people and go to key areas in our city (a group will remain at the church). I would like us to have the following groups:
- City Hall: praying for our mayor and leaders of our community, as well as those who serve to protect us.
- Municipal Court: praying for our judges and magistrates and the decisions they make.
- Riverfront: At either the Amphitheater or possibly the commemoration in the center of Broad Blvd (by Front St.) and pray for our service men and women, as well as the community as a whole
- High School (and others as the number of people who participate permits): To pray for the superintendent, as well as the teachers, principals, coaches, etc.
I pray that many of you will join me and that in what we face, we as brothers and sisters in Christ may come together to pray for God’s hand upon our nation and community, while we seek forgiveness for ours and the world’s sins against Him. Also, please feel free to invite family and friends from other churches – the more the better.