The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 2, 2013.

This year’s theme is: “PRAY FOR AMERICA”

AMERICANS are called TO UNITE AND PRAY ON THURSDAY, MAY 2ND FOR THE 62ND ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Tehachapi will be celebrating with the following events:

• 27th Annual Prayer Breakfast @ 6:45 am – St. Malachy’s McMullen Hall – 407 East E Street – Tehachapi, CA  93561. The Knights of Columbus will be serving breakfast.  (Tickets are $8 and are available from any Kiwanis Members, from Pacinos, Witts, or Apple Shed – contact Don Bowman at 822-5516 or donbowman@att.net for more information)
• Noon Prayer Rally @ City Hall
• Community Church Service @ 7:00 pm – Nazarene Church

The Annual National Day of Prayer is the First Thursday of May

This year that means May 3,  2012.  This is the 61st National Day of Prayer celebration and the theme this year is “Blessed is the Nation Who’s God is the Lord”  (Psalm 33:12)

Local Tehachapi events include:

Prayer Breakfast

Sponsored by Kiwanis of Tehachapi @ Christian Life Assembly 920 W. Valley Blvd., Tehachapi, CA @ 7:00am to 8:30am . (more information below)

Noon Prayer Rally

12:00 – 1:30pm at 115 South Robinson Street in front of City Hall.  Local pastors will be praying for our churches, military, families, schools, media, businesses, and our government.

Community Wide Church Service

7:00 – 8:30pm at Christian Life Assembly 920 W. Valley Blvd., Tehachapi, CA .

Chaplain Captain David Sarmiento, Wing Chaplain of the 163^rd Reconnaissance Wing, California Air National Guard, March Air Reserve Base, will speak at the Thurs., May 3 community Prayer Breakfast, the first of three Tehachapi events scheduled on the annual National Day of Prayer.

Sarmiento’s full-time base job, under the direction of the Wing Commander, includes support of personnel attached to the Predator drone program.

“We are lucky to get him,” said Chuck Stowell of the Kiwanis Club of Tehachapi, which sponsors the Prayer Breakfast. “He’s one of just three full-time National Guard chaplains in California and he has a tough job.”

“It’s my honor to come to Tehachapi,” Sarmiento said.

Chaplain Sarmiento advises squadron commanders on moral, ethical and spiritual issues affecting unit members and counsels those returning from and departing for deployment.

As Wing Chaplain, he provides pastoral care through worship services, counseling and visitation of unit members and their families.

Endorsed by the Assemblies of God, Sarmiento was ordained into civilian ministry in 2002. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

Chaplain Sarmiento began his military career as an enlisted Airman in June of 1995, assigned to the 261^st Combat Communication Squadron, California Air National Guard in Van Nuys. He entered the Chaplain Candidate Program and the same year attended Commissioned Office Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

The breakfast will be held at a new location this year – the Christian Life Assembly, 920 West Valley Blvd. The program begins at 7 a.m. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased from any Kiwanis member, at the Apple Shed Restaurant, 333 East Tehachapi Blvd., at the door the morning of the breakfast or call Prayer Breakfast Committee Chairman Don Bowman at 661-822-5516.

The other events of May 3 are a noon prayer rally in front of City Hall, 115 South Robinson St., and a community church service at Christian Life Assembly, 7 p.m.

A privately funded organization, the National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Its mission emphasizes prayer for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, military, media, business, education, church and family.

The 2011 observance of the National Day of Prayer will take place on Thursday, May, 5, 2011.   

Last Year’s Schedule of Events in Tehachapi

Prayer Breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tehachapi

Where:  St. Malachy’s Church – 407 West E Street, Tehachapi, California

When:  7:00 am

Cost: $8 per person

Noon Prayer Rally (12:00 – 1:30 pm)

Where:  Steps of City Hall – 115 S. Robinson Street, Tehachapi, California

Evening Rally

Guest Speaker – Our own Senior Pastor, Andy Walker

When:  7:00 – 8:00 pm

Where:  First Baptist Church – 1049 South Curry Street, Tehachapi, California

Pray for the nation.  We need a revival of prayer.  We place a high priority on prayer because the battle in which we are engaged is spiritual in nature.  This is why the committee for the National Day of Prayer in Tehachapi encourages you to participate in the National Day of Prayer events in Tehachapi.  It is imperative that God’s people come together to pray for our nation.  The critical challenges facing America, call for Christians to come together in perservering intercession, not only on the National Day of Prayer, but throughout the year.