May 06 2021
Natalie Wadas | WOWK TV
CABELL COUNTY, WV (WOWK) — Dozens of people gathered at the Cabell County courthouse grounds Thursday for an annual National Day of Prayer Service.
Love, life, and liberty: that’s what National Day of Prayer coordinator for Cabell County T-Anne See says is the theme for this gathering.
“We need to be loving each other a little bit more, enjoying life a little bit more, and appreciate our freedoms. So I think it’s a very important message for this year,” See says.
This year’s service is especially noteworthy:
“Today is the 70th anniversary of the National Day of Prayer, and it was established originally with the Continental Congress back in the 1700s, and so we’ve continued the tradition obviously for over 200 years,” See says.
The ceremony began with a concert, followed by a prayer service led by pastors, officials, and prominent community members.
People who came to the ceremony say they hope this event will help bring the community together.
“This is a very very important thing. I think it’s great for believers, not only believers great for the community to get together as one,” says Isaac Carpenter, an attendee at the ceremony.
World War II Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams, who was also in attendance, believes this event is necessary.
“Second to World War II, prayer is needed more today than it has been in all of our time between,” Williams says.
Another prominent figure at the ceremony was West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, who also believes this is an opportunity for unity.
“It’s just a great time to get together with people to focus on what’s important in life and that is not the politics, not the policies, not the things we get caught up on a day-to-day basis,” Warner says.
The event itself lasted two hours—from 11:00am to 1:00pm—and many in attendance say they were happy to be able to observe the day in-person this year.
