Newtown Joined Communities Across The Country For National Day Of Prayer

By Shannon Hicks

Based on a verse from Psalm 33:22 (“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you”), 2009 National Day of Prayer celebrations followed the theme of “Prayer … America’s Hope.” Millions of Americans set aside time in their day on May 7 to pray together, to publicly exercise their religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.

They gathered at houses of worship, government buildings, national monuments, military bases and other venues across the country. In Newtown a few dozen people gathered in The Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall.

Led by local coordinator Jean Steber of Trumbull, the Newtown event included a series of Scripture readings, each followed by prayers for seven elements: government (federal, state, and local), the military, media, business, education, church, and family.

Newtown High School senior Quinlan Mitchell was the evening’s soloist, and he offered stunning a cappella performances of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “The Lord’s Prayer.”

“What’s interesting about this Day of Prayer is that over the years it has been organized so that nearly every community will have a service,” Ms Steber said a few weeks ago. “This year there are so many services planned that every town and city will either have its own service or it will be prayed for in a neighboring community’s service.”

On Thursday she announced that in addition to praying for themselves, Newtown would also be praying for the towns of Easton, Fairfield, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Weston, and Westport.

The service began with a recital of The Pledge of Allegiance and Mr Mitchell’s first solo, followed by First Selectman Joe Borst reading a proclamation from Governor M. Jodi Rell that reiterated the theme of the day. Mr Borst closed his reading by adding his own words, saying, “May God bless you all, may God bless Newtown, and may God bless America.”

The structure of the service included Scripture readings and prayers for each element. Donald Bauch began by offering a reading and then a prayer for the government in which he asked for guidance against “lawlessness … the sins of abortion, of greed … prayers for our leaders. Hear our prayer and have mercy on us and this great and wonderful nation.”

Readers and leaders were given their prayer topics and suggested Scripture readings in advance. Some chose to select from the list of suggested scripture from the National Day of Prayer Task Force, while others selected their own readings of choice. Emory Check, a Desert Storm veteran who covered the military element, did one of each. He first offered a reading of 2 Chronicles 32:6–8, which was a suggested reading, and then offered his own choice, Psalm 51:1–2.

His voice cracking, Mr Check then offered a prayer for all troops, saying in part, “Lord, you know in my heart when I say troops I also mean our enemy’s troops, for they are yours also. When troops are ordered by their government into harm’s way, some of them will die.

“Welcome them into your open arms, comfort their families,” Mr Check prayed. “There will be those who are injured. I pray you give them your strength to go through suffering, and rehabilitation that they must go through.

“The troops still in harm’s way, I pray you take care of them, watch over them, and protect them in your way,” he added.

Family, which Ms Stebel called “the building block of our culture,” was the focus of five people. Carol St John read of the unity and love in individual family units that reach out in hospitality toward others with her selection of Romans 12:9–13, Julie Johnson followed with a reading from the book of Job honoring a return to family values that serve the nation as a whole, and then her husband Mark offered a prayer for fathers, mothers, children, and families as a whole.

Scott and Kristin Cicciari also led a prayer for families, with Mr Cicciari offering praise and thanks “for families around the world, and especially here in Newtown.

“Thank you for the privilege to be called father, son, and most important, husband,” he said with a breaking voice. “Thank you for the gift of love … and for the blessings of family.”

Sandy Motyka and Amy Brady covered the element of media, followed by prayers and a reading regarding business by William Whamond.

The youngest prayer leaders on May 7 were Hiram Orama and Wil Werner, who covered the element of education with readings from Exodus and Philippians by Wil and a stream of consciousness prayer for students of all ages, as well as educators at all levels, by Hiram.

The Reverend Mel Kawakami, the senior pastor at Newtown United Methodist Church, and Pastor Jack Tanner of Newtown Christian Church covered the final segment of the evening, the church. Both ministers selected their own passages for reading, with Pastor Mel pulling from Proverbs and the Book of Matthew in his prayer to “recognize that prayer is our hope” and for the country’s leaders, “for wisdom of knowledge to know what is right, and strength to carry it out.”

Pastor Tanner offer his hopes for strength and encouragement, “I pray that your church will be perfected in unity … and will be a reflection of who you are.

“Thank you,” he said in closing, “for your love, your grace, and your mercy.”

The final prayer of the evening came from Monsignor Robert Weiss of St Rose Church, who reminded those gathered that “if this country is going to come together, then Christians must come together. We must pray for unity and peace among ourselves, and stand shoulder to shoulder with each other.” The evening then closed with the group standing and singing “God Bless America.”

In addition to those who spoke, the Reverend Matthew Crebbin, senior pastor of Newtown Congregational Church, was also a guest a Thursday’s service. Newtown’s was one of at least 15 National Day of Prayer events held in Connecticut on Thursday, including events at the capital, a leadership breakfast in Meriden, a “prayer rally” in Ansonia, and a pair of events in Cromwell.