SOMERSET — For 30 years, the county has observed the National Day of Prayer with community gatherings, and 2024 will be no different.
The emotions in the crowd at the 73rd annual national celebration were urgent, hopeful and uplifting.
“This is necessary,” said Casimir Frederick of Somerset. She elaborated that this event shows that support for the nation is being returned to God. This wasn’t the first time she participated in the annual event. She felt that the event was a good experience.
more:“Music from the Heart” was just an idea I had when I was 16 years old, but it soon became a reality.
Several people spoke from the top of the courthouse steps and offered prayers for various segments of the population, including the government, military, media and arts, business and workplaces, education, church and family.
Any sense of urgency quickly dissipated as Danny Conner’s rich, deep voice belted out the national anthem, followed immediately by the opening song, “The Lord’s Prayer.” Just before the closing benediction by Rev. Dan Bash, Somerset County National Day of Prayer Committee member, he led the group in the song “Amazing Grace.” Bash also introduced the ceremony, which took place from the top of the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse, and said the National Day of Prayer observance was “a national spiritual call to war.”
Garrett residents Nita and David Johnson attended the event at the Somerset County Courthouse three times.
Nita said she is participating in the event because “with everything going on in the world,” it is important to pray collectively. “We need it now more than ever,” David said.
Other countries are also at war, and protests against U.S. financial involvement in those wars have sometimes turned violent, with several arrests. As with events across the country, prayer and Bible reading dominated this peaceful event.
In Somerset, participants clapped, sang and bowed their heads in prayer, bringing the community together for an hour.
For Berlin resident Andrea Bowersox, bringing her 16-month-old son Mika was a natural choice. She works for Child Evangelism Fellowship, an international non-denominational Christian nonprofit organization, and often brings her youngest son to work with her.
“Our freedom to gather and pray is so important,” Bowersox said as she held her son. She said her other three children were in school and unable to attend.
