NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER OBSERVANCE IS TODAY

Today, people will put aside denominational differences to pray for the nation and its leaders during National Day of Prayer.

Four local ceremonies are planned, and a new white-ribbon campaign begins today, said Sherri Mehner, local coordinator of National Day of Prayer.

During prayer services, red cards with white ribbons will be distributed. The white ribbons are to remind people to pray for the children of the country on a daily basis throughout the year, Mehner explained.

"This campaign came out of the recent school shootings," Mehner said. "A group of people here felt our children are suffering, and prayer is a way to help."

The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman. It is designed to bring communities together to pray for leaders, schools, businesses and families.

"We want to encourage people to acknowledge God as our leader," Mehner said. "Christians can unite across denominational lines to pray for our country."

Today at 7 a.m. a fellowship breakfast will be held at Hanover Lutheran Church.

At noon, a prayer service will be held on the steps of Cape Girardeau City Hall. Prayer leaders, both ministers and lay people, will offer prayers for federal, state and local leaders; for businesses; community organizations; families; and individuals.

Prayer leaders are Msgr. Richard Rowling, St. Mary Cathedral; Melvin Gateley, Cape Girardeau councilman; the Rev. Gary Brothers, pastor of First Assembly of God Church; Mike Price, assistant U.S. attorney; the Rev. David Allen, pastor at St. James AME Church; Morley Swingle, Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney; Cliff Ford, funeral director; Richard Kinsey, Promise Keepers of Cape Girardeau; Lt. Randy Roddy, Cape Girardeau Police Department; Mary Marlow, director of youth activities at Grace United Methodist Church; and the Rev. Mark Anderson, pastor at Lynwood Baptist Church.

At 2 p.m., a prayer service will be held at St. Francis Medical Center cafeteria.

At 7 p.m., people are invited to the Holiday Inn Convention Center for another prayer service. People will sit at tables. Prayer leaders will introduce topics, and those seated at each table will be encouraged to discuss or pray on that topic.

At the evening program, prayer leaders are Dr. Fred Burgard, Faith Evangelical Free Church; the Rev. Bill Burke, First Church of the Nazarene; Dr. Clayton L. Smith, Centenary United Methodist Church; the Rev. John Ferguson, Harmony Congregational Church; Dr. and Mrs. Bill Terry, Cape Bible Chapel; David Goncher, Cape Girardeau Board of Education; the Rev. Johnny Thomas, New Bethel Missionary Baptist; Jack Mehner, Advanced Business Systems; the Rev. Roger Christiansen, First Church of God; and the Rev. Kim Ferguson, Cornerstone Church.

The National Day of Prayer also marks the second year for an Adopt-a-Leader program coordinated by Cornerstone Church. City and school district leaders are paired with a prayer partner, Mehner said. "Throughout the year, the prayer partner remembers the leader in prayer," she said. "They also send notes reminding the leaders that they are praying for them."

Mehner said response to the first year of Adopt-a-Leader was positive. "Leaders said they would get a card reminding them that someone was praying just at a time when they needed a boost," she said.

Where to pray

7 a.m. -- Hanover Lutheran Church, fellowship breakfast.

Noon -- Cape Girardeau City Hall steps, citywide prayer service.

2 p.m. -- St. Francis Medical Center cafeteria, citywide prayer service.

7 p.m. -- Cape Girardeau Holiday Inn Convention Center, citywide prayer service.