'Shake our nation!' – Albany Herald

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ALBANY — It was the Rev. Gary Brady, the final speaker at Thursday’s National Day of Prayer celebration in downtown Albany, who offered up a challenge that was a common thread running through the program, one of thousands held across the country.

“Shake our nation!” Brady prayed as a gathering of some 80 residents bowed their heads, some offering up “amens” to punctuate the Albany pastor’s words. “The change we need in America is in the words of this verse (Colossians 2: 6-7): ‘Exalt the Lord who has established us.'”

The Albany Day of Prayer, hosted by the Albany Dougherty National Prayer Committee (ALDON), offered an opportunity for persons of all denominations to come together and pray. ALDON Chairman Larry Price said Christians could not “allow this woke group to take Christ out of our hearts as they have our schools and our government.”

Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler, who also is a pastor at Americus Holiness Deliverance Temple, exhorted those gathered to continue their prayers.

“If the only time you pray is when you’re in trouble, then you’re really in trouble,” Fowler said. “We have to commit and continue to pray. We have to pray for our loved ones, by name. We need to pray for our community, pray for our leaders, pray for our world.

“We serve an unshakable God.”

Gail Drake, an Albany attorney, used “exhibits” — including charters through which our nation was governed — to explain God’s covenant with his people.

“We are blessed that God continues to be with our nation, even when we don’t deserve it,” Drake said.

The Rev. Charles Jones, who led music at the gathering, closed the Day of Prayer with the Lord’s Prayer after participants had gathered in groups of two to six to pray together.

ALDON announced that its 46th Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast has been scheduled for Feb. 2 at the Merry Acres Event Center, and the 2023 Day of Prayer will again be held at the courtyard of the Albany-Dougherty Government Center.

Staff Photo: Carlton FletcherStaff Photo: Carlton Fletcher