The

prayerful still trickle into Sams Auditorium each first

Thursday to unite in praise and supplication to the Lord,

but their numbers have plummeted.

Since last

May's National Day of Prayer, it has been the intent of

local ministers to repeat the one-hour service monthly.

"Why do it just once a year?" was the question

raised by the Rev. Gray Harwell of Cherith Ministries and

local pastors last spring. "Our vision is that the

body of Christ come together," Harwell said.

The result

has been a core group of between 25 and 50 religious

leaders, businessmen and homemakers gathering to praise

the Lord in song, ask for his forgiveness, and humbly ask

for blessings on the county's schools, teachers, pastors

and government leaders.

But

January's dozen or so faithful seemed lost in the

vastness of Sams Auditorium. It is Harwell's vision to

eventually see every seat occupied.

January's

First Thursday service was led by Carter Schultz, who

heads the Southern Crescent Church of Christ in Tyrone.

He and his wife, Paige, and church member Phil Shaw led

the group in a series of hymns, singing acappella.

There was a

special emphasis on praying for the pastors attending a

prayer summit Jan. 24-26, a three-day retreat where,

Harwell said, "We will seek the face of God together

and come before the Lord to minister to one

another."

Harwell

instructed those gathered to voice their prayers aloud.

"We want to hear your prayer and lift it up together

to the Lord." The result was a series of

supplications made eloquently by those gathered.

There were

prayers for school children and their teachers, for local

leaders, and for individuals struggling in their walk of

faith. The soft lighting of the auditorium created a safe

and reverent environment for the offerings.

Next

month's service will be Thursday, Feb. 3 at noon. It is

the hope of the Fayette County community of pastors that

the turnout will swell.

Notice of

the guest pastor will appear in The Citizen Wednesday,

Feb. 2.