By: Shayla Terry

From the steps of the Crenshaw County Courthouse, community members, students and leaders gathered on the first Thursday of May to celebrate the National Day of Prayer.

“Considering the possibility of bad weather that morning, I think the amount of participation was amazing,” County Administrator David Smyth said. “There was an estimated 200 people in attendance.”

Students from all of the county schools were in participation at the courthouse. Ministers from throughout the county spoke and lead various prayers for unity, forgiveness and also the nation of Israel.

Smyth said during the presentation that prayer is a good thing for the state of the nation.

“There is nothing more important, in my opinion, than prayer,” Smyth said. “We pray that the Lord will anoint our efforts and empower those efforts to touch and change many lives.”

Probate Judge Will Tate says he put together the program with the hopes of uniting Crenshaw County.

“It was a great day,” he said. “I am thankful to be able to be a part of it. When a group of people come together and pray, there is no limit to what God can do.”

The bill for National Day of Prayer was introduced in 1959, yet the official day wasn’t observed until 1983 under the presidency of Ronald Regan. Since then, community and organizations throughout the nation have united for the unique day in May.

“It’s crucial that we have events like this in Crenshaw County,” Smyth said. “I am fortunate to work for a commission that strongly believes in prayer and the power of prayer. Numerous times the commission has joined hands and prayed over families. Prayer is a powerful thing, and we live and work in a county that still believes in going to God.”