(Submitted by the Wood County Commissioners)
The Wood County Commissioners passed a proclamation setting aside Friday as a day “for all people and all religions to unite in prayer, to lift up people from around the world who suffer from the virus, serve and treat people with the virus, and work to maintain the operation of businesses and governments during the crisis.”
The local organizers of the National Day of Prayer observation at the Wood County Courthouse had requested to use the courthouse grounds for the annual event on Friday. However, because of the pandemic, those plans were canceled.
This allowed the county commissioners to broaden the annual prayer observation to all religions.
Commissioners Doris Herringshaw, Craig LaHote and Ted Bowlus asked the local residents to show respect for the many religious traditions that make up the nation, and ask for spiritual guidance for the county, state, nation and world.
“Since April 1952, an annual day of prayer has been observed by the people of the United States, and has been a day during which people have united in prayer and meditation,” the proclamation stated.
“The current global pandemic caused by the coronavirus or COVID-19 has brought about numerous negative effects to nearly every aspect of human life on earth, and presents a time when prayer is needed more than ever,” it continued.
