Community's residents invited to local Day of Prayer

In Sandpoint and in tens of thousands of other communities, prayer events are planned across the country on Thursday, May 5, in honor of the 65th annual National Day of Prayer. In churches, parks and on the courthouse steps, citizens will be praying for our nation, government leaders, media, military, schools, churches, business and families.

A number of Sandpoint area churches are participating in the National Day of Prayer and the community-wide event will begin at 11:30 a.m. with music and the National Day of Prayer observance will begin at noon in Farmin Park. This will include an introduction by area pastors, music, the Armed Forces Color Guard, and prayers for our state and nation.

This year, a new program called Adopt-a-Cop is being launched, where residents will be asked to adopt a police officer and pray for them regularly. The goal is to show the community’s extreme gratitude to law enforcement for the work they do to keep residents safe every day. Those in law enforcement are invited to the event and there will be an opportunity to sign up to pray for them at the event.

The theme for the 2016 National Day of Prayer is “Wake Up, America,” emphasizing the need for individuals, corporately and individually, to return to God in reverence for His Holy Name. To further highlight the theme, organizers selected Isaiah 58:1a as Scripture for the year: “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.”

Among the local churches participating in the event are Sandpoint Assembly of God, Cedar Hills Church, Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sandpoint Church of the Nazarene, Cocolalla Cowboy Church, First Baptists Church, First Christian Church, Hidden Valley Worship Center, New Song Bible Church, River of Life Church, Sandpoint Christian Center, Sandpoint Church of God, Laclede Community Church, Dover Community Church, First Lutheran Church, St. Joseph’s Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, United Methodist Church, Mountain Springs Church, Victory Baptist Church, and Newman Community Church.

Recognizing that prayer has been and continues to be an integral part of our nation’s history, Congress established the National Day of Prayer in 1952. This observance is currently held the first Thursday each May when all Americans are encouraged to exercise their religious freedom by gathering publically to worship and pray for our land.

Information: nationaldayofprayer.org.