Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Bentonville Prays
Community event expands to all day May 5
Not satisfied with a prayer breakfast — which comes with its own concerns during a pandemic — Kate Wilcox of Bentonville volunteered to turn the National Day of Prayer into something bigger in 2022. The result is Bentonville Prays, a day of events on May 5 that includes inspirational speakers; two community service projects, one collecting diapers and baby wipes for families in need and the other making quilts for the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter; and a children’s prayer chain that will reach across the community thanks to the work of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints volunteer.
“We wanted something that would include everyone who wanted to be included,” says Wilcox, “so we wanted to offer things morning, noon and evening. We really wanted children to be involved. And we really wanted to show people what can happen when a community comes together.
“There are so many people with good hearts who really want to serve the Lord and the community by serving others.”
The schedule of events includes:
6:30 a.m. — People are invited to begin to gather at First Baptist Church, 200 S.W. A St., for coffee and smoothies and a chance to visit. 7 a.m. — The Bentonville Prays Kickoff Event begins with featured speakers Sammy Laney, Lori Wood and Crystal Butcher.
Layne is the founder of the DEB Project, which honors her childhood friend Deborah and serves the foster care community in her memory. According to debproject.com, “from 2019 through today, the DEB Project has served 3,052 adults and children in our area with an astonishing 37,735 items given to Northwest Arkansas families. We’ve given items like clothing, shoes, food, hygiene products, blankets, beds, baby gear, camp scholarships, and the list goes on.
“This would not have been possible without our beloved donors that have assisted us over the years in helping these foster families,” Layne continues on the website. “Have you heard the saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’? Well, it could be said that it takes a community to raise a foster child. You see, its not only the children who need us, but the foster parents raising the amazing little people as well.”
Wood is the author of “Divine Detour,” writing and speaking about how a near death crisis with her heart led her into a closer relationship with God. (Read more about her at loriannwood.com.)
And Butcher leads the group Life Recovery at Word of Life in Bentonville, finding strength in God on the road to recovery from addiction.
“They are all remarkable women,” says Wilcox.
On display will be a children’s prayer chain created by Melanie McMurtrey of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wilcox says McMurtrey has gone church to church and door to door to make sure every child who wanted to had the opportunity to write his or her first name and their prayer on a link in the chain.
10-11 a.m. — Interfaith community service projects take place at the First United Methodist Church downtown.
Quilting frames will be set up so that participants can stop by and tie quilts, Wilcox says, no skill needed. And diapers and wipes will be collected for Second Street Pantry, a partner of the Diaper Collective of Northwest Arkansas.
Noon — Prayer on the Square invites everyone to “a time for specific prayer for family, church, business, education, military, government, and arts/entertainment,” says Wilcox.
5 p.m. — “Join us to walk in downtown Bentonville and pray for our community and nation,” says Wilcox, quoting Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Meet at 214 N.E. A St.
The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting the community to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Bentonville Prays is a community-led group that organizes events throughout the city in honor of the National Day of Prayer.