Gwinnett Daily Post

SUWANEE -- Community leaders and parishioners from Suwanee and North Gwinnett will gather on Thursday at Shadowbrook Baptist Church for a local event to honor the National Day of Prayer.

Shadowbrook member Frank Ferrer organizes the event, which has been in Suwanee since 2007. Ferrer said he attended similar events in Lawrenceville for five or six years when, "the Lord put it on my heart" to have one in Suwanee. At least seven church leaders and dignitaries will participate in the event, which begins at 6 p.m. Praise music will be provided by the Praise Band from Christ Church of Suwanee.

Speakers will include pastors Tony Moore of Community of Faith Family Church of Buford, Stephen Wood from Rivers Edge Baptist of Suwanee, Bobby Linkous of Shadowbrook, Carey Hudson of North Gwinnett Church and Rod Entrekin of Christ Church of Suwanee. Alex Croxton, Shadowbrook's minister of outreach, and U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall will also speak.

The national event was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1952. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a law that the celebration would be the first Thursday of May each year.

This year's theme is 'One Nation, Under God', part of the Pledge of Allegiance. The theme verse this year is Psalm 33:12, which is written, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..."