SUMMERDALE, Ala. — Taking its theme from Nahum 1:7, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” about 115 came to the town’s Community Center to celebrate the National Day of Prayer May 6.

The “Day of Prayer” was established in 1952 by Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. A recent court decision has challenged the constitutionality of the day, but organizers decided to carry on with the celebration.

The Rev. David Johnson of Zion Lutheran Church in Silverhill added a prayer for the members of the judiciary, saying, “We are not the only people to be concerned about justice.”

The keynote speaker was David W. Wilson, chief of police in Foley.

“I agree that we have trying times now,” said Wilson. He noted that the founders of this country wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all people were “endowed by their Creator” with certain “unalienable” rights, and that the currency in this country had the motto, “In God We Trust.”

“That’s how we got started,” said Wilson. He added that “liberal groups” wished to change this.

Wilson added that we “hear of a lot of bad things,” such as “war and rumors of war,” bombings and attempted bombings and that we, “are not shocked to hear” of a school shooting.

The solution, Wilson said, was “to pray to God” for this country and the people in it.

Noting that America has played a dominant role in world affairs. Wilson said, “We haven’t always gotten it right, but many times we did.”

As Mayor David Wilson couldn’t be at the gathering, the crowd was greeted by Norma Wilson Giles, Mayor Pro-Tem. She recalled the first gathering, 19 years ago, when the group, “met under the oak trees near Town Hall.”

The prayers for church, education, business, the military, government, the family and the media were offered by Sue Joy, Bonnie Schell, Clyde Abrams, the Rev. Jake Brady, the Rev. Sankie Reed, Sue Leavins, and Johnson, respectively. Summerdale Chief of Police Dwain Riebeling gave the Pledge of Allegiance, and Ronnie Boyette offered an introductory prayer. The Scripture reading was given by the Rev. Bill Watts and Wilson was introduced by Sheriff Huey Mack.