According to the website (https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/ ), "Days of prayer" have been called for since 1775, when the Continental Congress designated a time for prayer in forming a new nation. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln called for such a day. Ea…
According to the website (https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/ ), "Days of prayer" have been called for since 1775, when the Continental Congress designated a time for prayer in forming a new nation. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln called for such a day. Each year since that date, Americans have observed the day in their own way.
Attendees at this year's National Day of Prayer were all ages. Some walked the sidewalk with placards calling drivers to take time to pray for our nation.
Officially, the National Day of Prayer (NDP) was established as an annual event by an act of Congress in 1952 and was signed into law by President Truman. President Reagan amended the law in 1988, designating the first Thursday of May each year as the NDP.
Is the National Day of Prayer exclusively a Christian event?
Not according to the website. "This government-proclaimed day is offered to all Americans to 'turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.' However, the efforts of the NDP Task Force are implemented specifically in accordance with its Judeo-Christian beliefs."
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued a Proclamation that has been a law since 1952: "On this National Day of Prayer, we recognize the power of prayer to strengthen our spirits, draw us together, and create hope for a better tomorrow.
Carole Hester leads attendees in a rousing rendition of "God Bless America."
"The right to practice our faiths freely and openly is enshrined in the Constitution and remains at the core of our American spirit. For centuries, Americans of every religion and background have come together to lift up one another and our Nation in prayer. Throughout America's history, faith and prayer have helped fuel some of the greatest moral missions of our time — from the abolition of slavery to the fight for voting rights and the Civil Rights Movement. Many of our Nation's greatest leaders have been motivated by faith to push all of us toward a more perfect Union and to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice."
This year's event was organized by Gerry and Monica Burney.
Ukiahans gathered in front of the Mendocino County Courthouse May 2 to honor God and country: Veterans *posted the Colors. After a prayer led by Gerry Burney, Carole Hester led the crowd in singing the National Anthem, then two local pastors (The Rev. Mike Fenton, Trinity Baptist Church, and The Rev. John Melsness, First Presbyterian Church-Ukiah) spoke briefly about the importance of prayer and led the attendees – some 75 people – in prayer.
Who is behind the National Day of Prayer Task Force?
The NDP Task Force consists of a full-time staff and a network of thousands of grassroots volunteers nationwide. Kathy Branzell serves as the President. Prior to Mrs. Branzell's involvement, the Task Force was led by Dr. Ronnie Floyd (2018-2019), Mrs. Anne Graham Lotz (2016 to 2017), daughter of the late Reverend Billy Graham, Mrs. Shirley Dobson (1991-2016), wife of Focus on the Family and Family Talk founder, Dr. James Dobson, and the late Mrs. Vonette Bright (1983-1991), wife of the late Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ.
* Posting the colors requires that a color guard team move the colors (usually the American flag, the state flag, the service flag, and the unit flag) from a carried position and placed into a stand. This formality is normally done at events such as graduation ceremonies and public events.
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