Planners of Day of Prayer: Shown from left to right are three of the pastors who have helped to plan the National Day of Prayer in Lehigh Acres. They are Pastors Steve Kelly, Mike Porzio and Carlos Otero. Banners like this will be carried in a march in Lehigh to the Christ Church for the 7 p.m. ceremony. Photo by Mel Toadvine

“Our goal here in Lehigh is to unite the churches and the people Lehigh Acres in prayer and bring them together as a community praising God for the good he does for us,” said Pastor David Soden, chairman of the Evangelical Ministerial Alliance (EAL) of Lehigh Acres, and also the pastor of the Richmond Avenue Baptist Church.

The latest program that the EAL is a celebration of the National Day of Prayer in Lehigh Acres on Thursday, at 7 p.m. on May 6.

The services will be held on the front lawn of the Christ United Methodist Church at the intersection of Homestead Rd. and Lee Blvd., the site of where Christmas services have been held for the past two years. Several hundred people turned out at both services for the past two years and just a few weeks ago on Good Friday, the EAL sponsored its second annual Cross Walk from Walmart to Veterans Park. Some 80 people participated in the walk and a few hundred showed up at the pavilion at the back of the park along the lake.

“This is EAL’s newest program for the people of Lehigh and we are going to have three locations where people can start walking together, all leading to the Christ United Methodist Church,” Soden said.

The Prayer Walk will start at 6 p.m. from each of the three locations, the Super Walmart front sidewalk, the Church of the Nazarene at 210 Lee blvd. and New Image Ministries at 29 Homestead Rd.

The address of the destination is 1430 Homestead Rd.

“Once we have all converged on the church lawn, we will begin a prayer meeting at 7 p.m. This will give people who work a convenient time to come and join us and pray for our community and our nation,” Soden said.

Soden said the Susan Hamilton will sing the National Anthem and Betty Silva will sing the Lord’s Prayer.

As for as the National Day of Prayer, it has occurred in the U.S. for the past 59 years and all the presidents of the U.S., including President Barack Obama, have urged citizens of the U.S. to participate in their communities, all praying together for good, for their communities and their nation.

The EAL has been been meeting for three years and is composed of about 12 local churches and their congregations.

Pastor Soden noted that he was not alone in the planning for the Day of Prayer program.

“We have been for the past two months making plans for the National Day of Prayer in Lehigh Acres,” Soden said.

“There are others who have all helped to put this prayer celebration together. They include Mike Porrzio, pastor of New Image Ministries and vice president of the EAL, Pastor Carlos Otero of the Christ United Methodist Church and treasurer of EAL and on whose lawn the services will be held. Also planning with us was Pastor Steve Kelly, pastor of the First Christian Church of Lehigh Acres and Steve Cecil of the Church of the Nazarene and Pastor Steve Kelly, pastor of the Lehigh Acres Christian Church and others,” Soden said.

Spring weather can surprise residents in Southwest Florida. While it appears the temperatures won’t be too cool, everyone is urged to bring a lawn chair to sit in and some type of covering like a light blanket if you think it may be chilly.

Pastor Mike Porzio said he hopes this observance of the National Day of Prayer will bring folks In Lehigh together as a community calling on God for his blessings.

“If people driving along Lee Blvd. or Homestead Rd. wish to join us, they are welcome. Just find a parking place along the area and come up on the lawn.

“We want to pray for our town of Lehigh and to thank God for his blessings,” he said.