Cranberry Township recognizes Day of Prayer
CRANBERRY TWP — Cranberry Township and the Cranberry Council of Churches celebrated the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 1, on the newly-opened Armstrong Great Lawn at the municipal building.
“We’re bringing together all faiths from the community,” said Amy Smith, civic partnerships coordinator for Cranberry Township. “All are welcome to pray today according to their own faith.”
“I think we’re living in a very tumultuous time in our world, and there’s so much division and discord,” said Pastor Tom Parkinson of the Dutilh Church. “People of all faith traditions believe that prayer has the power to change things and to change us. And when we come together as people of faith to pray, we have a chance to do something that aims at the common good of our communities.”
According to event organizer Walt Scott, this year marked the first time, at least in some time, that the township and the Council of Churches held such a robust celebration for the National Day of Prayer. Scott said that the opening of the new lawn played a part in it.
“Actually, Amy approached us and said, there’s a National Day of Prayer coming up, and you’re the Council of Churches,” Scott said. “She said we can have it here in this beautiful new facility. So that’s really what the driving force was.”
“(Scott) and his council brought this to Cranberry, and asked if they can use the Armstrong Great Lawn as a location for their National Day of Prayer,” Smith said.
Around the lawn, a circle was set up consisting of eight “prayer stations,” where visitors of all faiths could pray for certain facets of society, including the government, the military, the media, businesses, education, church itself and family.
The last station was set aside for “personal prayer,” with staff from several local churches on hand to assist in the delivery of the prayer.
“That is where people can come and say a prayer for what they need personally,” Smith said. “So if they’ve got a specific prayer within their own life, that station allows them to have that prayer.”
Midway through the event, visitors gathered near the entrance to the municipal building for a minute of silence, as Cranberry Township Supervisor Bruce Hezlep explained the significance of prayer in everyday life.
“At its core, the National Day of Prayer is about pausing and reaffirming our shared values, such as kindness, empathy, integrity and service,” Hezlep said. “In a world that moves relentlessly, gathering like this allows us to slow down, connect and be reminded of the greater good we can accomplish together.”
Following Hezlep was Parkinson, who emphasized the importance of the National Day of Prayer in today’s fracturing world. To make his point, Parkinson invoked the recent storm that made its way through Western Pennsylvania.
“I know that your hearts are weighing heavy, along with mine, over so many things that are impacting our community and world,” Parkinson said. “We want you to go before God with your prayers, for the common good of our community, for the common good of our region and world. We want to unite together with our belief that prayer changes things. Prayer changes us. Prayer changes our community. And when we gather to pray, it changes the world.”
Following the minute of silence, visitors were treated to a performance from the Seneca Valley Madrigal Choir, led by Bobi-Jean Alexander.
