Cold winds Friday afternoon did not stop two new members of the Fayette County Board and Education and nearly a dozen community members from conducting a prayer service in the parking lot of the school system’s central office building in downtown Fayetteville.
The group formed a prayer circle as they prayed for the families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings and for the Fayette County School System.
Organized by incoming school board member Mary Kay Bacallao, the prayer circle included incoming school board member Barry Marchman, representatives from the Fayette County Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Fayetteville Mayor Greg Clifton, incoming Fayette County Commissioner David Barlow and a half-dozen local residents from around the county. Invitations to attend the prayer service were extended to a number of local faith and civic groups.
Not deterred by the frigid temperatures and wind gusts, the group joined hands and stood in a circle where each person took a few minutes to offer a prayer.
Asked the reason to hold the prayer circle, Bacallao said it was three-fold: out of respect for those who perished in Newtown, Conn., for the protection of the students and staff in Fayette schools, and for God’s wisdom for the school system and school board.
With the temperature in the mid-40s and frequent wind gusts, Bacallao said the prayer circle was held in the parking lot rather than in the building because central office closed at 2 p.m. and the prayer circle had already been scheduled for 3 p.m.
