Brownsville events see big turnout
On Thursday, the Brownsville Area Ministerial Association observed National Prayer Day by holding a 30-minute prayer vigil in front of the Brownsville Borough Building. The Rev. Stanley Burdock of the of Christ Episcopal Church said they hold the vigil each year with a different theme that is developed by a national committee, headed by Chairman Shirley Dobson. The National Day of Prayer has led to 40,000 prayer events held annually on the first Thursday in May.
“This year the theme is ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people’ from Proverbs 14.34,” said Rev. Burdock. “The purpose is to pray for our leaders and to pray for a righteous nation.”
Rev. Burdock said that in previous years, 10 to 15 people had attended the vigil. This year, 26 people gathered in front of the borough building to pray, including local ministers and Brownsville Mayor Norma Ryan. One minister even visited from Africa. Christine Kapande said she was here to participate in a women’s conference and to visit friends in Brownsville, and she was happy to see all the people who gathered in God’s name without fear.
Rev. Burdock led the group in prayer for federal and local government, the church, local schools and businesses and anything else that people felt the need to lift up.
Local resident and community volunteer Jack Conner brought up Ryan in prayer, asking that she would be able to do God’s work in the Brownsville and continue to improve the community. Ryan later remembered all legislators, local and national, hoping that they would be led to make the right decisions.
“I would like to ask that we remember all legislators today that they will always do what is good for the community and not be guided by the dollar,” said Ryan.
In addition to military people working to protect the nation, participants also remembered councils, police forces, firefighters and all other rescue units.
The group also prayed for families in the community, hoping for strong marriages and family units that would lead to children being brought up well and sent in the right direction. The Rev. John McGrath prayed that the school district would uphold the responsibility to help young people grow up in the right way.
“I pray that the school system will stop teaching a promiscuous lifestyle and about evolution,” said Rev. McGrath. “I want to see the truth brought back into the school system. Instead of teaching what is wrong, we want them to teach what is right and what is true.”
They also prayed that families in the community would work together to make the neighborhood a friendly place, and that community businesses would prosper and others would be brought in.
“Bless the families in all boroughs and townships that they will grow in unity,” said Rev. McGrath.