The annual observance of the National Day of Prayer is scheduled for May 4, with two local services part of the yearly event. This year’s theme is “Pray Fervently in Righteousness and Avail Much,” which comes from James 5:16.
D.M. Dalton, president of the Mount Airy Ministerial Association, said his group is planning a short time of prayer, singing, and sharing a message at noon in both Mount Airy and Dobson that day. The Mount Airy gathering is a long-standing event, while the Dobson observance is still relatively new — it began in 2019, was cancelled during the COVID years of 2020-2021, then returned last spring.
Dalton said he has hopes for large turnouts this year, and he encourages area residents who talk about wanting to change America for the better to get serious, put action with their words.
“We ought to be rallying around this day for our local leaders, our state leaders, our national leaders, our churches, our educational leaders,” he said, before going on to say local residents should add others to their prayer lists — those serving in the military, law enforcement and other first responders, business leaders, and even those working in the media.
Dalton said the services generally bring out good-sized crowds, but he doesn’t understand why they are not much larger.
“We all talk about it, we want our country to the place that it’s a Godly country…so, how are you going to do it? God says (in the Bible) where two or three gather in my name…so here we are. You have the opportunity to do it, to gather, to bring God down on the nation right here in Mount Airy…and, we won’t even do it,” he said. “Prayer is the most powerful gift God has given to us, and we fail to use it.”
He recounted a childhood memory, when he was sick with a fever in the 104-degree range, and the doctor told Dalton’s mother his condition was serious.
“I remember her sitting next to the bed, putting a wet cloth over my face, rubbing me down with the cloth, little murmuring come from her,” he said. “At some point I was out, I just fell asleep. Later, I regained consciousness. My mother was still there. I thought it had just been a few minutes, but it had been all night. She stayed there, praying over me all night.
“When’s the last time you had a problem you were willing to pray all night long over?” he asked.
“That’s where the National Day of Prayer is, finding that thing that is important to you that is worth you devoting your prayer time to, in order that God will move on it. God tells us ‘You have not because you ask not.’ If we don’t call on God, how do we ever get a response?”
Dalton said he is hopeful people will catch the same sense of urgency he has about prayer, and that it would start with the Day of Prayer services.
The Mount Airy service will be in front of the Municipal Building. There, Melissa Vernon is scheduled to sing both the National Anthem and God Bless America; Mayor Jon Cawley will read a National Day of Prayer proclamation; Dr. David Sparks, pastor of Flat Rock Pentecostal Holiness Church will lead in prayer and oversee the event; with Dr. Darrell Tate of Highland Park Baptist Church bringing a short message.
In Dobson, Dalton will oversee the service, leading in prayer; John Kennedy will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America, Surry County Commissioner Eddie Harris will present a proclamation for the day, and Rev. Austin Caviness will bring a brief message.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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