Under the leadership of Pastor Terry Miller, nearly a dozen pastors will convene in Rush Park on May 5 to celebrate the National Day of Prayer once again in person.
Miller said Joe Mendoza, General Manager of the Rossmoor Community Services District, invited him to utilize Rush Park to reconvene what has been a national observance since Abraham Lincoln asked the nation to pray for itself to heal after the Civil War.
“Every year on the first Thursday in May, thousands of churches across the country come together to pray,” said Miller, noting that the National Day of Prayer is a tradition that dates to the 1860s.
On March 30, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the day of April 30, 1863, as a day of “national humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in the hope that God would respond by restoring “our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace”.
On April 17, 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill proclaiming a National Day of Prayer must be declared by each following president at an appropriate date of his choice. And in 1988, the law was amended so that the National Day of Prayer would be held on the first Thursday of May.
Pastor Miller, a long-time pastor in Long Beach, now heads his own ministry and is the Executive Director of Calling All Disciples, a Christian discipleship resource and training ministry. Terry and his wife, Debra, have been residents of Rossmoor for the past 14 years.
Miller said he has invited about a dozen of other pastors and church leaders to celebrate a series of prayers that offer blessings for county, state and federal leaders, first responders, the war in Ukraine, and more.
The National Day of Prayer Service will be held on Thursday, May 5, 6:30 p.m – 8 p.m. Christian Simpson will act as worship leader and Chris Hodges, and others will provide worship music.
He said there are several participant pastors, including:
• Pastor Bryan Newberry: Calvary Chapel, Los Alamitos; prayer topic: Let us come into the Lord’s presence (no community prayer).
• John Park: Go and Disciple Church; Prayer for Local Leadership (Mayors, City Council Members, First Responders, Military).
• Pastor Bryan Winger, Good Shepherd, Los Alamitos; Prayer for State of California leadership.
• Rev. Sheri and Gary Leming: Faith Christian Assembly, Seal Beach; Prayer for the Persecuted Church around the world.
• Debbi Andrews: Children’s Ministry; Prayer for families and educators.
• Jim Whitney: Former Long Beach NDP Chairman, Prayer topic: Spiritual revival and awakening for America.
• Pastor Semour Helligar: Grace Community Church, Long Beach; Prayer for Peace in Ukraine
• Pastor Dale Workman, Community Grace Brethren: Prayer for all pastors and church leaders.
Once the official prayers are concluded, said Miller, the pastors will gather in the center and those gathered will then have a final chance to make their own special prayers.
There is no charge to attend the National Day of Prayer and for additional info, contact Miller at -714-926-8557 or via email: terryj316@gmail.com.