By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Despite the breeze that made the noonday temperature much cooler than its 62 degree reading, it didn’t stop Wendy Everhart, her three children, and their home school teacher from attending a National Day of Prayer event at the Bell Tower.

The group huddled together Thursday and bowed their heads in prayer as one-by-one about a dozen local pastors stood at a podium and led prayers for the local community and the nation.

National Day of Prayer is annual observance and is held the first Thursday in May. This year’s event, as it has in the past, was sponsored by the Rowan Southern Baptist Association. A number of local pastors and their churches are a part of the association.

“I felt it was important for them to see that in the United States we still have the freedom to come together to pray to God,” Everhart said.

She said it was also important for them to be reminded “we need God in every facet of our lives.”

Everhart’s children — Olivia, 10, and twins Jackson and Mason, 11, were at the Bell Tower with their teacher, Janice Hurley.

“It’s important for our younger generation to take an active part in praying,” Hurley said.

The purpose is to pray for our nation and to encourage participation on the National Day of Prayer. We want to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families,” said Pastor David Jones, of Wyatts Grove Baptist Church.

When Anne Croyle was working, she often wanted to attend the National Day of Prayer, but wasn’t able.

“I look at our world and I see the direction it’s headed. Our country has lost its moral headings. We need God to bring us together,” Croyle said.

“While we can still do so in a free country, we need to come out and stand for our God,” she said.

Each pastor read a short scripture from the Bible and then led a prayer for a different area including for the local, state and national leaders. There were also prayers for repentance, families and revival in the community.

Pastor Mike Motley of Trading Ford Baptist Church said he encouraged his church members to attend the event.

“The whole purpose is prayer for God to bring healing and unity,” he said.

The pace of life is so busy, Motley said, “we need a time when we are called form our normal routine to spend time calling on God.”

There were a number of other locally-held National Day of Prayer events including the town of East Spencer, Stallings Memorial Baptist Church, Moores Chapel AME Zion Church, and the Arbor United Methodist Church.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.