Lawmakers sounding call for prayer

Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico, and Rep. Bert Jones, R-Rockingham, are urging colleagues to sign a proclamation calling on people to "pray for America."

Posted 12:50 a.m. Apr 21, 2015 — Updated 2:47 a.m. Apr 21, 2015

Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico, and 10 other legislative colleagues are rounding up signatures for a "call to prayer for America" from fellow lawmakers, hoping to start a national movement.

"I don't think there's ever been a time in our nation's history when we have had to face some of the problems and situations we face today," Sanderson told his colleagues Monday night. "Whether it's from threats from outside our nation, and yes, even threats inside of our nation, our nation is at a critical time in its history, and I think that it is a very opportune time to call our nation to prayer to pray for wisdom that we make the right decision."

Sanderson said the idea came from a March 7 religious liberty summit held in Charlotte under the auspices of the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation.

"The consensus among those in attendance was that people of faith can no longer sit idly by and watch as our nation's history and Judeo-Christian heritage are being re-written with a false narrative," according to a handout that Sanderson passed out to his colleagues. The formal resolution says that those in Charlotte "realized the need for America to turn back to God and prayer."

Rep. Bert Jones, R-Rockingham, handed the same material out and made a similar announcement in the state House. Members of the legislature's prayer caucus will be gathering signatures all week, the men said.

Asked what issue he thought should be the focus of the prayer, Sanderson said there were several.

"One of the greatest threats facing our nation right now is our level of debt," he said. "I don't know you could list all the things our nation is facing right now. There's just many."

This would not be an official resolution. Rather it would be a call from state and national leaders that Sanderson said he hoped would be taken to the people by preachers throughout the state and nation.

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