County leaders join in Day of Prayer

About 50 people gathered in prayer at the Savannah Rapids Pavilion on Thursday morning as part of Columbia County's inaugural celebration of the National Day of Prayer.

The event included prayers and messages from some county pastors, along with gospel music performances by the Abilene Baptist Church Gospel Group and members of Wesley United Methodist Church.

"I hope your prayer is that this celebration will grow and continue to grow,'' said the Rev. Rex Wright, the pastor of Oakey Grove Baptist Church, to those in attendance, who included Columbia County Commision members and government workers.

Wright gave the message for the event, speaking on the need for grace and the need to "humbly pray."

"Any person who lives day by day and never takes the time to pray ... surely is relying on their own self-preservation,'' he said.

The Rev. Bill Harrell, the pastor of Abilene, followed with a short message and then a prayer for the nation's leaders, citizens and troops.

"We look forward to next year already,'' the minister said about the prayer breakfast, which officials hope will become an annual event.

Until this year, Columbia County officials and residents attended a prayer breakfast in Augusta in recognition of the National Day of Prayer.

At Thursday's event in Columbia County, Cynthia Taylor, the pastor of the Church of the Holy Comforter, thanked county commission Chairman Ron Cross for having the idea to hold such a gathering in Columbia County.