“As the Executive Director of the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Dane County, I’ve learned that many things can be delegated but prayer cannot,” said Liz Osborn, speaking to a small crowd of about 100 that gathered on the capitol steps in downtown Madison this noon to observe the National Day of Prayer.
“Prayer transforms us because it brings God near,” she also said. And she likened prayer to a Coast Guard ice cutter which forges a path through the thick ice so other ships can easily follow.
Calvin Tucker, Director of Dry Hootch Madison, an outreach to veterans, noted that veterans who don’t believe in God have no hope, which contributes to a high suicide rate among veterans. Speaking of the value of prayer, he said, “We have God to fight our battles.”
In addition to the military, prayers were said focusing on other areas of society:
Government – Camille Sohlberg, representing U.S. Senator Ron Johnson
Church – Craig Robertson, pastor of New Crossing Church
Family – Lilada Gee, executive director of Lilada’s Livingroom
Education – Diane Cook, Superintendent of High Point and Abundant Life Christian Schools
Media – Gordon Govier, news editor, madisonchristians.com
Business – David Gibson, Materials Management Microsystems
Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Action, read a National Day of Prayer proclamation from Gov. Scott Walker. The Day of Prayer was coordinated by Joleen Helbig of Cumberland, Wisconsin.
Photos provided by Steve Cook.
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Prayer for the Media, by Gordon Govier
We are inundated on a daily basis by the media products from Los Angeles, New York, and elsewhere that more often than not that fails the test described by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
And we are concerned by the words of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel: “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Those are strong words when directed at our entertainment media.
But we also are concerned about the news media who are charged by our constitution to keep us informed about matters of government and the other important issues of the day, and too often seem more concerned with profits and sensationalism. The Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists, of which I am a member, begins by saying that journalists should seek truth and report it. The prophet Micah asked, “What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with the Lord your God.”
So we pray humbly, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, for men and women of integrity, courage, and faith to rise up in the media worlds of entertainment and journalism. We thank you for those who are already working in these fields, and striving to make a difference for the benefit of others.
We thank you for the Wisconsin State Journal, our own newspaper here in Madison, which has an editor who believes in news coverage of faith matters, and a reporter who covers that beat with skill and integrity, as a professional journalist should. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer newspapers that do this.
Lord we pray for a change in the news media that will result in better reporting that reflects the spiritual interests of our communities and keeps in mind the best interests of the audience above the interest in the financial bottom line.
And finally we pray for us, that you will give us the courage to turn away from the entertainment which pollutes our society, because if we were not consumers of it, the producers would not be able to make a profit by selling it.
Help us to remember that whatever it is that makes news, news, also makes it something that needs to be prayed about. Help us to remember to pray for the news.