National Day of Prayer observed at 4th annual event in Ingleside

INGLESIDE – A National Day of Prayer event in Ingleside brought together community leaders from throughout Lake County.

Those involved in the May 4 event at CrossPoint Church in Ingleside joined groups gathered at locations throughout the nation to pray for communities, veterans and active military, businesses, governments, first responders, school leaders, families and others.

The National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress and signed into law by Harry S. Truman.

The Lake County nondenominational event began four years ago after Tanya Hill moved to Fox Lake.

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Shelly Pettibone, Tanya Hill, Eric and Anita Vandergraaf, all of Fox Lake, pray together for the Chain O' Lakes Thursday, May 4, 2023, during the Grant Township National Day of Prayer Gathering at CrossPoint Church in Ingleside. (Candace H. Johnson for Shaw Local)

“I just had a heart to bring the community together to pray,” said Hill, who has organized the annual event since 2019.

The pandemic prevented a 2020 event. Hill hosted National Prayer Days in Lake County in 2021 and 2022.

Hill sees it as a way to not only bring together people of all faiths, but to encourage one another. She called upon community leaders throughout Lake County to take part.

Many told stories of their faith as they read prayers designated for their specific groups.

“We pray our homes will be safe havens of friendship, kindness and compassion.”

“We pray that all who are involved [in education] will use their skills wisely and utilize their training and experience to connect with their students so that the students in their care are able to learn, grow and reach their maximum potential.”

“We pray for those men and women currently serving in harm’s way, who have with their military service sacrificed their time, strength, ambition, health and even their lives on this earth to benefit friends known and unknown.”

“Please be with the men and women in uniform, who serve our communities, our nation, and keep our neighborhoods and our families safe every single day.”

The event included time for people to pray in groups and make prayer requests.

“I think God values us praying, so for us to lift up our city, state and nation, that’s what we’re doing,” Hill said.

Asked to say a prayer for government, Nancy Rogers, an administrative assistant for Grant Township, joined the event for the first time this year.

An Ingleside native now living in Fox Lake, she ended up sharing her story of faith. Shortly after the death of her son, she was diagnosed with cancer.

“I was just one of many people that have to go through something like this,” she said. “I know that I’ve had support from the Lord. I’m not overly religious, but I know I’ve been blessed.”

She spoke of her family’s commitment to the community and giving back and said she wished more people of all faiths knew about the Lake County event.

“It was such a beautiful event. … Everyone had such a beautiful story to tell,” she said. “For everything going on in the world, we all need this. It was just very nice.”