100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
Rev. Frank Sossamon with South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Sossamon announced that while necessary changes will be made for the sake of safety during the COVID-19 situation, the 69th Annual National Day of Prayer is still scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2020, and will be honored locally.
Instead of larger crowds physically meeting in spots around Vance County, as has been the norm in previous years, community leaders will meet at designated locations.
Their prayers and conversation will be broadcast to the public in two separate services on WIZS 1450 AM, 100.1 FM, or by clicking “Listen Live” at www.wizs.com.
The afternoon service will begin at 12 p.m. and the evening service will start at 7 p.m.
This year’s theme is “Pray God’s Glory Across the Earth,” and Sossamon encouraged all churches to help spread the word of the prayer rally to the congregations.
“It’s one of the few times the entire community is called upon to pray together, and even to pray publicly,” Sossamon stated. “I think the public aspect of prayer is very important and powerful. We didn’t want to let this go just because we couldn’t physically gather this year.”
The schedule for the 12 p.m. service on May 7 is as follows:
- Maria Parham Health – Rev. Frank Sossamon and MPH CEO Bert Beard
- City Hall – Rev. Rhonda Pulley and Mayor Eddie Ellington
- ACTS – Rev. Dr. Ron Cava and Lee Anne Peoples
- Vance County Courthouse – Rev. Joseph Ratliff and guest
The 7 p.m. service includes music and a study of the “seven mountains of prayer,” including church, family, education, government, business, military and media.
The schedule for the 7 p.m. service on May 7 is as follows:
Welcome, Statement of Purpose and Opening Prayer
Music
Seven Mountains of Prayer #1 – Church
Comments – Rev. Dora Dorsey, Retired Pastor
Prayer – Rev. Bobby Fletcher, Pastor of First Methodist Church
Seven Mountains of Prayer #2 – Family
Comments – Denita DeVega, Director of Vance County Social Services
Prayer – Goldie Davis, Income Maintenance Administrator, Vance County Social Services
Seven Mountains of Prayer #3 – Education
Comments – Dr. Anthony Jackson, Superintendent, Vance County Schools
Prayer – Dr. Trixie Brooks, Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction – VCS
Seven Mountains of Prayer #4 – Government
Comments – Jordan McMillen, Vance County Manager
Prayer – Gordon Wilder, Chairman of Vance County Board of Commissioners
Seven Mountains of Prayer #5 – Business
Comments – Michele Burgess, Director of Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce
Prayer – Michele Burgess or guest
Seven Mountains of Prayer #6 – Military
Comments – Archie B. Taylor, Retired Military
Prayer – Archie B. Taylor or guest
Music
Seven Mountains of Prayer # 7 – Media
Comments – Nancy Wykle, Publisher/Editor of The Daily Dispatch
Prayer – John Charles Rose, Owner/Operator of WIZS AM Radio
While the day of prayer has been led by the clergy in the past, Sossamon said he and other members of the Vance County Ministers Community Partnership, the group responsible for planning the annual prayer day, thought it would be more poignant this year to include community leaders.
“We discussed it and thought ‘why don’t we actually take people from those areas of the community and let them speak to us about their area and have a prayer?’ People will want to tune in to WIZS and listen. I think it will educate and inspire you, and you’ll certainly benefit from the evening,” Sossamon commented.
In addition to tuning in, Sossamon said he encourages families to honor the spirit of the day by “getting in their car and driving to these seven mountains to pray. Drive to a business or a building, park in the parking lot and pray for the institution and those who work there.”
To hear the interview with Sossamon in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.