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National Day of Prayer: Five Coweta events planned Thursday
Times-Herald
Winston Skinner
Published: May 03, 2011
The National Day of Prayer will be Thursday, and several events are
planned in Coweta County.
A year ago, the day was observed as a lawsuit moved forward to abolish
the day. The Obama administration fought the suit, which was dismissed
last month.
At least five NDOP events are planned for Coweta County on Thursday. The
Newnan Kiwanis Club is sponsoring its annual Community Prayer Breakfast.
This year, the event will be held at 7:30 a.m. in the parish hall at
First United Methodist Church.
There is no charge for the breakfast.
R. William "Bill" Roland, a federal mediator, will be the speaker for
this year's breakfast. He will speak of his calling to bring parties to
reconciliation in his public role as a mediator with the 11th Circuit
Court of Appeals -- one level below the U.S. Supreme Court.
Roland will also share his journey from being a successful trial lawyer
in Florida for 30 years to becoming a federal mediator -- and how he
incorporates his personal private prayer life as he serves in his public
position.
Roland, who attained the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force, has been
a member of First Baptist Church in Roswell since 2002. He is an
ordained deacon.
He holds a bachelor of arts and juris doctor degrees from Florida State
University.
Roland and his wife, Janie, have been married since 1968. They have two
sons, John and Jason, and four grandchildren.
"I think our whole country needs to create more positives to wash away
the many negatives we are confronted with each day," said Kiwanian Blake
Lambert, who helps coordinate the breakfast program each year. "This day
of prayer is a good start."
Three events are planned for noon in various parts of the county. The
Newnan National Day of Prayer gathering will be held at the Greenville
Street Park from noon-1 p.m.
"Senoia is participating by gathering at the gazebo on Main Street,"
said Scott McInnis, pastor of WellSpring Church. "There will be a few
songs -- followed by area pastors leading prayers for various parts of
our community, government, military and nation."
At least four churches are participating in the noon program in Senoia.
Dwayne Cook of First Baptist Church in Grantville said the NDOP
observance there will be at noon at the flagpole in front of the Glanton
Building, which houses Grantville's city hall and senior center.
There also will be a National Day of Prayer service in the sanctuary at
First United Methodist Church of Newnan on Thursday at 7 p.m. Scripture
and music -- as well as prayer -- will be featured.
On April 19, the Coweta County Commissioners issued a proclamation
designating May 5 as a Day of Prayer in Coweta County. Commission
Chairman Rodney Brooks presented a copy of the proclamation to prayer
teams members Don and Jonnie Porter and Dave and Brenda Jessel.
A federal appeals court on April 14 threw out a ruling that the National
Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and ordered that a lawsuit challenging
Pres. Barack Obama's right to proclaim the day be dismissed. A
three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the
Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation did not have
standing to sue because while they disagree with the president's
proclamation, it has not caused them any harm.
"A feeling of alienation cannot suffice as injury," the appeals court
ruled.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled in April 2010 that the national
prayer day was unconstitutional because it amounts to a call for
religious action. Crabb said the government can no more enact laws
supporting a day of prayer than it can encourage citizens to fast during
Ramadan, attend a synagogue or practice magic. The president appealed.
The appeals court said in an opinion written by Chief Judge Frank
Easterbrook that while the National Day of Prayer proclamation speaks to
all citizens, no one is obliged to pray "any more than a person would be
obliged to hand over his money if the president asked all citizens to
support the Red Cross or other charities."
The proclamation is a request, not a demand, the appeals court said.
The American Center for Law and Justice -- representing 67 members of
Congress -- filed an amicus brief urging the appeals court to overturn
the lower court decision. "We're extremely pleased that the appeals
court rejected a flawed decision and determined that while some may
disagree with a presidential proclamation, they do not have the right to
silence the speech they don't agree with," said Jay Sekulow, ACLJ's
chief counsel.
"This decision represents a victory for our nation's heritage and
history -- protecting a long-standing tradition that's been a part of
our country for centuries," Sekulow added. Coweta County resident U.S.
Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, R, Ga. Third District-Grantville, was
among the members of Congress represented by the ACLJ.
Thursday's observance follows another National Day of Prayer -- called
by the National Council of Churches -- for Easter Sunday in honor of
Easter and in commemoration of genocide in Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
Times-Herald
Winston Skinner
Published: May 03, 2011
The National Day of Prayer will be Thursday, and several events are
planned in Coweta County.
A year ago, the day was observed as a lawsuit moved forward to abolish
the day. The Obama administration fought the suit, which was dismissed
last month.
At least five NDOP events are planned for Coweta County on Thursday. The
Newnan Kiwanis Club is sponsoring its annual Community Prayer Breakfast.
This year, the event will be held at 7:30 a.m. in the parish hall at
First United Methodist Church.
There is no charge for the breakfast.
R. William "Bill" Roland, a federal mediator, will be the speaker for
this year's breakfast. He will speak of his calling to bring parties to
reconciliation in his public role as a mediator with the 11th Circuit
Court of Appeals -- one level below the U.S. Supreme Court.
Roland will also share his journey from being a successful trial lawyer
in Florida for 30 years to becoming a federal mediator -- and how he
incorporates his personal private prayer life as he serves in his public
position.
Roland, who attained the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force, has been
a member of First Baptist Church in Roswell since 2002. He is an
ordained deacon.
He holds a bachelor of arts and juris doctor degrees from Florida State
University.
Roland and his wife, Janie, have been married since 1968. They have two
sons, John and Jason, and four grandchildren.
"I think our whole country needs to create more positives to wash away
the many negatives we are confronted with each day," said Kiwanian Blake
Lambert, who helps coordinate the breakfast program each year. "This day
of prayer is a good start."
Three events are planned for noon in various parts of the county. The
Newnan National Day of Prayer gathering will be held at the Greenville
Street Park from noon-1 p.m.
"Senoia is participating by gathering at the gazebo on Main Street,"
said Scott McInnis, pastor of WellSpring Church. "There will be a few
songs -- followed by area pastors leading prayers for various parts of
our community, government, military and nation."
At least four churches are participating in the noon program in Senoia.
Dwayne Cook of First Baptist Church in Grantville said the NDOP
observance there will be at noon at the flagpole in front of the Glanton
Building, which houses Grantville's city hall and senior center.
There also will be a National Day of Prayer service in the sanctuary at
First United Methodist Church of Newnan on Thursday at 7 p.m. Scripture
and music -- as well as prayer -- will be featured.
On April 19, the Coweta County Commissioners issued a proclamation
designating May 5 as a Day of Prayer in Coweta County. Commission
Chairman Rodney Brooks presented a copy of the proclamation to prayer
teams members Don and Jonnie Porter and Dave and Brenda Jessel.
A federal appeals court on April 14 threw out a ruling that the National
Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and ordered that a lawsuit challenging
Pres. Barack Obama's right to proclaim the day be dismissed. A
three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the
Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation did not have
standing to sue because while they disagree with the president's
proclamation, it has not caused them any harm.
"A feeling of alienation cannot suffice as injury," the appeals court
ruled.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled in April 2010 that the national
prayer day was unconstitutional because it amounts to a call for
religious action. Crabb said the government can no more enact laws
supporting a day of prayer than it can encourage citizens to fast during
Ramadan, attend a synagogue or practice magic. The president appealed.
The appeals court said in an opinion written by Chief Judge Frank
Easterbrook that while the National Day of Prayer proclamation speaks to
all citizens, no one is obliged to pray "any more than a person would be
obliged to hand over his money if the president asked all citizens to
support the Red Cross or other charities."
The proclamation is a request, not a demand, the appeals court said.
The American Center for Law and Justice -- representing 67 members of
Congress -- filed an amicus brief urging the appeals court to overturn
the lower court decision. "We're extremely pleased that the appeals
court rejected a flawed decision and determined that while some may
disagree with a presidential proclamation, they do not have the right to
silence the speech they don't agree with," said Jay Sekulow, ACLJ's
chief counsel.
"This decision represents a victory for our nation's heritage and
history -- protecting a long-standing tradition that's been a part of
our country for centuries," Sekulow added. Coweta County resident U.S.
Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, R, Ga. Third District-Grantville, was
among the members of Congress represented by the ACLJ.
Thursday's observance follows another National Day of Prayer -- called
by the National Council of Churches -- for Easter Sunday in honor of
Easter and in commemoration of genocide in Armenia.
From: A. Papazian