By Loretta Fulton

Abilenians will have several opportunities to observe the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 7.

Since In 1988, when President Reagan signed a law that permanently set the date, the National Day of Prayer has been observed on the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day.

Local observances will be hosted by Hardin-Simmons University, First Church of the Nazarene, and the Abilene Interfaith Council.

Hardin-Simmons will kick things off with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the Johnson Building Multipurpose Room on campus. The breakfast is free. There will be no speaker this year, just prayers.

First Church of the Nazarene, 2849 Beltway South, will host the 2026 National Day of Prayer Leadership Luncheon from 11:30 am. to 1 p.m. Registration begins at 11 a.m. Cost is $15 per person. Guest speaker will be John Amanchukwu, first assistant and youth & Young adult pastor at the Upper Room Church of God in Christ in Wake Forest, North Carolina. For information and tickets, call 325-677-9429. Prayers for the city, state, and nation will included in the program.

John Amanchukwu

The Abilene Interfaith Council service will begin at noon at the Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St. The service is free and all are invited. The program will begin with a welcome message from AIC President Susanna Lubanga, followed by a reading of the history by Linda Goolsbee. The service will end with the “Breaking Bread Together in Peace” ceremony, with challah bread provide by Gay Beitscher of Temple Mizpah. 

Prayers for the nation and the world will be offered by people of varying faith traditions as follows:
Anglican, Rev. David Romanik
Anglican Contemplative, Sister Brigit-Carol
Catholic, Aida Pantoja
Chaplains, Wesley Erickson
Christian Science,  Shellie Evans
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Holly Mansur
Hindu, Dr. Sanjay Srivastava
Islam, Shagu Agahi
Protestant, Carlo Sosa-Ortiz
Pagan, Melissa
Unity, Loretta Starkey
Native American Spiritualist, Icie Mitchell
Mike Kelley Baha’i Faith 
Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene

National Day of Prayer History
National Day of Prayer historyThe National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
Source: http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org