Celebrating the proclamation signing for National Day of Prayer were Janie Detling, Care Pastor at EUM; Mayor Jeff Whitaker; Pastor Dale Boeger, Greenville First Assembly; Nick Good, Connections Pastor at EUM; Jeff Harper, Lead Pastor at EUM; Suzi Fischer, Chaplain at BRC; and Jim Morehouse, minister at East Main Church of Christ.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
GREENVILLE — On Thursday, May 2, our country will be recognizing the 73rd annual National Day of Prayer. There will be a local observance on that day at the First United Methodist Church, 202 W. Fourth St., Greenville, noon. The Greater Greenville Ministerial Association appreciations being able to hold this special event in cooperation with Greenville Mayor Jeff Whitaker.
The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May and brings together people to pray for our nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman and has been proclaimed each year since.
This year’s theme is Lift up the Word – Light up the World and is based on II Samuel 22:29-31 which reads, “For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God – his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.” “Some may say the world is getting darker,” said National Day of Prayer Task Force President Kathy Branzell. “But as long as God’s people are reading and relying on the Word, believing and living His Word, praying and practicing His Word, the world is full of light that exposes and dispels the darkness. The world will get better and brighter if we commit to live out this year’s National Day of Prayer theme, Lift up the world, Light up the world.
The Greenville American Legion Post #140 Honor Guard will be taking part in the local service in addition to the National Anthem being sung by Pastor Gary Blacklidge. Several individuals will be lifting up prayers, including Mayor Whittaker, STAR 88.3 Community Representative Jayce Feitshans, Darke County Commissioner Matt Aultman, Darke County Central Ministry Director for Youth for Christ Matt Auker, Retired Chaplain, U.S. Navy Keith Denman, Retired Pastor Reverend Peter Menke, and head of the Children and Family Department at EUM Liz Gable. Music will be provided by The Simple Gifts Quarter. This local group is self-described as including the Fabulous Carlton Jones, Terrific Dale Musser, Fantastic Tom Menke and Mediocre Joseph Helfrich.
Event coordinators Pastor Gary Blacklidge and Jim Morehouse invite everyone to this special time of prayer and praise. Those interested in more information may go to www.nationaldayofprayer.org or call 937-547-1557.
