Published: April 29, 2008 12:08 pm            

Pray together on Thursday

Corbin, Barbourville and London have National Day of Prayer events planned

By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor

People across the nation will be asked to come together for a time of spiritual reflection during the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 1. The theme for this year’s event is “Prayer! America’s Strength and Shield,” and is based on the verse from Psalm 28:7 which states: “The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.”

Now in its 57th year, the National Day of Prayer asks people to put aside denominational differences and unite to pray for their nation, communities, and leaders. Communities across the country will be participating, and in the Tri-County, events are planned in Corbin, Barbourville and London.

The Corbin Minsterial Association has traditionally organized a local event, but this year, Corbin’s National Day of Prayer event will be the biggest yet, with a group prayer session planned at Nibroc Park at noon Thursday.

Two local churches — Central Baptist and Immanual Baptist — have joined with the association to plan this year’s event.

“It’s the first time that we’ve probably done something of this magnitude,” said Lisa Cleary, member of Central Baptist Church and one of the organizers of this year’s event. “Usually the Ministerial Association organizes something at city hall and opens up a room at city hall (for prayer.) We just wanted to get the whole community involved in the National Day of Prayer and bring more awareness to this day because it is a nationally set-aside day.”

Jim McGee, interim pastor at Immanual Baptist, has helped organize this new event at Nibroc Park.

“Jim McGee... had the idea that our churches would come together to lead something like this,” Cleary said. “We just believe that as we come together from different churches and different denominations, that God will bless that... As Benjamin Franklin said, we need God to help in leading our nation.”

The National Day of Prayer focuses on praying for seven “centers of power” — government, military, media, business, education, church and family.

Mayor Willard McBurney will lead prayer for the city of Corbin, and Cleary said members of the military, of the educational community, and other area pastors will lead the prayers. A student will open the event with a song.

The event will last about 30 minutes to allow time for people who want to participate during their lunch breaks. The event will be held under a tent in the event of rain.

“We really are encouraging everyone to come for our nation, our leaders, our schools and our military,” Cleary said.

According to the National Day of Prayer Web site, an evening event is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday at Corinth Baptist Church at 1671 Old Whitley Road in London. Call the church at 606-864-5440 for more information.

In Barbourville, Sylvester Dunn, president of the Barbourville-Knox County Ministerial Association, is helping to organize a Day of Prayer event at the Knox County Courthouse steps from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Thursday.

“We’ve been doing it several years, but this year what we’ve tried to do is get a cross-section of different ministers of different denominations,” Dunn said.

Special guest speaker in Barbourville will be Leonard Lester, pastor of Christian Advent Church.

“The whole notion of Day of Prayer is to not only pray for our freedom of worship but to encourage people of all denominations to pray for our nation, or government, our forces overseas,” Dunn said. “What we are trying to do is bring a unity to our community... What is so special is seeing people come together and lay down any walls and hinderances to understand that we are all part of the United States of America.”

In fact, a major facet of the Day of Prayer is about setting aside differences.

“In Second Chronicles, God puts a condition on whether he will come and heal our land,” Cleary said, referring to Second Chronicles 7:14; “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

“In our nation, there are so many problems that we have right now, so many challenges, that we need to put aside whatever differences we have and seek God,” she said.

        

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