Day of Prayer

April 30, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

By LINDA M. LINONIS

YOUNGSTOWN

Pastor James Berkebile of Struthers Parkside Church described prayer “as a vital part of faith.”

That’s the motivation behind the National Day of Prayer program Thursday. This will be the first program at the church, 110 Poland Ave. “It’s been on my heart to do this,” he said.

The church choir, directed by Suzy Owens, will present “The Spirit of America,” a patriotic musical. Pastor Berkebile will lead prayers. He said selections will include “My Country ’Tis of Thee” and “America” by Neil Diamond. He added that the event will include a tribute to America’s armed forces.

“Our hope is to make it an annual event and involve other pastors and congregations. It would be great to broaden the scope,” he said.

Other prayer observances are planned throughout the Valley.

The Rev. Gary Frost, national facilitator of Prayer for the Mission America Coalition, is helping to coordinate the NOW Youngstown event at noon on Federal Plaza, and he also will speak at a breakfast earlier in the day sponsored by Trumbull County Community of Christians.

The Rev. Mr. Frost said the national observance is a “collaboration of pastors and churches” and also a “community initiative” of prayer.

“Prayer is our coming together to seek God. It is the focus of praying for our communities, our nation and the world,” he said.

“The power of prayer is not in the prayer but in the power of God who we seek in our prayers,” the minister said.

Mr. Frost said his address in Warren will focus on how “God calls us to a life of compassion.” He continued that though we may pray for answers, God wants us to realize we are the answer to our own prayers. He cited Matthew 9:37 and 38 – verses in which Jesus notes the harvest is plentiful but laborers are few – and Matthew 10, which focuses on acts of compassion. “God wants us to realize we must do more than have pity and sympathy, but we must show love and act,” he said.

In Youngstown, he said, pastors and lay people will lead prayers for government, military, media, business, education, church and family. He said the focus this year “is to do more praying and less talking about praying.”