Let us pray-Citizens unite in prayer

With his iguana Sara perched atop his head, Dan’l Corneail of Faith Missionary Baptist Church prays during National Day of Prayer.

‘Prayer is our only hope,’ said DeWayne Howard of Bridges of Hope Fellowship, who was the keynote speaker for the local event. ‘Prayer does make a difference. I believe God will hear and heal our land.’

Retired pastor Phil Dougan prayed that the people of America will make good decisions in choosing their next leader.

‘We thank you for the privilege of living in America,’ Dougan prayed. ‘We ask you to give us wisdom to elect those who will lead us.’

Jose Buice of Cornerstone Baptist prayed those in influential positions would turn to God.

‘We pray for those who make decisions, that they be touched by the Gospel,’ Buice prayed. ‘We can then see a turning back to Christ.’

Continuing on the theme of country, Father David Cooney of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church prayed for the military personnel serving overseas.

‘They are our neighbors, our friends and our family and what they are doing is a sacrifice,’ Cooney prayed, noting many have given their lives and bodies in service of their country. ‘The world longs for peace but doesn’t know how to go about achieving it.’

Ken McNatt of Covenant Fellowship prayed for the family unit, noting that the country’s success goes back to its fundamental building block, the family home.

‘Family is the core of our nation and as goes the family, so goes our nation,’ McNatt prayed, noting strong father figures are needed to head today’s families. ‘We pray that the hearts of the fathers be turned back to the children.’

Locust Street Church of God Rev. Roland Sharp said that by uniting with one another, the many denominations can work as one to win the lost and improve the world.

‘Unite our hearts together as children of God so we can truly be the lights of the world,’ Sharp prayed, his prayer concluding the 30-minute event.