National Day of Prayer to be observed with a joint effort

LAURINBURG — National Day of Prayer will be observed on Thursday, May 6, and some local organizations are working together to unite Scotland County residents and pray for local government.

“I am in charge of the Prayer On The Square at the corner of Church and Main streets,” said retired Pastor Michael Edds. “We are in our 10th year of hosting this event. Our focus has always been to pray for our city and county.”

Prayer on The Square will be an in-person event at noon that day.

“All participants will be asked to wear a mask,” said Edds.

According to Edds, the National Day of Prayer can be traced back to 1775 when the Continental Congress allocated a day of prayer as they were forming a new nation.

“However,” said Edds, “the National Day of Prayer was officially created by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Truman. It is always the first Thursday of May. It is an invitation for people of all faiths to pray for the nation. The National Day of Prayer is a day of repentance and a day of intercession for our leaders, our nation, state, county and city.”

The chairman of the prayer event is Essie Davis, and she has planned a virtual option for those not ready to attend in person.

“The virtual event this year will be on Zoom at 6 p.m. on May 6 and there will also be a program on WEWO radio,” said Davis. “Residents can tune in to 92.5 FM or 1460 AM at 1:30 p.m. We hope residents chime in and pray with us.

“I would like to say thanks to our prayer team which includes Pat Fields, Mary Evans, Rev. Kenneth Blease, Rev. Hal Culberson, Rev. George Ellis and Deane Johnson,” continued Davis. “They know that when we come together in prayer our unity gets God’s attention.”

According to Davis, the National Day of Prayer events are important because it’s a time when people of all faiths are asked to turn to God in prayer.

“It’s important because we believe it is an avenue to answered prayer,” said Davis. “It’s a way of communicating to the one God that can bring about a change. Luke 18:1 says, ‘Now he was telling them (disciples) a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not become discouraged.”

For information on the National Day of Prayer or for the link to the zoom meeting, contact Essie Davis at 910-361-0172.

“Join us on May 6, wherever you are to observe National Day of Prayer,” said Davis. “This year’s theme is ‘Love, Life and Liberty.”

JJ Melton can be reached at jmelton@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com. To support the Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com/subscribe.