The country stops to pray
Published 3:31 am Friday, May 4, 2007
By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Thursday's 56th National Day of Prayer took place under sunny skies.
At the Niles Township Hall, seven individuals gathered around the flagpole to contemplate and pray for the state of our nation.
The Rev. Collin Seitz, pastor of Community Evangelical Free Church, was coordinator for the Niles Area Ministerial Associations' program. He felt getting together as a nation to pray during tough times was critical to the nation's survival.
"Our nation was founded on faith. Many of the founding fathers were clergy. Faith continues to be the place we turn to during key points in our history. Presidents have often called the nation together to pray during times of crisis," Seitz said.
In her proclamation declaring May 3 as the day of prayer, Governor Jennifer Granholm said Michigan is blessed by both natural resources and people. She called for residents to rededicate their efforts to helping others.
This year's theme was "America Unite in Prayer." At noon, people across the nation did just that.
During the Niles Township gathering, participants prayed for the church, for government, for families, for education, for the military and for the media.
The last line of the color brochure handed to all participants to help direct their prayers throughout the day simply read, "It's time for America to unite in prayer."
Dr. Charles Swindoll, the 2007 Honorary Chairman, wrote the Prayer for the Nation read by all participants. The prayer in part said: "In these unsafe days, You remain all-powerful and able to protect. In these uncertain times, You remain all-knowing, leading us aright. In the unprecedented events we are facing You remain absolutely sovereign. Our times are in your hands."
Seitz read from a statement sometimes attributed to an 18th century professor at the University of Edinburgh, often incorporated in to speeches of political leaders and statesmen.
"Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back again to bondage," the statement said.
The Niles Area Ministerial Association held two other local noontime observances at the Niles City Hall, led by the Rev. Jeff Whittaker, pastor of Michiana Christian Embassy and at the Howard Township Hall, led by the Rev. Mike Smith, pastor of Hope Community Church.