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Published Monday, May 04, 2009 in Local

National Day of Prayer Thursday

By Winston Skinner

The Times-Herald

The current economic times have brought many Cowetans to prayer, and the National Day of Prayer observances locally will reflect concerns about the economy and how it is impacting people locally and around the world.

"All seasons have troubled times. Some are more keenly felt than others," reflected Jonnie Porter, who has been involved with planning local prayer day events for 15 years or more. "At times more people are impacted by those troubles than others. The source of help and comfort and wisdom is always the same -- and it is He whom we acknowledge and to whom we turn every day."

The National Day of Prayer, which will take place Thursday, is a time for people to gather "in corporate prayer, praise and supplication as a nation, state, county and city," she said.

Several hundred people are expected to attend events in the Coweta area. Newnan Mayor Keith Brady is issuing a proclamation setting aside the day as the Newnan Day of Prayer as well.

Local events include the annual prayer breakfast sponsored by the Newnan Kiwanis Club, a midday gathering at Greenville Street Park and observances at First Baptist Church of Newnan and Resurrection Lutheran Church. A 24-hour prayer vigil is planned at Hopewell United Methodist Church in Tyrone.

The annual Kiwanis breakfast has become a Coweta tradition. "Every member of the club feels really blessed to be a part of this event," said Blake Lambert, who has helped plan the breakfast for several years. The breakfast is "something we feel good about" and "the kind of thing we like to see the community get behind," he said.

Lambert expects 40-50 people at the 7:30 a.m. breakfast in the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church. "We're always hoping we'll fill the place up," he said.

Ken Adams, pastor of Crossroads Church since 1989 and director of Impact Discipleship Ministries, will speak at the breakfast. Lamar Wright will sing.

Adams grew up in Stone Mountain. After graduating from Georgia State University, he began his ministry career at Annistown Road Baptist Church in Lithonia as youth pastor. He left Annistown to pursue a master of divinity degree at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.

He was called as pastor at Crossroads, then a mission church plant of Palmetto Baptist, when he graduated in 1989. Since that time, Crossroads has grown from about 60 in attendance to around 3,000.

Through Impact Discipleship Ministries, Adams seeks to help individual Christians live as authentic disciples of Jesus, to help local churches learn how to become a movement of multiplying disciples and to help churches and Christians link together for the common goal of multiplying disciples. Adams lives in Sharpsburg with his wife, Val, and their three children -- Caleb, Kelsi and Connor.

The noon prayer gathering at Greenville Street Park is organized by a committee that included Porter, Mary Anne Emeott, Brenda Jessel, Gerry McCoomb, Ruth Mealor, Janet Prince and Charlotte Unzicker.

"First Baptist Church has a prayer ministry," Porter said, explaining the planning committee comes from members of that group. She said local minister Paul Schneider helped spread the word through area churches and ministries.

Porter predicted 100 or more people will attend the park program, which will last about an hour. The sounding of the shofar, an instrument dating to Old Testament times made from a ram's horn, will open the program. Participants will pledge the American flag, and Amy Patterson will sing. Prayers will be offered for city and county officials, judges, law enforcement and public safety workers, state and national leaders, the military, the media, schools, businesses, churches and families.

In honor of the National Day of Prayer, a Service of Word and Prayer will be held at Resurrection Lutheran Church noon-12:30 p.m. The Never Grow Old Club meets for lunch at First Baptist at noon, and their program will be part of the prayer day, Porter said.

Hopewell United Methodist Church in Tyrone will hold a prayer vigil at 7 a.m. Thursday and concluding with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the church.

The Tyrone church will be open all day so church members and anyone in the community can stop by to pray. There are 24 prayer segments available so that every minute of the day is covered by prayer. To sign up for a 30-minute segment, call the church office at 770-306-7537.

The church is located on Jenkins Road across from Sandy Creek High School.

Noted Bible teacher Beth Moore is honorary chairman for this year's National Day of Prayer. The observance began with a proclamation by Pres. Harry Truman in 1952 and was fixed on the first Thursday in May by Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1988.

The tradition dates to action by the Continental Congress in 1775.

Brady's proclamation noted "prayer to the Almighty God is regarded by millions as the most important utterance of mankind for its benefit" and stated America "was founded by single-minded men and women seeking wisdom and guidance through prayer to the God who has ears to hear."

One section of the proclamation referenced the current war in Iraq -- asking for "God's blessing upon our military troops, here and abroad, praying for protection, wisdom and divine guidance as they serve our nation" and "peace and wisdom" for the Iraqi people "as they continue to journey towards democracy."

Brady asked area citizens "to gather together on this day in their homes, churches, public meeting places and various places of worship to pray in their own way for unity of the hearts of all mankind, and the return of strong moral character in the lives of the people of all nations, and peace and understanding throughout the world."

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