Tickets on sale for annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast

ALBANY — Warning to any who would like to share their political insights at the Albany Dougherty National Prayer Committee’s annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, scheduled Feb. 5: Leave your politics at home.

The 49th annual breakfast, which will be held at 6:30 a.m. at Sherwood Baptist Church’s Fellowship Building at 2201 Whispering Pines Road, is an opportunity to pray for local, state and national officials, not to criticize them or comment on political matters, Prayer Breakfast organizer Larry Price, the chairman of the Albany Dougherty National Prayer Committee (ALDON), said.

“We don’t do politics at this event,” Price, who has headed the Prayer Breakfast for the past 12 years, said. “We’re there to emphasize prayer for our elected officials. They rarely get thanks or positive input for what they do; they usually get nothing but complaints.

“We start with a prayer, and we end with a prayer.”

This year’s Prayer Breakfast, which was the brainchild of Ginny Hayman, will feature a keynote address by Joe Pettigrew, the pastor of Brownsville Presbyterian Church in Brownsville, Tenn. Pettigrew is an author who started the Leaderpoint Consulting Group, featuring corporate leaders from more than half the Fortune 500 Companies.

“Dr. Joe is an engaging speaker,” Price said. “I think everyone will appreciate what he has to say.”

Albany Mayor Bo Dorough will offer his forecast for the new year and discuss city achievements in 2025 at the breakfast. 

Price said the theme for this year’s breakfast is “Let Your Life Be a Witness to Your Faith,” based on James 2:17-18.

“The theme is something I pray about really hard,” Price said. “It may focus on things that are going on in our world at that time, but I make a final decision based on where the Lord leads me.

“The idea behind this year’s theme is to remind everyone that it’s OK, if you’re a Christian, to let your footsteps tell people where you are. It’s like your shadow; you want to go with the good shadow. You can’t have bad behavior if you’re following a good shadow. Christians must let their life be a witness to their faith.” 

Tickets for the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast are being sold by ALDON at 2406 Ashford Drive in Albany. They are $23 per seat, and tables for eight seats can be reserved for $184. Tickets also can be purchased through the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce at 225 West Broad Ave. Government officials may purchase tickets through the mayor’s office on the fifth floor of the Albany-Dougherty Government Building in the City Clerk’s office. 

Checks should be made payable to ALDON; cash or checks only are accepted. No credit cards. For additional information, contact Price at (229) 317-3900.

“This event has been sold out in previous years, so get your tickets early,” Price said. “Once we reach 320 tickets sold, sales will be shut off.  Jan. 30 is the deadline for reservations, unless we sell out early, so we can plan seating.”