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Community gearing up for National Day of Prayer Thursday
With the National Day of Prayer approaching Thursday, the community will have several opportunities to participate.
The National Day of Prayer was first observed in the United States 60 years ago and has been celebrated in Fort Scott through the annual Community Prayer Breakfast and the time of prayer on the steps of Memorial Hall for many years. This year, a Prayer Walk on the Fort Scott Community College campus has been added.
The Community Prayer Breakfast will be held at 7:30 a.m. in the FSCC cafeteria, 2108 S. Horton. It is organized by the Pioneer Kiwanis Club with the assistance of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and Fort Scott Ministerial Alliance.
This year's breakfast will begin with a welcome from Pioneer Kiwanis President Carol Lydic and an opening prayer from Community Christian Church Pastor Kevin Moyers. A breakfast buffet will be provided by Jerry and Judy Witt. In addition, First Presbyterian Church pastor Mansour Khajehpour will be the featured speaker. Robert Nelson and Carolyn Tucker will lead a closing song and Moyers will offer the closing prayer.
Event organizer Catherine Ruhl said the event is a long-standing tradition in Fort Scott. People across the country will be praying for health, family and the United States of America, Ruhl said.
"It's a wonderful feeling knowing that you're coming together with a group of people in the National Day of Prayer," she said. "Prayer answers everything."
At noon, the Fort Scott Ministerial Alliance will be hosting their annual time of prayer on the steps of Memorial Hall at the corner of Third Street and National Avenue. The public is invited to gather in prayer for national, state and local leaders, U.S. soldiers and the current economic and spiritual times, Moyers said. Local ministers will lead this time of prayer.
"It gives people a chance to pray for our country," Moyers said.
Through the years, National Day of Prayer has had varied attendance and has not been as high as it should be, Moyers said, adding anywhere from 50-100 people attend annually.
"It's a promise from God ... He will bring healing to our land," Moyers said of the importance of prayer. "America needs healing."
Moyers said the event will last about 30 minutes and will be moved inside Memorial Hall if it rains. The prayer walk is being organized by Community Christian Church and will give people a chance to pray while getting some exercise. The walk will be offered to the public all day and all night Thursday. Ten stations along the half-mile track will be set up with different topics to pray for and a biblical verse.
"The whole community is welcome to come participate," Moyers said.
He added Community Christian has held prayer walks within the church in the past and felt it would be a good time to host one for the community. "We thought it would be a good thing to make available to the community," he said.