Changes to local prayer event

There will be something a little different for the local National Day of Prayer events this year.

Instead of people coming in and sitting down for praise and worship followed by prayer, participants will have seven sections from which they can choose to pray for a particular group or concern, said Roger Walden, president of the Dublin-Laurens County National Day of Prayer Task Force. 

The Dublin-Laurens County National Day of Prayer Task Force will hold these two events at the Market on Madison at noon and at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 2.

“We’ll have seven prayer areas set up for government, military, business, churches, education, media and family,” Walden said. “People will be able to move from one area to the next one if they want to. For the noon (program), we’ll have a tone or bell to let people know they can move to the next area. That way, each area gets covered. People could spend a whole time in one of these areas if they wanted to.” 

Someone will be there to help direct people. 

“We feel like this will put more of an emphasis on the prayer,” Walden said. “I feel like we can be more effective if we spend more time in prayer.” 

Walden was told that this has been done before.

“People remember us doing this,” he said. “It’ll put more focus on prayer, and if there is anything our country needs more right now it is prayer. If people spends seven minutes for each area in prayer, I feel like we can effectively cover all seven areas.” 

The theme for this year’s event is “Lift Up The Word – Light Up The World,” which comes from 2 Samuel 22:29-31: “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.” 

Last year was the first time the task force held prayer programs.

“I think it went real well,” Walden said. “I had people who told me personally that they were glad that we had one at night so that they could attend because they couldn’t get there during the work day.” 

He estimated that last year’s events drew approximately 150 people at noon and around 100 for the evening program.

“We definitely need prayer,” Walden said. “We want God’s will to be done and prayer is a way to ask Him for what we see that is needed as far as what the Bible says. If you believe in God you pray to him. This is a non-denominational event. Anybody who believes in prayer is welcomed to come. We believe that God hears from heaven and He will make changes based on what His people pray.” 

For more information about the National Day of Prayer events, contact Walden at (478) 290-0068.