The Houston Chronicle | Prayers of unity offered at SJC observance

Citizens of San Jacinto County gathered at the courthouse square on May 3 to meditate for the National Day of Prayer.

Paul Buchannan of the First Baptist Church performed spiritual music before Coldspring United Methodist Church Pastor Dr. Dan Darby welcomed everyone to the service.

A series of prayers were led with San Jacinto County Chief Deputy A. D. Todd leading a prayer for the first responders, Interim County Judge Fritz Faulkner leading a prayer for county government officials, Coldspring Mayor Pat Eversole leading a prayer for the communities, Coldspring-Oakhurst CISD Superintendent Dr. Leland Moore leading a prayer for the county’s school districts and District Attorney Robert Trap praying for both state and national leaders.

Pastor Phil Herrington of the Coldspring First Baptist Church led the 2018 National Prayer for the United States, which is written by Dr. Ronnie Floyd, the president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

The prayer addressed many issues in today’s society such as division among the population.

“In this critical hour in our nation we pray for unity in America,” said Herrington. “Only You can bring unity, harmony and oneness in America.”

This prayer for unity also spread to the churches in the United States, for families, work places, communities and cities across the nation.

“By Your Spirit lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing and unity,” said Herrington.

Herrington prayed for unity among people of all ethnicities and races in America and for the courage to stand against racial and ethnic division.

“We agree clearly, unite visibly and pray extraordinarily for the next great spiritual awakening in America,” said Herrington.

According to Darby, prayer is becoming very important in today’s society.

“We really need to start praying for our country and our elected officials,” he said. “They’ve got huge responsibilities.”

Darby says that God’s guidance is therefore very important to our political leaders in carrying out these responsibilities.

“We had our sense of unity, our sense of bringing our country together,” he said. “We’re so divided and alienated from one another. There’s so much hatred, there’s so much animosity and distrust of one another. What we’re praying for is that God will bring a sense of unity, a sense of trust, a sense of believing in each other again as well as believing in the Lord.”