About 500 attend National Day of Prayer rally in Coeur d'Alene
People raise their arms during the National Day of Prayer rally in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.
BILL BULEY/Press
Two youth hold signs during the National Day of Prayer rally in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.
Jonathan Zepeda sits at the base of a soldier statue at McEuen Park’s Veteran Memorial Plaza during a National Day of Prayer rally on Thursday.
Paul Creighton bows in prayer during the National Day of Prayer in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.
Pastor Tim Remington looks up during the National Day of Prayer in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.
Pastors Jonathan Owens and Steve Hemming share a moment together at the National Day of Prayer in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.
COEUR d’ALENE — Jonathan Zepeda sat alone at the base of a soldier statue at McEuen Park’s Veteran Memorial Plaza, listening to pastors offer up prayers Thursday.
What brought him there, he said, was hope.
“Hope and unity,” Zepeda added.
Nearby, Lee Books bowed his head while sitting quietly on his bike during the 73rd annual National Day of Prayer.
He wanted to be there, he said, to honor the Lord.
“There’s been a change in my life and he’s the answer to making change in all of our lives,” Books said.
About 500 people turned out for an hour of prayer and praise on a sunny and warm afternoon. They stood in the plaza and scattered out, sitting on steps, green grass and chairs. Some passersby stopped and listened. Others moved on.
Pastors led prayers for elected leaders, first responders, educators and national repentance.
Put on by the Kootenai County Ministerial Association, the theme of the gathering was “Lift Up The Word, Light Up The World.”
The crowd responded with clasped hands, raised arms and eyes turned to the heavens and shouts of “Amen.”
“God, we give you praise today and we say thank you,” said Pastor Paul Van Noy of Candlelight Christian Fellowship.
Pastor John Padula of Set Apart Ministries prayed for Kootenai County residents.
“We need a revival and it needs to start with us,” he said.
Pastor Jonathan Owens of Heart of the City Church prayed for the restoration to biblical foundations.
“The root problem of our nation is that we have forgotten God,” he said.
Paul Creighton participated in the National Day of Prayer “because of where the nation is.”
“Only God can deal with this situation,” added his wife, Gerti Creighton.
Two youth hold signs during the National Day of Prayer rally in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday. 
Jonathan Zepeda sits at the base of a soldier statue at McEuen Park’s Veteran Memorial Plaza during a National Day of Prayer rally on Thursday. 
Paul Creighton bows in prayer during the National Day of Prayer in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday. 
Pastor Tim Remington looks up during the National Day of Prayer in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday. 
Pastors Jonathan Owens and Steve Hemming share a moment together at the National Day of Prayer in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.