Prayer services and other events related to the National Day of Prayer are more diverse than ever — in Oklahoma and across the country. The National Day of Prayer was established by Congress in 1952.
In the state, a service at the Survivor Tree at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and a prayer walk at City Rescue Mission are just two of the new events planned for the 57th annual day, set for Thursday.
The popular prayer service at the state Capitol is planned for noon on the second-floor rotunda. An interfaith prayer gathering, now in its fifth year, is planned for 11 a.m. on the south steps of the Capitol.
New this year at the Capitol is the Seal America open Communion service, set for 11:20 a.m. on the Capitol's north steps.
Around the metro, prayer events include youth, men's and women's prayer events in Kingfisher, a New Testament reading marathon at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee and a multicongregational prayer service at Quail Springs Church of Christ.
Several churches, including Crossings Community Church and Quail Springs Baptist Church, will open their doors for people to come and pray throughout the day. Crossings will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday for prayer, with guided prayer lists available.
Quail is launching its new prayer ministry and prayer room Thursday.
"We could think of no better time to launch this prayer ministry, which we hope will soon operate around the clock, staffed with members committed to spend one hour per week in uninterrupted prayer,” said the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, Quail's senior pastor.
Lloyd Smith, National Day of Prayer Oklahoma state chairman, said this year's theme is "Prayer! America's Strength & Shield,” based on Psalm 28:7: "The Lord is my strength and shield: my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.”
Across the country, plans for the annual observance include private pilots who intend to fly and pray over all 50 state capitols. This week, Smith said he was not sure that Oklahoma's flyover had been arranged yet.
For the first time, the National Day of Prayer will be marked at a memorial chapel in Shanksville, Pa., which commemorates the Sept. 11, 2001, crash of United Flight 93.
"This is a critical time to be in prayer for our country,” said Shirley Dobson, chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force and wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.
"The biblical principles upon which America was founded are under attack in every segment of society. We pray God will raise righteous leaders for our country.”
Christian scholar Ravi Zacharias is the 2008 honorary chairman. He will address observances in Washington, on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon.
Prayer more important than ever
Smith said 40,000 prayer events are planned across the country.
The need for prayer is critical in today's world, thus more activities are being organized by volunteers in every sector of society, he said.
"We live in difficult and complex times. I think that people more and more see the need to respond to God,” Smith said.
"God has protected and blessed America, and it is fitting that we honor Him and His ways with hearts of repentance, worship and gratitude.”
