National Day of Prayer draws hundreds
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on May 7, 2012 1:46 PM
Carla Lewis says she has always believed in the power of prayer, relying on it to help her make decisions in her life, including a recent career change. So it was that belief that led her to take part in Thursday's National Day of Prayer event.
Held in two downtown locations -- the Paramount Theatre for adults and Cornerstone Commons for youths -- Wayne County United in Prayer event last drew hundreds of other residents to pray for themselves, each other and their community.
Ms. Lewis explained that she came to the event because she knows there's power in prayer.
"When one or more are gathered, there's enormous power in that," she said. "And I know the Lord resides anywhere we worship him.
"Something that's really important to me is worship, so when I'm in the presence of worship, it just makes everything run smoother and I'm directed more by the Lord."
Ms. Lewis said she hopes the event will build unity between the many churches in Goldsboro.
"I just pray that God starts directing us and aligning things," she said. "Being in his will is so much more fulfilling. But we have to seek him through prayer. He's not just going to tap us on the shoulder and say this is what he wants us to do."
Sarah Bordeaux came to Cornerstone Commons to show the community that people can stand up for what they believe in and be proud to be Christians.
"I got to praise the Lord with fellow Christians and represent Wayne County at the National Day of Prayer," she said. "I think this is awesome. There are a lot of true Christians out here telling about what they believe in."
Ms. Bordeaux said the event is something the community needs.
"With the economy and everything that's going on right now, I think we need the Lord, we need his help," she said. "I feel like this is going to benefit our community."
Dressed in black pants and shoes, white shirts, black suspenders and white gloves with their faces painted white, four members of a team from Place of Refuge Ministries performed a mime routine to "I Will Run."
Director Remarco Atkinson said the team's purpose is to minister through mime.
"We love to do it," he said. "We're reaching out to save souls. I think this event is good. Anywhere where it's godly and about my savior, I'm all for it."
Also on the team were James Jones, Aaron Fenell and Drew Fenell.
The Paramount Theatre was packed downstairs and in the balcony as residents gathered to pray for the community. Various people prayed for seven areas -- business, government, military, media, education, church and family.
Mayor Al King opened the National Day of Prayer saying, "God does for me what he knows I need to do, not always what I want him to do for me."
The speaker for the adults was the Rev. Terry Jones with Place of Refuge Ministries.
"As a town, do we really want to be made better, to get out of the rut we're in?" he asked those attending.
"Tonight we truly want to experience change and we can experience this change through prayer. Prayer is vital to change."
Rev. Jones said that oftentimes people assume that prayer is not essential, thinking that God is going to do what he's going to do anyway. God has the power, but he uses that power through prayer.
"God has given us authority in the earth," Rev. Jones said. "The only way he can come in is when we ask him.
"God has called us to be prayer warriors. The enemy knows the value of prayer. We can take back our city, our state and our country when we pray."
Outside at Cornerstone Commons, Scott Satterfield echoed that sentiment, speaking to the youths. He talked about how most of the time when people pray, they don't truly mean the words they are saying, but are merely going through the motions and repeating what they've heard others pray.
He talked about praying the Lord's Prayer and really meaning it.
"Every word in the Lord's Prayer has so much meaning," Satterfield said. "Some of us struggle saying that prayer. For example, when we pray 'Your kingdom come, your will be done' do we really want God's will for us, or our own? If we do want God's will, that means we'll hear what the Lord has to say and do it, no matter what style of life we are in.
"If you have a dream, but it's not God's dream for you, then you have to dream new dreams."