WILLIAMSTOWN - About a dozen residents Thursday joined at the Williamstown City Building to celebrate the National Day of Prayer.
"A national day of prayer means that the entire nation has set aside time for reflection and peace," said the Rev. Steve Gedon with the First United Methodist Church of Williamstown. "As we gather, we come together as a country of faith."
From the steps of the city building, Mayor Jean Ford read a proclamation about the choice the city made to participate in the National Day of Prayer, the 10th time it has participated.
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About a dozen residents Thursday joined at the Williamstown City Building to celebrate the National
"It's really important for me, as mayor, and to the city to have the opportunity to join this day of observation," Ford said. "We are very grateful we are able to join as a community and pray on the steps of our city hall."
Ford also cited what residents should remember as they pray.
"The power of prayer has done miraculous things," she said. "We need to pray for peace to love one another through the good times and the bad."
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Photos by Jolene Craig
Williamstown High School Show Choir performs during the National Day of Prayer celebration in front of the Williamstown City Building on Thursday afternoon.
The noon event is sponsored by the Williamstown Ministerial Association.
The Williamstown High School Show Choir under the direction of Cheryl Nestor performed "We Shall Overcome" and the Rev. Chad Mugrage with the First Baptist Church of Williamstown provided a prayer for the nation.
The invocation was delivered by the Rev. Mike Horner of the Williams Creek Baptist Church with closing words and benediction by the Rev. Steve Delay of the Faith Bible Church in Williamstown.
The National Day of Prayer pre-dates the founding of the United States of America when in 1775 the First Continental Congress issued a proclamation setting aside a day of prayer.
In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and in 1988 passed a bill designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May.
