Community Corner
Church Offers Drive-Thru Prayer
On May 5, Snellville United Methodist Church organized a prayer drive-thru for local residents in an effort to "take church outside four walls." It was an event for National Day of Prayer.
Across the country, National Day of Prayer on May 5 was a special time to bring people together of all faiths and walks of life.
According to its website, National Day of Prayer is a yearly observance held on the first Thursday of May. A privately funded effort, National Day of Prayer began in 1952 through a joint resolution of the United States Congress. President Harry Truman signed it into law.
The National Day of Prayer invites people of all faiths to pray for the nation. The official policy found on nationaldayofprayer.org states that “This diversity is what Congress intended when it designated the Day of Prayer, not that every faith and creed would be homogenized, but that all who sought to pray for this nation would be encouraged to do so in any way deemed appropriate.”
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The theme for 2011 is “A mighty fortress is our God.”
People all over the country celebrated National Day of Prayer with prayer breakfasts and meetings. President Barack Obama recognized the National Day of Prayer for 2011 on April 29, noting that "prayer has played an important role in the American story and in shaping our nation's leaders."
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Snellville United Methodist Church observed the occasion by holding a prayer drive-thru, where people could take a few minutes out of their busy day to pray with one of the volunteers from the church.
According to Julie Schendel, an associate pastor at Snellville UMC, in addition to the many people who stopped by to pray, the church receives phone calls from passers-by who were emotionally touched by the drive-thru prayer effort.
“Even when we can’t see the impact, we trust that God is at work,” Schendel said.
Snellville UMC held two drive-thru sessions in honor of the national observance, but be on the lookout for more. “We do this several times a year,” said Janet King, one of the volunteers at the drive-thru.
Each year a new honorary chairperson for the National Day of Prayer is chosen, and that individual composes the national prayer for that year. This year's honorary chariwoman is Joni Eareckson Tada. Snellville UMC distributed fliers with Tada's prayer printed on them.
2011 National Prayer
Almighty God, you are our Mighty Fortress, our refuge and the God in whom we place our trust. As our nation faces great distress and uncertainty, we ask your Holy Spirit to fall afresh upon your people — convict us of sin and inflame within us a passion to pray for our land and its people. Grant the leaders of our country an awareness of their desperate need of wisdom and salvation in You until sin becomes a reproach to all and righteousness exalts this nation.
Protect and defend us against our enemies and may the cause of Christ always prevail in our schools, courts, homes, and churches. Lord God, send a spirit of revival and may it begin in our own hearts.
Remember America, we pray. Remember the foundations on which this country was built. Remember the prayers of our nation’s fathers and mothers, and do not forget us in our time of need.
In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
