Latest news with #DayofPrayer
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas flags lowered to honor Hill Country flood victims
AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) — Governor Greg Abbott has ordered that flags across the state of Texas be lowered to half-staff in honor of those lost in the Hill Country floods over the holiday weekend. RELATED | Texas Roadhouse to donate profits to Kerr County Flood Relief 'In heartfelt remembrance of those whose lives were tragically lost in the recent floods, I ordered Texas flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff,' Abbott said. 'Cecilia and I continue to pray for their loved ones as they grieve this unimaginable loss and urge all Texans to continue praying for all impacted by this devastation. Texas stands united in mourning and in our resolve to support those who strive to heal and recover. May God bring comfort to every family affected and strength to the thousands of first responders still working on the ground.' Governor Abbott said that all businesses, individuals and other entities are to fly their flags at half-staff until sunrise on Monday, July 14. While Governor Abbott's Day of Prayer proclamation was Sunday, July 6, he still urges Texans to continue praying for the lives that were lost, for anyone still missing, for the recovery of the communities that were impacted and for the first responders working day and night to find everyone that is still missing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Hope' is the theme of National Day of Prayer event
ALBANY — Albany Police Chief Michael Persley's words summed up the intent of three speakers selected to offer messages during the 74th annual National Day of Prayer, held on the plaza of the downtown Albany-Dougherty Government Center. 'We come as people of faith, asked to speak about promises, not problems,' Persley said to a group of some 65 individuals who came to take part in the annual Day of Prayer, sponsored locally by the Albany-Dougherty National Prayer Committee, a volunteer group that sponsors the annual Day of Prayer and Mayor's Prayer Breakfast each year to offer members of the community opportunities to pray for their leaders. Larry Price, the volunteer chair of ALDON, told those gathered for the event that they are commanded Biblically to to pray for their leaders. 'Today is about hope,' Price said. 'It's about trusting in God. And it's about coming together as a community to pray for our city and our county leaders.' The theme for the event came from Romans 15:13, which says, 'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.' Joining Persley as featured speakers for the Day of Prayer were Anastasia Franklin, worship leader of Christ Church of Albany, and Mark Lane, area director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Each spoke of how people of faith can bring about dramatic changes in a community beset by troubling issues. 'Our leaders are held accountable by God, and I urge you to fervently pray for them, not just today but every day,' Franklin said. Added Lane, 'My prayer is that our community leaders experience the hope that is found in Christ alone. When faith is directed toward the future, we can call it hope.' Persley said hope grows within families, communities and churches. 'The family is the first place where hope is nurtured, and community offers an opportunity of shared grace,' the APD chief said. 'And church is the launchpad for change. These churches, it must be noted, are not just sanctified on Sunday; they're a lighthouse for the lost Monday through Saturday.' After the speakers delivered their brief messages and prayers, those assembled gathered in groups of three to eight to pray in clusters. They took into the short prayer session a thought offered by Persley: 'Albany doesn't need more fear; it needs more hope.' ALDON already has scheduled the date for the 75th National Day of Prayer: May 1, 2026.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tarrant's National Day of Prayer emphasizes God-led governmental leadership
Tarrant County's National Day of Prayer Luncheon was filled with shouts of 'Amen' and 'Praise God' as the keynote speaker said too many elected officials have forgotten who they ultimately serve: God. Kevin Sorbo, an actor known for 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' and 'God's Not Dead,' told the crowd of 700 gathered at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth about his faith journey as a Christian conservative in Hollywood and condemned the secular path America is going down. An official Day of Prayer was first established in 1952 under President Harry Truman. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan designated the first Thursday in May as the annual National Day of Prayer when Americans gather to pray for the nation. 'Can you imagine if God was woke?' Sorbo asked. 'Suppose today's God was an unforgivable, judgmental, quick to cancel your livelihood, your family, your life, everything, no compassion. Well, thank God, God is not woke. Instead of being ready to cancel and condemn, God is eager to forgive, reconcile and to restore God's attitude to a very imperfect humanity, which includes all of us.' The crowd cheered and applauded the keynote speaker as he said the American flag is his pride flag and said it's ridiculous the 'alphabet crowd' gets a month while mothers, fathers and veterans only get a day each. For the second year in a row, Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare hosted the luncheon under the Romans 15:13-influenced theme 'Pour out to the God of Hope and be filled.' Among the hundreds in attendance were elected officials from across the state, pastors and church-goers. The event benefitted nonprofits 6 Stones, aimed at helping the North Texas community through food and resources, and The Justice Reform, a Mercy Culture organization that helps sex trafficking victims. Before the three dedicated prayers, Scott Coburn came to the podium as the Patriot Mobile representative to express how important it is for elected officials to be praying over the country at events like this. Grapevine-based Patriot Mobile touts being 'America's only Christian conservative wireless provider.' It donates a large part of its earnings to its super PAC, Patriot Mobile Action. Coburn said his company helped sponsor the event because it's aimed at spreading the Word of God. 'What we're doing here today is very important,' Coburn said. 'Quite honestly, this is what we're called to do. We're called to be disciples, to spread the good news, and that's why we choose to support this organization, and we will always support organizations that are for prayer.' Another Patriot Mobile representative, Leigh Wambsganss, led the group in a prayer over family and churches. She prayed for churches to be a beacon of light for the world, which is searching to fill 'a God-sized hole that is within every human being.' Wambsganss also prayed for protection from the devil's attacks on the pastors, families and marriages. She also prayed that the Lord shield children from 'the enemy's lies of sexual confusion.' The second dedicated prayer was over government and military, given by another sponsor, Grapevine's First Baptist Church Pastor Doug Page. Page prayed for protection and the faithful leadership of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and the presidential Cabinet. 'Father, we pray for every leader in every state, but we take a moment to come right here, right now and say how grateful we are for Judge Tim O'Hare,' Page prayed. 'Thank you for a man who I know loves you, and I know seeks to lead in a way that will please you. And so I pray for your protection on him.' Pastor Parkey Cobern of Capstone Church in Benbrook, another sponsor of the event, prayed for the Christian business leaders 'on the cutting edge of evangelism in this city.' He prayed for a great awakening for the business leaders who don't follow Jesus and that Fort Worth be known as a city that conducts business with integrity. Throughout the 10 minutes of prayer, mumblings of 'yes, Lord' and shouts of 'amen' came from the audience. Then, members of the crowd stood with hands up as Mercy Culture Church musicians led the group in singing 'How Great Thou Art.' Kyle Hubbart, the prayer coordinator for Mercy Culture, said he came to the event to take part in the power of prayer and he appreciated that the speakers weren't afraid of the truth of the Bible. 'I love the honesty,' Hubbart said. 'And also just the fact that our county judge, the person who sits in the highest place of authority, judicially, loves God and honors God. So we know the person who has the gavel in our county is putting that gavel down for justice and righteousness and biblical value.' Sheri Williams, a former member of the National Day of Prayer Tarrant County Board of Directors, said she enjoys coming to the luncheon so she knows what to keep in her own prayers. She said people have called her the 'Mother of Fort Worth' because of her diligence in praying for the community. Williams said she is grateful that O'Hare has taken up hosting the event annually because past commissioners haven't been as involved in the Christian organization. O'Hare said next year, he hopes to grow the event so that more people can join in the fellowship. 'This event is about honoring God and showing folks that it's okay that government stands up and honors God,' O'Hare said, 'and we're going to continue to do that as long as I have the fortune to be here.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Palestine National Day of Prayer event moving to new venue
Palestine's National Day of Prayer event is moving to a new location this year. The community prayer hosted by Hope Station and led by local church and civic leaders is being held at noon Thursday at the Palestine Senior Activity Center, 200 N. Church St. In the past, the event has been held outdoors under the pavilions at Reagan Park. After a couple of years of crowds hindered by heavy spring showers and stormy weather, prayer event planners decided to move the event indoors. Rain is in the forecast for Thursday. Pablo Contre, with Hope Station, said a group of pastoral leaders in Palestine are joining together to lead the hour-long prayer service this year. 'We will do a time of worship and then we'll have people come up and pray over the seven specific areas of influence that the National Day of Prayer committee asks for, but everyone does it a little differently,' he said. Contre said Subs and Dogs is providing sandwiches for lunch on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is open to the public. In Grapeland, the First Christian Memorial, known as the Little White Church, is hosting its annual gathering for National Day of Prayer, also beginning at noon. All are invited to join them in praying for peace, for the nation, churches, education and more. A sandwich lunch will be served afterward in the church's fellowship room. If you don't have time to stay for lunch you can take it with you in a brown bag. People of all faiths across the nation will join together and pray Thursday in observance of the 74th National Day of Prayer. The annual observance is put together by a National Day of Prayer Task Force that chooses a themed verse. The 2025 theme is 'Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled,' based on Romans 15:13. The verse is 'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.' On the National Day of Prayer, the task force encourages everyone to pray for centers of national influence that include the three branches of government, the military, the media, business, education, the church and families. The first national call for prayer was made in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation. President Harry Truman signed a bill declaring the observance for the National Day of Prayer in 1952. Every president since then has signed a national Day of Prayer proclamation. Observances will be held in Washington, D.C., at state capitols, county courthouses, city halls, and in schools, businesses, churches and homes.
