Bulloch Countians celebrated the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 4 with breakfast, lunch, readings of God's word and a Jericho prayer walk. The first activities began on Wednesday with the reading of God's word and new this year a Jericho prayer walk around the courthouse downtown.
27 1/2 hours of public reading God's word
In 2019, Renee and DeWayne Perkins began the public reading of God's word on the Bulloch County Courthouse lawn.
"A community that understands the power of the Word of God and Prayer is a much stronger community," said Renee Perkins. "DeWayne and I wanted to find a way to emphasis this and promote it. This is why we began the public reading of God's Word."
The event has grown to now include over 200 readers representing over 50 churches in and around Bulloch County. This year they added a Jericho Prayer walk where volunteers are walking around the Bulloch County Courthouse praying for our community.
The public reading began on Wednesday and will end during the First Friday event on Friday.
Community Prayer Breakfast
Mark Mirza, the Georgia Coordinator for National Day of Prayer, issued a challenge to John Waters, First Baptist of Statesboro lead pastor to begin a National Day of Prayer breakfast. Pastor Waters and Mirza are weekly prayer partners and good friends. Pastor Waters accepted the challenge and reached out to pastor Donald Chavers, lead pastor for Agape Worship Center to co-chair the first National Day of Prayer breakfast event with him.
"When Mark offered the challenge and we discussed giving citizens an opportunity to join in prayer who may not be able to attend lunch or other events I agreed it was a great idea," said pastor John Waters. "We wanted an event to compliment Ed Neubert's noon prayer gathering and the public reading."
Over 200 prayers warriors attended the 6:30 am breakfast at First Baptist Church of Statesboro. Pastor Chavers and Pastor Waters led the prayer service in which they covered local officials, public safety and eduction employees with prayer.
"Today is a day we come together as a nation not to simply pray, but to celebrate the power and opportunity of prayer," said Mark Mirza. "We all pray every day, this day allows us to pause and to be grateful and thankful that we have the right to pray freely and openly."
Lunchtime prayer on the Courthouse Square
At noon citizens gathered on the Bulloch County Courthouse square to pray for our nation. Pastor John Waters and Pastor Scott Moore of Believers Church helped lead this years noon time prayer for Ed Neubert who had to be out of town today. Joe Sconyers, Believers Church Worship Leader provided music for the event.
Citizens filled the square joining in prayer for our community.