Ogden—May 7 marks the 64th annual National Day of Prayer in the United States, and the Religious Liberty Council of Weber County will be hosting an event on May 6 for the community to help everyone prepare for that day. The event will be held at the Ogden Tabernacle located at 2133 Washington Blvd., and will start at 7:00 pm. It is open up to anyone who wishes to attend, regardless of their religious affiliations and admittance is free. Leaders from several different religions will speak at the event—including Pastor Dave Duncan of the Valley View Baptist Church in North Ogden and Paul Mackley who serves as the Coldwater Stake President, along with a multi-faith choir singing different songs about faith. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes will be the keynote speaker at the event as well.
The theme for the 2015 Day of Prayer is “Lord, Hear Our Cry,” which will help to emphasize “the need for individuals, corporately and individually, to place their faith in the unfailing character of their Creator, who is sovereign over all governments, authorities, and men,” according to the National Day of Prayer website. The website also talks about the how the day came about in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and was then signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. It also places a strong emphasis on how the day is for members of all faiths to take time to pray for the nation by saying, “The National Day of Prayer belongs to all Americans. It is a day that transcends differences, bringing together citizens from all backgrounds.” There is also a copy of the prayer that will be rehearsed on May 7 that was written by Dr. Jack Graham who is the pastor of the Prestonwood Baptist Church.
In an e-mail sent to the Sentinel, John Reynolds said about the event, “Our goal is to fill the Tabernacle with people of many faiths and to focus on the benefits of prayer.” For those who cannot make it out to the event on May 6, there are other events that will be held on May 7, including a breakfast at the Calvary Chapel in Salt Lake City. More information can be found by going to http://nationaldayofprayer.org/event-finder/. This day serves as a great reminder that even though there are those who are constantly trying to get rid of any mention of religion or God in this country, there are still those out there who believe in God and will not let their religious freedoms be taken away. We may all have different religious beliefs, but we can all come together to pray for our nation and to draw closer to one another and to God.
