Written by Gabrielle Pack, Intern with The Messenger

Instead of the usual Sunday morning worship service, Park Memorial United Methodist Church will host a Prayer for America service on Feb. 3.

This will be the first patriotic service the church has ever conducted, and organizers said it will be a time to pray for the well being of America, the country’s leaders and constant hardships around the world. The hour-long service will be held during the church’s regular 11 a.m. morning worship.

The service took at patriotic turn when Edith Synco, Park Memorial Chancel Choir director, said as she was picking out the choir songs she read a quote from Benjamin Franklin that inspired her.

The quote remembered a time where America’s need of prayer was necessary and raised the question, has America forgotten who to turn to in a time of need.

Synco said that after she read the quote, she was sold and wanted to put the new theme into action.

“Never in my lifetime have I ever felt America needed more prayer,” Synco said.

Initially, the service would’ve been held on July 4th, but Synco along with Rev. Danny Arnold, a minister at the Park Memorial Church, agreed the service did not need to wait until then.

There will congregational songs performed by the choir, Beth Chandler and Larry Jarrell will be the soloists, and Arnold will center his sermon on the theme for the special service.

Synco said the church does have a nursery for children and the service is open to the community.