Berlin’s Congregations Join During National Day of Prayer

Residents in Berlin Gather to Pray at the National Day of Prayer

About 30 people gathered at the Worthington Ridge War memorial Thursday evening to simply pray.
The event brought together four churches in Berlin; Bethany Covenant Church; Berlin Congregational Church; Kensington Congregational Church; and Wellspring Church. Members of the congregations were observing the National Day of Prayer.
The participants prayed for seven areas of American life. There were prayers offered up for the well being of the three distinct institutions in America today: Government, Churches and Families. Guidance was sought for the areas of life which influenced those institutions: the military, the media, education, and business.
When asked about the importance of the National Day of Prayer, Bob Switzer, a pastor at Wellspring Church who led the prayers for the media and churches said, “For me, it’s about relationships. There are the relationships with the churches; we are standing together and publicly saying we’re desiring a relationship.” Switzer also pointed out that in the act of praying for culture and government; the people are recognizing the relationship they have with those areas and institutions. Finally, he said that “It’s publicly showing the relationship we have with God.”
The prayer group was a part of a national gathering of prayer services which have been officially occurring for the last sixty years.
In 1952, President Harry Truman signed a measure declaring a National Day of Prayer. Later, in 1988, Ronald Reagan made the National Day of Prayer the first Thursday of the month of May.
This year, Governor Jodi Rell signed an official statement regarding the National Day of Prayer. It read, “It is fitting that we should give thanks for the freedom and prosperity enjoyed by this State and our Nation and pray for continued guidance and comfort, which has been graciously bestowed upon this Nation since its inception.” It continued, “I, M. Jodi Rell, Governor of the State of Connecticut… …urge all citizens to observe this day in ways appropriate to its importance and significance.”

Note: This was my first time attending my town's prayer event; in past years, I have attended the event at the State Capitol. My town's service was so much better than the one at the Capitol. It's eloquence was in its simplicity. Having brought along my camera and notebooks, I covered the event. This piece may be published in my town newspaper, however, I didn't get paid for it, hence the publication on here.