They gave up their lunch hour to pray for their country during National Day of Prayer at noon on Thursday on the courthouse lawn.

“We are gathering here to commemorate National Day of Prayer,” Jeff Cremeans, of the Ironton City Mission, told the group. “We are glad we can do this outside and offer up prayer for our country.”

Cremeans is the vice president of the Ironton Ministerial Association that sponsored the event that was being observed nationwide, including in services in Washington, D.C.

There were seven centers of influence for which Cremeans, Dr. Wayne Young of First Methodist Church of Ironton, and Jim Cremeans and Leon Dalton, also of the city mission, offered up prayers — government, church, military, family, education, the media and business.

“As we read our history, you were active in the formation of our government,” Young said in his prayer. “We pray our leaders might again seek your wisdom. The challenges of the 21st century are far beyond what we thought they would be. Bring to our nation, peace, brotherhood, spiritual renewal.”

Jim Cremeans gave thanks that the United States is a country that allows freedom of worship.

“That our country gives us the liberty to come together to pray,” he said. “May we be united in Jesus Christ.”

Dalton asked for blessings for all who serve in the military.

“And those who have given the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

When Young offered prayers again it was for families, for whom God has given an example, “when home is a place of security and love,” he said. “In our modern world families have come under challenges. We believe families are the building blocks of society, as families weaken so does society.”

Jeff Cremeans noted with the removal of Bible reading and the Ten Commandments in the country’s school system, violence in schools has escalated.

“(We pray) not to leave you out of the curriculum,” he said.

National Day of Prayer was begun in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman. In 1988 it was declared the day would always be the first Thursday of May. in Washington, D.C.

There were seven centers of influence for which Cremeans, Dr. Wayne Young of First Methodist Church of Ironton, and Jim Cremeans and Leon Dalton, also of the city mission, offered up prayers — government, church, military, family, education, the media and business.

“As we read our history, you were active in the formation of our government,” Young said in his prayer. “We pray our leaders might again seek your wisdom. The challenges of the 21st century are far beyond what we thought they would be. Bring to our nation, peace, brotherhood, spiritual renewal.”

Jim Cremeans gave thanks that the United States is a country that allows freedom of worship.

“That our country gives us the liberty to come together to pray,” he said. “May we be united in Jesus Christ.”

Dalton asked for blessings for all who serve in the military.

“And those who have given the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

When Young offered prayers again, it was for families, for whom God has given an example, “when home is a place of security and love,” he said. “In our modern world families have come under challenges. We believe families are the building blocks of society, as families weaken so does society.”

Jeff Cremeans noted with the removal of Bible reading and the Ten Commandments in the country’s school system, violence in schools has escalated.

“(We pray) not to leave you out of the curriculum,” he said.

National Day of Prayer was begun in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman. In 1988 it was declared the day would always be the first Thursday of May.