Wednesday, May 2, 2001
|
Wednesday, May 2, 2001 |
|
Full slate for Fayette 'Day of Prayer' By
JUDY KILGORE
With a theme of "One Nation Under God," millions of Americans will gather in their respective communities tomorrow, May 3, to intercede on behalf of the nation and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Day of Prayer, a tradition that actually began more than 200 years ago. The theme is taken from Psalm 33:12, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." Organizers of the Fayette County event have an agenda of activities planned for the day, beginning with a rally for youth at 6:30 a.m., followed by a prayer breakfast at 8 a.m. for local business, civic, elected and spiritual leaders. The celebration will officially close tomorrow evening with a mass prayer gathering on the lawn of the Fayetteville First Baptist Church from 6:30-8 p.m. Leading the national celebration this year are honorary chairman Dr. Billy Graham and National Day of Prayer Task Force chair, Mrs. Shirley Dobson, wife of Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. Dr. Graham has written a special prayer for the occasion and will provide spiritual guidance. Participants across the nation will gather precisely at 12:30 p.m., EST, and read Dr. Graham's prayer in unison. The national celebration will be held in Washington, D.C. beginning at 9:30 a.m., with representatives from executive, legislative and judicial branches of government scheduled to speak and lead participants in prayer. In Fayetteville, youth in the community are invited to gather at 6:30 a.m. at the fountain in the Fayette County office complex on Stonewall Ave. and Ga. Hwy. 85 for a breakfast provided by Chick-Fil-A from 6:30-7 a.m. (youth only, first come, first served) and prayer and praise from 7-8 a.m. A prayer breakfast for Fayette County business, civic, elected and religious leaders is planned for 8-9:15 a.m. at Grace Evangelical Church on Flat Creek Trail off Ga. Hwy, 54 between Fayetteville and Peachtree City. "Everyone with a heart for intercession is invited to come and pray with the civic leaders and elected officials who will be in attendance," a spokesperson said. Reservations are requested for the breakfast and may be made by calling 770-487-0791. From 6:30-8 p.m., everyone in the community is invited to bring their blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets for prayer and praise on the lawn of the Fayetteville First Baptist Church, one block west of the courthouse on Stonewall Avenue. For those who don't wish to bring picnics, Papa John's and Chick-Fil-A will be on site. The National Day of Prayer tradition dates back to Feb. 19, 1795, when President George Washington issued a proclamation for a day of public thanksgiving. The current annual celebration was mandated by Congress 50 years ago and is observed on the first Thursday in May. Its purpose is to underscore the importance of prayer for the nation and its leadership, and encourages all Americans to pray for God's blessings. "At this crucial time in history, with the 'politics of division' creating widespread discord and strife, we encourage all people of faith to set aside their differences and publicly seek God's wisdom and direction for their homes, communities and country," Dobson said. "Our founding fathers recognized the importance of seeking God, and their legacy is still honored by many citizens." Local Christian radio station J93.3 will broadcast the local events from Fayetteville. For information or directions, contact J93.3 at 770-487-4500 or visit the station's Web site at www.j933.com.
|
||