National Day of Prayer in Albany brings community together

ALBANY – Albany’s 75th National Day of Prayer, delayed by two weeks due to inclement weather, brought the faithful to downtown Albany Thursday to offer prayers for the community and nation.

The experience of diverse togetherness was a big draw for Nadine Oliver, who was among the several dozen who turned out.

“Although I pray all the time, it is so powerful when all the people come together,” she said. “In this city, in this nation, in this country, we all need prayer. God hears our individual prayers, but he loves it when all his children come together.”

Asked how the gathering differed from services on Sunday, Oliver said the group that was at the Government Center was inspiring.

“In Sunday school, I tell them Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week,” Oliver said. “I challenge each and every one of his children to do this.”

The Day of Prayer included speakers the Rev. Harriett S. Gainer, Dr. Price Corr and Dougherty County Sheriff Terron Hayes. It also included songs from the Rev. Charles Jones.

After the speakers addressed the crowd, attendees broke into smaller groups to pray together.

“(I came) to worship the Lord and pray for our country,” Dawson resident Ann Garland said. “I was just so thankful that our country had it.”

Bill Davis, a “prayer warrior” at Sherwood Baptist Church, was attending his first Day of Prayer and said that he would have liked to have seen more people take part.

“We need all the prayers for this country we can get and to keep singing songs raised in glory,” he said. “This was a blessing. It’s an encouragement to me.”