annual observance | Local participation

The City Prayer Team of Youngstown sponsored morning, noon and night events for the National Day of Prayer observed Thursday. Sonja Williams, wife of Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, spoke at a morning event at Fifth Avenue Community Church, 1361 Fifth Ave., Youngstown. The midday gathering took place at Central Square in downtown Youngstown. Speakers focused on various themes. They were:

Pastor Rusty Wills of Kingdom Community Church, prayer of repentance. “Turn away from wicked ways,” he said. “We haven’t picked up the cross. God will forgive us our sins.”

Sarah Banks of Victory Christian Center, prayer of thanksgiving. “Thank God for love and mercy,” she said. “Acknowledge the creator in the town square.”

Pastor Stephen Sparling of Trinity United Methodist Church, prayer for our city. “There is a holy hunger. It’s not satisfied by personal power, possessions, drugs, guns or greed. It’s not satisfied by anything but you, God,” he said. “A wave and wind of salvation ... of healing in the body, mind, home and industry ... a wave of deliverance is coming,” he said. “Only God can change Youngstown .... people, lift up your expectations.”

Pastor Al Yanno, Metro Assembly, prayer for our nation. “America won’t be whole without economic recovery, political unity. But the most important is healing the heart of America,” he said. “Help the church rise up and the church become the answer to the prayers of America.”

Ted Pippen, Master’s Commission student at Assembly of God Bible College at Victory Christian, prayer for youth. “Generations will rise up and walk in the fullness of God’s promise.”

Pastor Rafael Cruz, Unity Baptist Church, benediction. “Ask for blessings for the church of Youngstown,” he said, referring to the interfaith participation of the day. “The church of Youngstown will rise up and fight the battle in the streets.”

Participants: Pastor David Thomas, senior pastor of Victory Christian Center, introduced his wife, Kathie Thomas, the keynote speaker. Other program participants were Linda Beilstein and Linda Daniels of the City Prayer Team; Detective Sgt. Chuck Swanson, liaison to Youngstown Police Department’s Chaplaincy Corps; Jason T. Whitehead, master of ceremonies and city of Youngstown chief of staff; Pastor Lawrence Cavicchi of Word of Grace; and Penny Harris, who sang the national anthem.

Evening youth extravaganza: Marteece Waters, director of Youngstown State University gospel choir, was master of ceremonies. Other participants included Sergio Ramos, director of Master’s Commission; Monica Phillips, pastor of God’s Church; Don Fisher of Chaney High School; and Sarah Schneider, teacher at East High School.

How it came to be: The National Day of Prayer was signed into law in 1952 by President Harry Truman after a crusade led by the Rev. Billy Graham. House and Senate members introduced a joint resolution for an annual National Day of Prayer, “on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.” After Truman signed it into law, President Ronald Reagan amended it in 1988 to state that the observances would take place the first Thursday in May.

Source: National Day of Prayer program and www.ndptf.org