Day of Group Prayers, Personal Blessings

As charismatic and evangelical Christian churches around the county prepare to mark the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, a small group of people has mobilized to offer individual prayers for those who request them.

Prayer teams will be on hand at noon Thursday at the Ventura County Government Center, the site of one of the county’s largest Prayer Day gatherings.

Members of the team were chosen by event organizer Fawn Parish as people who love to pray.

Parish, who has organized the Government Center event for five years, also leads concerts of prayer, during which people join together once a month to pray at places where they want to see changes.

For example, she said, her group has prayed to rid areas of drug dealers and prostitutes.

This is the second year the group has offered the free prayer service. Last year, about half a dozen people took them up on their offer.

While “any person can get to God,” the Bible teaches that there is strength in numbers, said South Coast Fellowship Pastor John Huffman, a Prayer Day participant and past organizer.

During past Prayer Day programs, participants have prayed for less violence in cities and more unity among churches in the area, and both prayers were answered, he said.

Some who come pray in loud voices, some softly, some hold hands, some don’t, and some choose to sit and meditate during the event, Huffman noted.

One of the prayers he was most impressed with in years past was offered by Atara McCrae of St. Paul’s Baptist of Oxnard, who is now 12 and who will be praying again this year, he said.

Others who will participate in the program and are invited to join the prayer team after the event are Christy Goezer, South Coast Fellowship of Ventura; Pastor Leonard DeWitt, Missionary Church of Ventura; Pastor Cliff Howery, Grace Southern Baptist Church of Ventura; Calvern Green, South Coast Fellowship; Ron Uzua, Word of Life Church of Oxnard; Geoff and Michelle Cohen, College Heights Baptist Church of Ventura; Associate Pastor Charles Doolittle, Jubilee Church of Camarillo; and Associate Pastor Tim Logerquist, Gold Coast Baptist Region.

When people come up after the program and ask for assistance with personal prayer needs, those on the prayer team will be gracious no matter what the request and will try to word the prayer in an effective way.

If someone asks to know the winning lottery numbers, for instance, “the prayer team member might ask that God will meet your needs,” Huffman said. “No one will be criticized, but we will pray for what God will answer.”

Last year, prayer team member Joy Breeze was approached by Elizabeth Tellez, who was in need of a personal prayer.

As a result of that encounter, the two women have become close friends. Tellez has joined Breeze’s church and attends a weekly Bible study with her.

“When I was asked to be a part of the prayer team, I didn’t feel qualified,” Breeze said. “It was a humble experience. [But] I have always had a love of God and believe in Jesus Christ as my savior, so I was open to do it to honor God.”

Tellez feels her prayer was answered, and she got the added blessing of making a good friend, she said.

Other National Prayer Day events Thursday in the county:

* Those who were involved in the rescue effort of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 will be honored at the 27th annual National Day of Prayer Community Breakfast at the Clarion Ventura Beach Hotel.

On hand will be Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks and John F. Kelly of Seattle, chairman and CEO of Alaska Airlines.

A video memorial presentation prepared by the Sheriff’s Department will be shown.

Also speaking will be John D. Morris, president of the Institute for Creation Research in El Cajon, and Ventura County school board trustee Ron Matthews, who recently made a motion to explore adding creationism to the science curriculum.

The event, which is open to the public, is sponsored by the Salvation Army’s Ventura Corps. Tickets may be obtained from Chairman Jerry Nordskog by calling 639-2226.

The cost is $15 per person, and more than 500 people are expected to attend.

Doors will open at 6:15 a.m. with music and coffee. Breakfast begins at 7 a.m., and the meeting will be over by 9:15 a.m.

* The second annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast of Simi Valley will be held at the Grand Vista Hotel in Simi Valley at 7 a.m.

The featured speaker will be Keith Phillips of World Impact Ministries, which sends missionaries into cities.

The meeting is sponsored by Pray for Simi Valley, a group of evangelical pastors.

The mayor is a guest at the breakfast, not the host.

More than 200 people are expected to attend the breakfast. The cost is $15 per person. For reservations, call 581-0938.

* Conejo Valley Pastors Prayer Fellowship will sponsor a gathering at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza park outside City Hall at noon.

About 500 people are expected to attend, including members from about 40 participating churches.

The Prayer Fellowship exists to inspire prayer among Christian pastors of the Conejo Valley.

* The 27th Ventura County Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast sponsored by the Oxnard/Port Hueneme Salvation Army will be held at 7 a.m. at the Radisson Hotel in Oxnard. Coffee will be served at 6:30 a.m.

Paul Petersen, president and founder of Minor Consideration, will speak. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1990 to address the problems of former child celebrities.

Petersen, who played Jeff Stone on the “Donna Reed Show,” has served on the California Governor’s Committee for the Disabled, the Young Performers Committee at the Screen Actors Guild and is a national board member of the American Foundation for Drug Prevention and the National Drug Prevention League.

The featured soloist will be Tricia Davis of Thousand Oaks. Her accompanist will be Nancy Angel.

The cost is $15, and reservations are required by Tuesday. For reservations, call 983-2199.