Thursday is National Day of Prayer and Grace United Methodist Church tries to uplift community

ZANESVILLE – Parishioners fastened a sign that reads National Day of Prayer onto the front of a fence next to the church. The church is encouraging people to walk by and tie their own ribbon on the same fence next to the banner.

“We would like for them to pray over their ribbon the prayers that they would like answered and then, on Thursday, the prayer team will come down and we’ll have just a small little ceremony and we will pray over these ribbons and then after National Day of Prayer, the sign will come down but the ribbons will remain and we encourage the community to come and continue to put their prayers on the fence,” Grace United Methodist’s Prayer Team Christy Swope said.

National Prayer Day is always on May 7th, but, Swope believes this year’s Prayer Day comes at a good time as the community is experiencing the danger and unfamiliarity that comes from the pandemic.

“I think that, you know, nothing is an accident and God put things in place as they are needed and so to put National Day of Prayer and the re-opening of our country is connected. Again, that we’re connected, everything in life is connected and so, through prayer and the strength of God, people can step forward without fear but still with caution,” Swope said.

The ceremony Swope mentioned is Thursday beginning at 5:16 PM. 516 is also the street number of the Methodist Church.