Garrison Chaplain Lt. Col. Charles Lahmon speaks at the community prayer breakfast held Thursday at the Davidson Center in Huntsville.

For the second year, the Huntsville Committee of 100 and Leadership Greater Huntsville hosted the Huntsville, Madison and Madison County Prayer Breakfast. Redstone Arsenal leaders along with faith and civic leaders gathered Thursday morning at the Davidson Center for a collective prayer moment.

Garrison Chaplain Lt. Col. Charles Lahmon provided an opening prayer and led participants in the Pledge of Allegiance during the program. About 470 people attended.

“This is my second year participating in this event,” Lahmon said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to pray together – for our local, state and national leaders and our first responders. Also others around our city, nation, and the world. For me, the National Day of Prayer is a reminder of how important it is for a community to come together to pray for others. It’s good to mark occasions to recenter ourselves on prayer. It has the potential to help us create a lifestyle of prayer. I’ve really enjoyed being a part of this.”

Days of prayer in the U.S. have been called for since 1775 when the Continental Congress set aside a time for prayer in forming a new nation.

The practice of U.S. presidents calling for the nation to pray, fast, reflect on humility and give thanks dates back to 1798. Every president since 1952 has signed a National Day of Prayer proclamation after President Harry S. Truman signed a bill into law that year establishing the observance.

The law was amended in 1988 to designate the first Thursday in May as the annual ob National Day of Prayer.

Religious leaders throughout the community participated as guest speakers in the local event.

“I’m honored to be here today to speak to you about the importance of prayer; and to pray for you and with you,” Rev. Oscar Montgomery, pastor of the Union Hill Primitive Baptist Church in Huntsville, said. “It’s important for us to come together to pray because prayer changes things. Our prayers can impact our community, our nation and our world. Prayer isn’t just about our asking God to help or bless us, but includes taking time to listen to what God is saying back to us. I wish I had time to tell you how prayer has changed my life. Oh, you’re looking at a miracle. I’ll try to stay dignified while I’m speaking today, but I get ‘happy’ when I talk about the power of prayer. I’m passionate about prayer.”