KINGWOOD — About 70 people gathered on the Preston County Courthouse lawn Thursday to celebrate the National Day of Prayer.
The theme of this year’s event was “Pray For America — UNITY.”
“If there was ever a time God’s people and his church needed to pray, it’s today,” the Rev. Terry Wilt said. “We definitely need unity in the United States of America.”
“We’re living through a very crucial time in our nation’s history,” Wilt said. Even within the nation, “We’re more focused on making enemies than on making friends,” and the country is divided.
The solution is a “massive” prayer meeting that leads the country back to God, he said. That unity can begin with each of us. And we should be thankful we live in a country where we can pray in public.
Several pastors spoke, each directing their prayers toward a different segment of the country.
Pastor Rick Bloom of the Howesville and Bird’s Creek United Methodist Churches said we need to set an example with everything we do. It’s not just the country but our families that need help, he said. He prayed for peace, hope, faith, joy and love.
Pastor Cheryl Harris of Brighter Day Church prayed for the media. She thanked God for, “a resurgence of truth being declared throughout the media in Jesus’ name. Father, I’m asking you to shut the mouths of the liars, of the perpetrators, those that are finding fault with our president within our nation.”
Her husband and co-pastor, Roger Harris, prayed for educators and requested, “a hedge of protection” around schools.
Pastor Don Tichenell of Safe Haven Apostolic Church asked for protection for the military, police and first responders. He and his wife, Pastor Madeline Tichenell, prayed for unity of all churches.
“Let’s pray every day,” for the country and our leaders, she said.
Pastor Robert Anderson of Christian Evangelical Church asked that God touch businesses and that they put God first. Pastor Mark McGinnis of Harvest House Ministries prayed for the government and praised the country’s founders for establishing three branches of government.
We should pray for all our leaders, he said.
The National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Ronald Reagan, designating the first Thursday of May as a day of national prayer.
