The annual Atchison County National Day of Prayer observances will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2016. The first observance will be at noon in Rock Port in the Atchison County Memorial Building on Main Street. A sack lunch will be provided. The second observance will be held at 7 p.m. in Tarkio at the Tarkio United Methodist Church. All county residents are encouraged to attend one or both of these observances.

The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our nation’s history. In 1775, the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming our Nation. In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed a day of prayer. In 1952, Congress, by a joint resolution, established a National Day of Prayer as an annual event. This resolution was signed into law by President Truman. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May. This is the 65th year for the National Day of Prayer observance. This year’s theme “Wake Up America” emphasizes the need for individuals, corporately and individually, to return to the God of Fathers in reverence for His Holy Name. The theme Scripture is Isaiah 58:1—Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.

We live in a great country, but we are living in difficult and uncertain times. Come join the gathering of county residents as we pray and seek God on behalf of our Nation, our State, and our Local Community. Questions about our county’s National Day of Prayer observances can be directed to Chris Shimmel for Rock Port at 660-744-6363 and Annette Kaplan for Tarkio at 660-736-4443.