Tucker County residents pause to celebrate the National Day of Prayer Thursday. The event was celebrated in three locations – in front of the Tucker County Courthouse, at Thomas and at Davis. This is the first year the event was held in multiple locations throughout the county.
PARSONS – More than 60 people took time from their day to gather in front of the Tucker County Courthouse and spend an hour in prayer with one another.
Two other celebrations of the National Day of Prayer happened in the county simultaneously – one in Thomas and one in Davis. Tucker County Commission President Lowell Moore thanked those who joined in the celebration.
“This is the first year we are celebrating the National Day of Prayer up on the mountain,” Moore said. “We are so blessed to be here today. We need to thank our Veterans for serving so we could come here today and worship. We owe our Veterans a lot of praise.”
Moore said a day may come when folks will not have the ability to gather and pray.
“I pray daily that never happens to us,” Moore said.
The Rev. Pat Cassidy of the Sycamore Grove Church joined everyone in asking for prayers to heal our nation.
The Rev. Phil Dent of St. Johns Church said prayer changes things and changes people.
“This nation was founded on religious freedom,” Dent said. “This nation was founded upon Godly principles. We over the years have disobeyed God and kicked him out of our schools and our government and our nation. Now, we as a nation are reaping what we have sewn.”
Ministers offering remarks during the Tucker County National Day of Prayer include Chopper Evans from the Church of God, the Rev. William Brown of the First Methodist Church and the Rev. James Snyder of the Riverview Chapel.
The benediction was led by the Rev. Fr. Timothy Grassi of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.
Moore thanked those who helped make the National Day of Prayer celebration in Parsons possible including Piccolo Paula’s, Subway, Shop ‘n Save, Rite Aid, Sheetz, McDonalds and the Parsons Volunteer Fire Department.
Sound for the National Day of Prayer gathering was provided by Dan Barkley. Music was provided by Barkley and Sandy Shaffer.
The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman and instituted in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan as the first Tuesday of every May.
