Larry Stallbaumer lights a candle during the prayer vigil.

Many Share at Day of Prayer

More than 100 people shared the gift of presence at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, on the USA National Day of Prayer. The prayer vigil in the Sanctuary ran from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The May 7 event was held at the suggestion of Rich Baldwin of Little Rock, Arkansas. The Daily Prayer for Peace team coordinated with him, and the church promoted the vigil on its Web site.

As guests entered the Worshiper’s Path, they received a bulletin recognizing the fifty-eighth annual National Day of Prayer with the theme “Prayer…America’s Hope.” Participants were invited to pray for wisdom; compassion; mother earth; joy; hope; love; peace; and local, national, global, and personal issues.

Thelma Smith, among visitors from St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, led prayers while participants joined in worship.
Gary McDonald of the Mission Woods congregation in Blue Springs, Missouri, appreciated the event. “I enjoyed participating in it along with several friends….One lady I know came from Gardner, Kansas. I personally felt refreshed afterward. I hope that in the future we can do more along these lines.”

A candle was lit every hour to represent our commitment to pray for our church, our community, our country, and our world. Participants shared in quiet meditation and music, voiced prayers, sang hymns, and lighted candles for individual prayers. The Daily Prayer for Peace ran from 1:00 to 1:15 p.m.

—Nadine Stallbaumer and Rich Baldwin reporting