The 64th annual National Day of Prayer is Thursday, and East Texans have plenty of opportunities to get involved.

The 24th Annual Tyler Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at Harvey Hall Convention Center is one of those ways.

Mayor Martin Heines is calling the Tyler community and residents from surrounding areas to come together and pray for the city, the county and the nation, according to a news release.

Doors open at 6:30 a.m. The program is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. and end at 8 a.m.

Individuals will lead the audience in prayers for topics such as education, nonprofits and volunteers, military and first responders and the medical community.

People seated at tables will have the opportunity to pray for specific topics designated for their table.

Music and a corporate worship time also will be a part of the event. Friendly Baptist Church, West Erwin Church of Christ and other church volunteers will provide the hot breakfast for attendees, according to the news release.

Sponsors fully fund the event, and admission is free for all who attend. A free will offering will be taken, and any money received will go to the event.

“Having the mayor’s prayer breakfast brings our community together; it covers our community in prayer for (a) hedge of protection,” event coordinator Debbie Isham said. “It brings unity, and it would bring together a group of people that normally don’t get together if they don’t go to the same church.”

In addition to the prayer breakfast, community members will have the opportunity to pray at the T.B. Butler Fountain Plaza on the downtown square from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in a come-and-go event.

Lori Harris, director of Kerygma Texas, is coordinating this event and has for the past three years.

Different churches and organizations have signed up to lead one hour of prayer each through the day. Some churches will incorporate singing and scripture reading as well.

The community hour is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m. Community and religious leaders will lead during this time.

Mrs. Harris said it’s important for people to come together as a community and pray regardless of what church they do or don’t go to. 

 

BREAKOUT_1:

National Day of Prayer

Theme: Lord, Hear Our Cry

Bible Passage: 1 Kings 8:28 “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.”

History: Dates back to 1952

Purpose: “To mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.”

 

Background:

The National Day of Prayer dates back to 1952 when Congress passed a joint resolution creating the occasion and President Harry S. Truman signed it into law, according to the event website.

The task force that organizes the event at the national level is privately funded and works to encourage participation.

“The Task Force represents a Judeo Christian expression of the national observance, based on our understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible,” the website reads.

In 1988, the law was amended permanently making the day the first Thursday of every May.

Source: National Day of Prayer website

 

 

BREAKOUT_2:

 

The following East Texas events are among those scheduled for the National Day of Prayer:

 

Tyler

24th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast

6:30-8 a.m, Harvey Hall Convention Center, 2000 W. Front St.

Prayer from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., T.B. Butler Fountain Plaza, Downtown Tyler

 

Canton

12:15 to 12:45 p.m.,Van Zandt County Courthouse, 121 E. Dallas St.

 

Flint

Grace Fellowship Church, 18802 Farm-to-Market Road 2493 (Old Jacksonville Highway), Flint. Personal prayer, 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 5:30 p.m.; prayer and balloon release, 11:45 a.m.; corporate prayer, noon and 5:45 p.m.

 

Frankston

11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., First Baptist Church of Frankston, 408 E. Garner St.

 

Palestine

Prayer Breakfast: 6:30 to 8 a.m., Court Drive Church of Christ, 1434 Court Drive,

Noon Prayer Rally, noon to 1 p.m., Reagan Park on Crockett Road. Lunch provided as participants leave the rally.

 

Whitehouse

Whitehouse Will Pray, 7-7:30 a.m., 801 E. Main St., Whitehouse.

 

Source: National Day of Prayer website and individual church website

 

Twitter: @TMTEmily