News Update
Prayers offered for nation's leaders at city events
Dan Eakin/Staff Photo - About 400 people attended the citywide National Day of Prayer event Thursday evening at Towne Lake Park to hear music provided by members of different congregations and to hear representatives of different churches pray for local, state and national leaders.
By Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
Mayor Brian Loughmiller on Thursday twice proclaimed May 3 as National Day of Prayer in McKinney.
He first went to Towne Lake Park for the citywide event organized by the McKinney National Day of Prayer Task Force and then to a prayer program at McKinney First Baptist Church.
He read the proclamation at both events.
About 400 residents came to the Towne Lake Park event, most standing but some in folding chairs, to hear representatives of various churches provide music and offer prayers for leaders of the nation, state and schools.
In addition to the mayor, participants included the McKinney Police Honor Guard, Dr. Richard Lee of First Baptist Church of McKinney, Rev. Winston Douglas of St. James Christian Methodist, Jon Ewton of Christ Fellowship, Pastor Ben Trevino of Mundo de Fey, Rev. Mike Michie of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Angela Wolden of St. Gabriel Catholic Community and Pastor Joel Scrivner of Covenant Church.
Before reading the proclamation at McKinney First Baptist, Loughmiller said, "Some people believe that separation of church and state means that we can't have prayer at public meetings. That is not true. We always have invocations at our city council meetings.
"Separation of church and state simply means that the government cannot tell us that we have to be Catholics, Episcopalians, Protestants, etc."
Seeing several children and young people in the audience, the mayor told them, "Don't be afraid to express your faith."
Following prayers led by several individuals and group prayers, and special music, Rev. Louis Rosenthal, the church's pastor, told the crowd he recently had a conversation with a man who was concerned because prayer had been taken out of public schools.
"I told him we need prayer in schools," Rosenthal said, "but before we return prayer to the schools, we must first return prayer to our homes and our churches."
He encouraged parents to set a time to "turn off the video games and television sets" and pray with their children.
He also said churches need to place more emphasis on prayer and especially return midweek services to a time of heartfelt praying.
He told the city officials, "We don't just pray for city officials annually at the National Day of Prayer, but we are a prayer shield for our community and nation, praying for them at our weekly prayer meeting."
McKinney First Baptist conducts SHOP (Sweet Hour of Prayer) services from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday.
At Thursday's event at McKinney First Baptist, Minister Connie Dixon served as mistress of ceremony, Jailyn Dixon explained the purpose of the National Day of Prayer, Imani Handy sang the National Anthem and Lauren Rosenthal and Raelind Rosenthal read scripture and led in prayer.
The Towne Lake Park event was a citywide event that has previously been held at another location. The event was organized in 2002 by the local National Day of Prayer Task Force and works in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Gwyn Lawson, coordinator for the McKinney National Day of Prayer Task Force, said, "The purpose of the McKinney citywide event is to bring together area churches of different Christian denominations, races and cultures in a unified body to pray to Almighty God to ask for continued grace and guidance for our nation and government."
He first went to Towne Lake Park for the citywide event organized by the McKinney National Day of Prayer Task Force and then to a prayer program at McKinney First Baptist Church.
He read the proclamation at both events.
About 400 residents came to the Towne Lake Park event, most standing but some in folding chairs, to hear representatives of various churches provide music and offer prayers for leaders of the nation, state and schools.
In addition to the mayor, participants included the McKinney Police Honor Guard, Dr. Richard Lee of First Baptist Church of McKinney, Rev. Winston Douglas of St. James Christian Methodist, Jon Ewton of Christ Fellowship, Pastor Ben Trevino of Mundo de Fey, Rev. Mike Michie of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Angela Wolden of St. Gabriel Catholic Community and Pastor Joel Scrivner of Covenant Church.
Before reading the proclamation at McKinney First Baptist, Loughmiller said, "Some people believe that separation of church and state means that we can't have prayer at public meetings. That is not true. We always have invocations at our city council meetings.
"Separation of church and state simply means that the government cannot tell us that we have to be Catholics, Episcopalians, Protestants, etc."
Seeing several children and young people in the audience, the mayor told them, "Don't be afraid to express your faith."
Following prayers led by several individuals and group prayers, and special music, Rev. Louis Rosenthal, the church's pastor, told the crowd he recently had a conversation with a man who was concerned because prayer had been taken out of public schools.
"I told him we need prayer in schools," Rosenthal said, "but before we return prayer to the schools, we must first return prayer to our homes and our churches."
He encouraged parents to set a time to "turn off the video games and television sets" and pray with their children.
He also said churches need to place more emphasis on prayer and especially return midweek services to a time of heartfelt praying.
He told the city officials, "We don't just pray for city officials annually at the National Day of Prayer, but we are a prayer shield for our community and nation, praying for them at our weekly prayer meeting."
McKinney First Baptist conducts SHOP (Sweet Hour of Prayer) services from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday.
At Thursday's event at McKinney First Baptist, Minister Connie Dixon served as mistress of ceremony, Jailyn Dixon explained the purpose of the National Day of Prayer, Imani Handy sang the National Anthem and Lauren Rosenthal and Raelind Rosenthal read scripture and led in prayer.
The Towne Lake Park event was a citywide event that has previously been held at another location. The event was organized in 2002 by the local National Day of Prayer Task Force and works in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Gwyn Lawson, coordinator for the McKinney National Day of Prayer Task Force, said, "The purpose of the McKinney citywide event is to bring together area churches of different Christian denominations, races and cultures in a unified body to pray to Almighty God to ask for continued grace and guidance for our nation and government."
Copyright © 2013 - Star Local News