Local Ys plan observances; downtown event features recording artists

Brentwood Home Page news reports
The Operation Andrew Group and the YMCA of Middle Tennessee invite the community to join them for an observance of the 60th Annual National Day of Prayer at 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Bridgestone Arena Plaza Thursday, May 5.

The downtown Nashville event will include prayers by a diverse array of area civic, community, business and church leaders and will also feature special performances by local Hispanic group Destino, Dove Award winner Nicole C. Mullen and Grammy-nominated Big Kenny, half of the super-duo Big & Rich.

For those who unable to make the downtown event, local YMCAs will host prayer-focused events on May 5, also all free and open to the community. Here are what the Brentwood-area Y facilities are hosting:

Brentwood Family YMCA: 8:30-9 a.m., Prayer for the Unemployed (led by Dan Ryan); 11 a.m.-1 p.m.,  Prayer Service, held in the gym (Prayers led by Sue Detweiler; Todd McCullum; Lyndon Allen; Steve Flannigan; Rodney and Stephanie Beard; Pastor Handy; and Chaplain Corky French). Prayers will focus on our nation; leaders of our nation; believers; repentance; families and children; and healing in our communities. A staff appreciation luncheon will be held following the Prayer Service.

Maryland Farms YMCA:  An event will be held in the lobby all day beginning at 6:30 a.m. and concluding at 6 p.m.  Event highlights include: speakers and musicians sharing their faith in word, music and prayer every 30 minutes; contemplative prayer opportunities for members and guests.

YMCA of Cool Springs: Event during lunch time at noon will include prayers toward local, state, national and global needs. There will also be live music.

The downtown Nashville service will unite cultures and denominations throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee for a day of dynamic prayer events from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on the arena plaza at 5th Avenue and Broadway. All are welcome at this free event.

And new to this year’s event is an additional worship time preceding the prayer service which will include a performance by a multi-lingual Nashville Unity Choir, led by Papa Joe Bradford, founder of the Nashville Children’s Unity Choir.

Operation Andrew Group Events Committee Chair Chris Parker is excited about the new elements of this year’s event, which also include the launch of a praynashville.com website and social media tools.

“We really wanted to embrace some new ways of inviting people to the event and engaging our community in prayer. By visiting the site, anyone can become a Facebook or Twitter follower to receive event updates, invite others to attend and see community prayer requests in real time,”  Parker said.

The site also includes a short trailer for the event, featuring the music of local emerging artists The City Harmonic. And for the first time, the prayer service will be streamed live over the Internet thanks to the support of Belmont Church. Parker says event organizers realize it can be hard for people to make it to Bridgestone Arena and back to work on their lunch hours, but streaming will allow people to take part in the service using their phones or computers.

Since President Truman declared it an annual observance in 1952, the National Day of Prayer has brought people of faith together to pray for their nation, their leaders and their families.