About 40 community members in Scotland converged at the Scotland County Courthouse to pray for families, schools, military and more during the National Day of Prayer.
The Rev. Essie Davis speaks at the National Day of Prayer ceremony held at the Scotland County Courthouse.
The foreground of the Scotland County Courthouse mimicked a church service with musical selections performed and prayer erupting from the 40 or so people in attendance during the National Day of Prayer.
LAURINBURG — “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst.”
“And we have more than two or three, don’t we? Well we know He’s here,” said the Rev. Essie Davis after quoting Matthew 18:20 during the local observance of the National Day of Prayer held on Thursday at the Scotland County Courthouse.
The foreground of the courthouse mimicked a church service with musical selections performed and prayer erupting from the 40 or so people in attendance. Pastors and dignitaries led intercessory prayer with targetted topics like unity, families, the city, schools and even the military.
The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.
This year’s theme was “Lift Up the Word-Light Up the World,” which is taken from the passage II Samuel 22:29-31 in the Bible, which reads “For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.”
Pastor Michael Edds said it was prayer that led to the growth of the City of Laurinburg.
“We targeted certain things to pray over the city,” Edds said. “I want you to look right now. The downtown is beautiful, God raised up some key people, put them in position. God answers prayers. Look at all the businesses that came to town … I tell ya, I am just so thrilled of the power of prayer.”
In his prayer over schools, pastor and Scotland County commissioner Darrel B.J. Gibson thanked God for the institution that allows the society to educate children. He also thanked God for those who work in schools in all capacities.
“Lord, we don’t pray just for the institution, but we pray for the buildings. We pray not for the buildings, but we pray for each of those who operate those buildings; from the principal to the classroom,” Gibson said.
Myquel Wheat, executive director of the Vita Choices Pregnancy Center led prayer over families.
“It is an honor to be here to pray for the families, not only in Scotland County but in our nation,” Wheat said.
A National Day of Prayer Breakfast is set to be held at 9 a.m. on May 11 at Nazareth Missionary Baptist Church. Otis Millan will be the keynote Speaker.
Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at tsinclair@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.