Enid will observe the National Day of Prayer noon to 12:30 a.m. May 6, in spite of a federal court ruling by a Wisconsin judge stating the observance is unconstitutional. The observance will be at Garfield County Court House Gazebo.
The Rev. Terry Glaze, pastor of Living Word Fellowship and president of Enid Ministerial Alliance, said speakers currently are being determined. Representatives of education, business and Vance Air Force Base will be invited, he said.
The federal court ruling has no bearing on Enid’s observance, he said. Glaze, an Enid native, has pastored Living Word Fellowship for six years and served as president of the ministerial alliance the past two.
Mayor John Criner said he supports the observance and thinks it is valuable.
“We have a prayer before every council meeting. I’m definitely in favor of it. I think it’s time to put prayer back in our society. Lord knows we have enough to pray for,” Criner said.
Glaze said “generally speaking” Enid is a Christian community that leans toward the traditional. However, there is a resurgence of people asking how they can be progressive — making it is more about what is in their heart than what they wear.
“It’s more like we’re based on serving God from the heart and serving each other. People are leaning more toward that ... those who worship him in spirit and in truth,” he said.
Criner said Oklahoma seems to be one of the few states with what he called “common sense.” He said he is proud to live in a culture that values things like church, school, the military and people helping people.
“It’s part of our culture. You see young people helping old people and Eagle Scouts doing things for the community. I think that is an asset that is undervalued in Oklahoma. Our belief in God and belief in our neighbors and our cities ... We sacrifice money so we can build schools. I hope we never lose that,” Criner said.