Menu
National Day of Prayer, 2017
Many Christians and non-Christians alike are unaware we live in a nation, which has a law requiring the president to proclaim annually, a National Day of Prayer.
In Nevada, there was an early morning prayer breakfast at a local congregation as well as a noontime outdoor gathering on the courthouse lawn. Both gatherings used the national theme: “For Your Great Name’s Sake! Hear Us ... Forgive Us ... Heal Us!”
Some 40 people gathered at 6:45 a.m. at First Christian Church in Nevada.
Associate Minister, David Rorabaugh, welcomed everyone and then added, “Since this is a prayer breakfast, that means the prayers are first and then comes the biscuits and gravy.”
As people gathered, Rorabaugh said, “This is the fourth or fifth year we’ve done this. It seems to bother some folks when you tell them you’ve been praying for them but Scripture says all of us need to pray and be prayed for, and that’s especially true for our leaders. So our goal here this morning is for people to pray for our leaders at every level and our nation as a whole.”
Previously, contact had been made with various leaders, notifying the person he or she would be prayed for and soliciting prayer requests.
A scripture reading opened each section of the program. Rorabaugh opened with a reading of Second Chronicles 7:14 before Scott Buerge — President of Metz Bank and Elder at First Christian — led prayers for the president, Congress, and judiciary as well as the situations, legislation and cases before them.
Vicky Hartzler, Fourth District U.S. Representative, specifically sought prayers “for wisdom, discernment and a positive end to gridlock in Congress.”
First Christian member, Michael Serna, led prayers for Gov. Greitens, the General Assembly and state courts. Serna said state Sen. Ed Emery had requested prayer on behalf of his youngest son, Paul — to land a good job — as well as for members of the state house and senate “that each would put aside petty partisan interests and come together in perfecting and finally adopting legislation which would enhance the lives and prosperity of all Missourians.”
Serna’s wife, Tracy, began the second section of petitions — for the staff and officials at the county and city levels — by reading Romans 13, which includes the words, “it is necessary to submit to the authorities … for the authorities are ministers of God.”
Before Rorabaugh led these prayers, he first recognized county and city officials on hand which included county commissioners Joe Hardin, Everett Wolfe and Cindy Thompson, Sheriff Jason Mosher and city of Nevada Mayor, Brian Leonard, as well as the sheriff’s deputies and Nevada police on hand.
Prayers included fire department, ambulance, hospital and clinic workers.
Kathy Butler, member of First Christian, led prayers for the teachers, staff and students of area schools.
Tracy Serna read from First Timothy chapter two including the words, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.”
Said Rorabaugh, “While some in the media either don’t know or intentionally pretend it’s otherwise, I think all of us here understand that in what they believe and teach, religions differ a great deal. And what a person believes and what a church teaches, makes an eternity’s worth of difference.”
Rorabaugh led prayers for local Christian congregations, their outreach and members as well as all those impacted by the flooding. Supplications concluded by giving thanks for the breakfast and those who prepared the food they were all about to enjoy.
While waiting for the breakfast line to get a bit shorter, Sheriff Jason Mosher said, “There is a great power, support and encouragement in prayer. When folks say they’re praying for me I always tell them thank you for I find prayer vital in running the sheriff’s office.”
At noon, some 50 people assembled on the lawn in front of the south entrance to the Vernon County Courthouse.
Following last year’s courthouse event, comments were made about how speakers used only a fraction of allotted time for prayer with the balance being a political speech. This year’s speakers provided a brief introduction to the assigned topic and spent the vast majority of time in prayer.
The 10 prayer leaders included Gray Clark and Dan Gayman of Watchman Outreach Ministries, which along with Christian Heritage Academy are affiliated with the Church of Israel. Also speaking were local pediatrician, Dr. Ron Jones; Richard Hovey of the Gideons; Scott Buerge, president, Metz Bank; Bill Perkey, pastor, Double Branch Christian Church; chiropractor, Dr. Gary Kurtz; and Steve Kukla, minister of music, Rose Hill Covenant Church of Tulsa.
Those 10 addressed what the program called “prayer targets,” ranging from prayer for our national leaders and the people of this nation as well as standing up for life at every stage and age to upholding the family and youth of this nation.
Asked why he had come all the way from Tulsa, Kukla said, “The official day of prayer in Tulsa has become a mishmash of multiculturalism. We’ve been coming to various events held by the Church of Israel for 17 years. Vernon County is a special place.”
In his remarks preceding prayers for the “Trump administration,” Gayman said, “It was places like Vernon County and the other fly-over counties which elected Trump and Pence as our nation’s leaders. I’m asking you to join with me in asking God to turn our very divided states into once more being the United States of America.”
Adam Coleman of Watchman Outreach Ministries provided a solo rendition of “America,” and led those present in singing the “Star Spangled Banner,” “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “Onward Christian Soldiers” and the “Common Doxology,” while accompanied by a range of brass instruments played by students from Christian Heritage Academy.
Speakers at the morning and noon time events made reference to Public Law 105-225 which says, “The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”