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Steamboat to celebrate National Day of Prayer

Staff Report

— No other country in the world has a national day of prayer, according to local organizers of just such a day.

“It is an important need for our nation to pray –not just one day, but every day,” First Baptist Church Pastor Jonathan Bixby said.

Church leaders from First Baptist, the Evangelical Free Church, and Concordia Lutheran Church all agree that it is important for U.S. citizens to pray on the national day, scheduled for Thursday.



“Hopefully, our churches always realize the importance of prayer. I think National Prayer Day is more to remind the general populace of the importance of prayer and of having God in their lives, directly or indirectly. It’s not so much for church as it is for the country — to remember the place God occupies in our society,” Evangelical Free Church Pastor Warren Geldmeier said.

Every year, the National Prayer Day Task Force in Colorado Springs receives 51 proclamations of the national day from state governors and the president.



“Across our land on May 4th, Americans will unite at specific times in prayer for our nation and state to acknowledge our dependence upon God, to give thanks for the many blessings our country has received from Him, to recognize our need for personal and corporate renewal of moral values and to invoke God’s blessing upon our leaders,” Colorado Gov. Bill Owens said.

True to the same spirit, Steamboat residents will gather at 7 a.m. Thursday at Le Peep Restaurant to pray.

Several community and youth leaders have promised to attend the breakfast, prayer day participant Bill Padgett said.

A noon-time prayer meeting will also take place from 12:10 pm. to 12:40 p.m. Thursday at the Routt County Courthouse.

Finally, a national concert in prayer will be brought to Steamboat’s Euzoa Bible Conference Center via satellite on Thursday evening.

Marlys Cartwright, director of Christian education at Concordia Lutheran Church, expects that regular members of Christian Yampa Valley Churches will not be the only people who attend the special events.

“Some who have heard about it or seen our newsletter will probably be there, too. The emphasis on this day is on setting one day aside, like for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. That is not to say we only honor our mothers and fathers one day of the year, but it is a day to come together with them, to celebrate our joys and sorrows together as a unified group. Likewise, Prayer Day is a day to be mindful of getting away from our own worries and divisions, because we are all children of God,” Cartwright said.

According to the National Prayer Day Task Force, Congress has only established three national days: the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, and National Day of Prayer. The latter was permanently set as the first Thursday of every May by President Reagan in 1988.

Residents interested in participating in the prayer day can bring $7 at 7 a.m., Thursday, to Le Peep Restaurant on Yampa Street. Participants can also meet at noon that day at the Routt County Courthouse for the prayer meeting.

–To reach Bonnie Nadzam call 871-4205 or e-mail bnadzam@amigo.net


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