Darlington celebrates National Day of Prayer with community service
The Darlington High School Gospel Choir performed several songs during the National Day of Prayer in Darlington, May 4, 2017.
Photo by Melissa Rollins
By Melissa Rollins, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
The faith community in Darlington came together Tuesday, May 4 at Darlington Presbyterian Church to commemorate the National Day of Prayer. At least nine churches of various denominations were represented.
The event was part of 66th annual observation that takes place across the United States.
Each of the pastors and elders that took part in the service prayed for a specific issue or group of people. Below is an abbreviated copy of the prayers.
Prayer for President Donald Trump, all national and military leaders, and all service men and women: Rev. Christopher Lollis, Trinity United Methodist Church
Pastor Brian Sherwood prays for city and county leaders during the National Day of Prayer.
Photo by Melissa Rollins
“Almighty and most merciful God, on this day we come together as the body of Christ to pray, setting aside our differences and seeking to be in one accord to lift up our prayers to you… We are reminded in 1 Timothy chapter 2 to pray for everyone, for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness…We prayer for our president Donald Trump that he may humble himself before you and seek your guidance, seek your wisdom, seek your will. We know the office of the President of the United States is not an easy task, there are demands that we have no clue that the president endures; there are decisions that he makes that have great implications. We pray that he doesn’t take this office lightly…We pray this day too for those who serve our nation so that we might remain free. Guard the brave men and women in military service…Encourage them and protect that and may they know in their minds and hearts that you are ever with them. Oh God, we thank you for these people and their willingness to serve.”
Prayer for Governor Henry McMaster and all state leaders: Elder Wallace Eaddy, Ephesus Seventh Day Adventist Church
“Father we come and lift up our governor, Henry McMaster this afternoon. Oh, God, we know that he carries a heavy burden on his shoulder. We ask now that you touch him, guide him in the way that you would have him to go. Lord, that he would seek you with all the decisions that he makes. Lord, we lift up all the leaders of these states of the United States…that they too would be guided by your mighty power. Let them make no move without that move being the move that God has already made and it will be known that you still hold this world in the palm of your hand.”
Prayer for Mayor Gloria Hines and all city and county leaders, law enforcement and firefighters in Darlington: Dr. Brian Sherwood, First Baptist Church
“Father we thank you for the individuals that you have raised up to serve our city, here in Darlington, South Carolina. We thank you for our mayor, Gloria Hines, who has walked into a role of great challenges never before faced being the first female mayor of Darlington, as well as the first African American mayor of Darlington…Give her wisdom, vision, strength, patience. Give her grace towards those who are hard to give grace to. Father, I ask that you bless her, keep her, make your face shine upon her…Father, we ask the same for our county leaders that you would also give them direction and your wisdom. May they seek you…Shine your face upon them… We thank you, Lord, for our law enforcement officers, our firefighters…I pray Lord that you would give them protection. We ask for your provision, for providing income for their families as well as providing them needed resources to do their jobs effectively. We pray for the families and the precious time they are apart.”
Prayer for our education systems: James Cooper, St. James United Methodist Church
“We need you now more than ever, as prayers, Gospel teaching, even the Ten Commandments have been taken out of schools… Father I am asking you to help adult Christians in our education system to still shine a light in our schools. I prayer for teachers, school boards, school administrators…I pray that you will still keep our children. Make our schools the place where our students learn not only knowledge but also morality and integrity. Father, I pray that all in our education system will fear you and understand that they have great responsibilities in training our future generation of leaders…For our universities and college campuses, we pray that the Holy Spirit will use Christian professors and faculty members as a light.”
Prayer for all churches and ministers of our city and county and their families: Rev. Ed Herlong, Indian Branch United Methodist Church
“We give you thanks for all who have answered the call into ministry in this area of our state and nation and world. We praise you for all those given to their charge. We praise you for the gifts of the Holy Sprit flowing in the gatherings of those who have obeyed your call to bring reconciliation to the community. We praise you for the opportunities to serve you in a free land, yet we remember those who now are being persecuted for the proclamation of the Gospel in the world around us. For the families of our pastors, we pray for abiding love and sustaining grace… Grant us grace to preserve a sober, eager temple and in sincerity I pray for your assistance that all called to live in this generation. Oh, Lord who shepherds, we give you thanks for the ways you are preparing all those yet to answer the call.”
Prayer for spiritual awakening of our city, county and nation: Dr. E.B. Burroughs, Cherry Grove Baptist Church
We are committed to come together on this day that we might pray and seek a way for your to hear us and answer us and lead us in the way that you would have us go. Now, as we come before your throne, we are ready to lay a petition before your throne…We ask that you would hear our prayer, that you would honor our prayer as you listen to the things that we ask of you, oh God…This day we acknowledge our sins, our misgivings, our shortcomings, all of our faults and all of our failures but we ask, oh God, that you would forgive us of all of these things…Thank you, Lord, for all of your blessings and your promises…On this day, the National Day of Prayer, I petition you for a great awakening in the land, we as for this awakening to occur in the City of Darlington, the County of Darlington and for this nation in which we live. I ask that when this day of spiritual awakening arrives that we would be aware that we are our brother’s keeper and that we should be willing to do unto others as we wish others to do unto us.”
Before the prayers were said, Rev. Cauley acknowledged Marilyn Blackmon who had put together the National Day of Prayer service for more than two decades.
“Marilyn, we want to say a special thank you for you serving the Lord in the life of our community,” Cauley said. “We are very blessed to know you and to know your prayers.”
Music was provided by Darlington Presbyterian’s Chancel Choir, directed by Dr. Teresa Irwin, and the Darlington High School Gospel Choir, directed by Brendan Johnson and Janice Ham Wallace.
