Ashland faith community unites in prayer

ASHLAND – More than 650 Ashland area faith leaders, elected officials and community members came together Thursday to unite in prayer.

With heads bowed and hands raised, the group offered up prayers of intercession for those in positions of power or influence at the local, state and federal levels.

They also asked God for unity, which was the theme of this year’s National Day of Prayer.

As keynote speaker, Ashland University President Carlos Campo explicated the poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost and decried the walls people put up between themselves and others. He referred to both physical border walls and cell phone screens as examples.  

“We’re not here to build unnecessary walls between us,” Campo said. “We will declare this spring that we’re not going to engage in some ritual simply because it’s been done before. We are going to stand together and say, ‘God help us to understand why we do what we do and if we are building walls that separate our brothers and sisters from ourselves.'”

The Ashland County Ministerial Association’s annual Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast is the largest prayer breakfast in the state and one of the largest nationwide, according to Bethel Baptist Church pastor and ACMA chair John Bouquet.

The association invited more than 400 elected officials to attend the breakfast, and 77 local businesses and ministries sponsored the event. 

Local faith leaders took turns praying aloud for various groups of people, and representatives of each group stood as breakfast attendees prayed for them.

Groups included active duty military, veterans and families of fallen soldiers; social service agency leaders; business leaders; local elected officials, law enforcement and first responders; county and township officials, educational leaders and teachers; civic club members and healthcare providers; state and national leaders; and pastors and Christian ministry leaders. 

Breakfast attendees also listened to Laura Bedocs singing “How Great Thou Art,” then joined together to sing “Amazing Grace” and “Jesus Loves Me”

Ashland Mayor Matt Miller and Ashland County Commissioners President Denny Bittle each read proclamations for the Day of Prayer and gave remarks about unity in the city and county. 

Miller described a new excitement in the community and said he views it as a direct result of prayer. 

Bittle pointed out both the county commissioners and city council members have begun praying before meetings. He said he believes these prayers have led to positive changes in the community.