ASHLAND At least 60 people gathered at Central Park on Thursday afternoon to commemorate National Day of Prayer.
Chairs lined the grassy area, in front of the bandstand with people waiting to pray, worship and hear from several guest speakers.
The event began with Lana White, President of the Boyd County Republican Women’s Club, followed by scripture and prayer.
“We believe in the power of prayer, we believe in God almighty, we believe that God created this nation and we believe that God watches over this nation,” White said. “We believe that we should pray for our leaders, our country, state, county and city.
“God will answer those prayers, that's why we are here tonight,” she added.
The Boyd County Republican Women's Club sponsors an event every year for the National Day of Prayer, which falls on the first Thursday of May, White said.
While sitting in the crowd waiting for the event to start, Tina Parker, a member of the club, said prayer is important to her.
“Prayer is very important in our society and a lot of people may not think that, but I think it's very important,'' she said, “There’s a lot of things to pray for.
She continued: “We need to pray for our city, state and country.”
Velvet Price, also a member of the club, said the day was special for her.
“It’s a day to pray for our nation and each other,” she said. “God is everything and if we don't appeal to him for our needs and desires, we are doomed.”
Evan Maynard and Ashleigh Riffe, freshmen at Morehead State, led the crowd in a song that resulted in an enthusiastic and pleased response.
Guest speaker and pastor Kevin Harrison, originally from the Bahamas, gave a fiery and loud speech to the crowd.
“We have to understand something, unless we unify and come together, we will end up with nothing,” he said. “My calling is from God, not from man.
“If you call yourself a Christian, then how can you stand with the ‘ungodly,’” Harrison said.
David Bush, a longtime cardiologist in Ashland, took the podium.
“Prayer is essential,” he said. “My life is the testimony of prayer.”
In a blue jacket, gripping the microphone in his right hand he said we are in the midst of a spiritual storm.
“When mankind turns their back on God, evil takes over,” he said.
Judy Stewart, resident of Greenup County, said the day was special for her because her two cousins were going to be singing.
“We need to learn more about God, instead of everything else,” she said.
This year's message was focused on love, life, and liberty. The National Day of Prayer has been a tradition continued for decades in Ashland.
