Arkansans pray with Obama, colleagues at annual breakfast

WASHINGTON -- Members of the Arkansas congressional delegation joined President Barack Obama on Thursday to pray for the nation and celebrate its religious heritage.

More than 3,000 people participated in the 64th annual National Prayer Breakfast, held yearly at the Washington Hilton.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., who is working with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to organize next year's event, sat at the same table as the president and first lady Michelle Obama, joined by Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry and others.

Standing beside Kaine, Boozman told the crowd that the Senate's weekly prayer breakfast group "has been meeting longer than either of us have been alive and ... it's going to be going on a long time after we're gone."

The Rogers resident said the format is simple: "We meet, we pray, we have personal prayer requests. Someone shares their testimony or spiritual thought."

Prayer and fellowship, focusing on the teachings of Jesus. "That's how you change hearts. That's how you change the world," Boozman said.

Thursday's service was bipartisan. House Speaker Paul Ryan made a few comments. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi read Scripture. Julian Castro, secretary of Housing and Urban Development, delivered a "Prayer for the Unity of the Country and the Needs of the Poor."

The president spoke for nearly a half-hour, focusing on the words of 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Listing some of the things that create anxiety -- terrorism, technological change, economic uncertainty and armed conflict -- Obama said: "Fear can feed our most selfish impulses, and erode the bonds of community. It is a primal emotion -- fear -- one that we all experience. And it can be contagious, spreading through societies, and through nations. And if we let it consume us, the consequences of that fear can be worse than any outward threat."

He insisted Christianity provides an antidote for angst.

"For me, and I know for so many of you, faith is the great cure for fear. Jesus is a good cure for fear. God gives believers the power, the love, the sound mind required to conquer any fear," Obama said. "And what more important moment for that faith than right now? What better time than these changing, tumultuous times to have Jesus standing beside us, steadying our minds, cleansing our hearts, pointing us towards what matters."

Obama stressed the importance of protecting the religious freedom of all Americans and emphasized charity and kindness.

"I pray that our leaders will always act with humility and generosity. I pray that my failings are forgiven. I pray that we will uphold our obligation to be good stewards of God's creation -- this beautiful planet. I pray that we will see every single child as our own, each worthy of our love and of our compassion. And I pray we answer Scripture's call to lift up the vulnerable, and to stand up for justice, and ensure that every human being lives in dignity," he said.

Afterward, Boozman said it would be hard to surpass the quality of this year's event.

"Of course it's always good, but I think this year, it was exceptional," he said.

Roughly 20 senators participate in the periodic prayer gatherings, which end with a show of unity. "Believe it or not, everybody holds hands and says a prayer. There's Democrats and Republicans. It's a very bipartisan group that comes together every week."

Several Arkansans were on hand for Thursday's event, including Monsignor Francis Malone, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church in west Little Rock. He was the guest of U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.

Malone said he was impressed by the international flavor of the event. He sat by Arkansans, plus guests from Finland, Israel and elsewhere.

"I thought it was an extraordinary ... It could not have been better," Malone said.

Wesley Hilliard, pastor of Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren, also attended and said the breakfast had been "remarkable."

Hilliard, invited by U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., said he was impressed that the prayer breakfast draws people from around the world and has a global impact.

He was encouraged by the bipartisan nature of the program.

"Though they sit on different sides of the aisle and have different political views, they are united in their spiritual lives and can pray together and forgive each other ... and work towards unity and important things for government."

A Section on 02/05/2016

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