In a new âWashington update,â the conservative Family Research Council is claiming that Gov. Rick Scott will declare Aug. 6 a day of prayer, following in the footsteps of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is putting on a massive âprayer and fastingâ event being held at a Houston stadium that same day.
Known as âThe Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis,â the Perry event is being cohosted by the American Family Association, according to Mother Jones. In a statement, Perry declared Aug. 6 âA Day of Prayer and Fasting for Our Nationâ:
Given the trials that have beset our country and world â from the global economic downturn to natural disasters, the lingering danger of terrorism and wars that endanger our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and theaters of conflict around the globe, and the decline of our culture in the context of the demise of families â it seems imperative that the people of our nation should once again join together for a solemn day of prayer and fasting on behalf of our troubled nation.
In times of trouble, even those who have been granted power by the people must turn to God in humility for wisdom, mercy and direction. In the spirit of the Book of Joel, Chapter 2, Verses 15-16, I urge a solemn gathering of prayer and fasting. As those verses admonish: â15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly⊠16 Gather the people, consecrate the assemblyâŠâ As Jesus prayed publicly for the benefit of others in John 11:41-42, so should we express our faith in this way.
According to our sister site, The Texas Independent, Perry reached out to his fellow governors to participate:
The head of the Republican Governors Association, Perry also wrote directly to governors in 49 other states, asking them to seek spiritual solutions to challenges faced in the community, state and nation by coming to the event. âWe simply want to humbly ask our Creator to intervene on behalf of our people and our nation, and ask for His blessing and healing power to transform our lives,â he wrote. Perry also encouraged other governors to issue similar proclamations in their own states.
That list of governors Perry contacted included Floridaâs Rick Scott, who has often cited Perry and Texas as models of governance. And according to the Family Research Council, Scott will soon be declaring a day of prayer of his own:
Perry extended a special invitation to the other 49 governors to join him in Houston. Already, Gov. Sam Brownback (R-Kans.) is on board, and three othersâGovs. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Nikki Haley (R-S.C.) and Christine Gregoire (D-Wash.)âare following up with days of prayer in their own states. FRC will help get the prayers rolling during our third annual Call 2 Fall on July 3. You can help give Texas a head-start on their summer event by logging on to our website and joining the 759,000 people already signed up to ask Godâs blessing on our land during the July 4th weekend. [Emphasis added.]
A Perry spokesperson gave the same information to Fox News.
Update:
Scottâs press secretary, Lane Wright, says that the governor has in fact not decided to declare Aug. 6 a day of prayer in Florida, and that he has not yet decided whether to attend Perryâs Houston event. âGov. Scott hasnât even set his schedule for August yet,â Wright says, âso he has not confirmed with Gov. Perry.â
Update II:
Scratch that: On May 23, in response to Perryâs invite, Scott did sign a proclamation âextend[ing] greetings and best wishes to all observing August 6, 2011 as a Day of Prayer for Our nation,â stopping short of actually declaring a day of prayer. âI encourage all citizens to pray so we may receive God-given direction, strength and wisdom, and ask that God bestow his blessing on our lives, our state, and our nation,â Scott wrote. Wright says the earlier denial was a mistake.
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