Published: April 30, 2008 11:07 am            

Bringing society together for prayer

The annual National Prayer Day celebration in Duncan will take place May 1 at the gazebo at Fuqua Park and will involve local government, media, educational and religious leaders.

Nelda Swift, who is helping to organize this year’s event along with her husband, Hugh, said that though the celebration is local, similar events will take place throughout the nation.

“Congress passed a law in 1952 declaring the first Thursday in May to be National Prayer Day,” Swift said.

She said that the festivities will start at about 11:30 a.m. and last for a little over an hour.

“It is a neat event because all people of whatever faith and religion can participate in it,” she said. “It didn’t take a long time to organize. Everyone we asked to participate said it would be an honor to do so.”

One of the purposes of this meeting, Swift said, is to help the community remember and commemorate what our society was founded upon.

“Society has changed much,” she said.

Stephens County Commissioner Dee Bowen, who has been asked to pray for government, said that there are a few different facets or subjects that will be prayed about.

“But the prayers are mainly that the Lord will guide local, state and national leaders to make correct decisions,” Bowen said.

“They called me a few days ago and asked me to participate. It’s a great opportunity.”

On the proclamation that announces the event, it says that pilgrims came to America largely for the ability to worship Deity in the way they thought best.

Since that time, America’s culture and society has sometimes veered away from this moral and religious foundation, the proclamation says, but there have also been revivals of dependence on God.

Swift said the festivities will start with patriotic and Christian music that will last until about noon.

Once the music is finished, prayers will be given by the Rev. Ronald Boyd, Bowen, Cindy Broadus, Randy Sullivan, Duncan Schools Superintendent Sherry Labyer, Paul Greenwood, the Rev. Buddy Hunt and U.S. Air Force veteran Clifford Mcghghy.

To finish the event, everyone in attendance will be invited to sing “God Bless America,” led by Dr. Jerry Black, pastor of Westside Christian Church.

Those attending should take their own lawnchairs.

High school students at Duncan may also participate in a prayer walk through the campus that will take place at the same time as the Fuqua Park prayers. The high school walk will begin in the choir room at Duncan high school.

Several local churches are also planning services or activities in connection with the day.

        

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