Barbara DeBlanc, left, and Melissa Gonsoulin lift hands in prayer as local ministers pray for the country Thursday at New Iberia’s National Day of Prayer at CIty Hall. 

The sun blazed down as one of the few strong winds of the day blew the American flag centered at the top of the steps of New Iberia’s City Hall. The gospel hymn “Breathe On Us” rang through the courtyard as an eclectic group of worshipers gathered and paused for the city’s National Day of Prayer. 

“We pray for a great awakening,” the Rev Zack Mitchell said to the crowd. 

Approximately 80 people made up of residents, city officials and staff, business persons, lawyers, judges and of course clergy gave reverence to the power of prayer. Ministers took turns praying for areas of concern in our nation and local government that included businesses, military, education, media, family, church and government.

“We thank you God for the family of New Iberia, the family of Iberia parish, we’re not a family of separatism but of unity,” Bishop Jeffery Archangel of Believers Family Worship Center said during his prayer. 

A Prayer for Unity was the national theme of the day, based on the scripture Ephesians 4:3. 

It was a theme well embraced locally among those who attended.

“I’m most definitely inspired. It’s so awesome to see everyone unified. It’s awesome to see persons of different races and different nationalities unite here,” New Iberia resident Sharon Worick said.

“I’m tremendously blessed I needed that prayer today,” she said.

Hands were lifted and some eyes were closed as each minister declared the power of God over society’s ills. Mitchell called for special prayers for the city’s first responders, area businesses and those in law and government as well as people who were suffering from any illness.

Mitchell’s closing remarks called for people to search their hearts concerning racial prejudice.

“God is calling for all barriers to be torn down,” Mitchell said. “Search your hearts and I guarantee you are sinning against God if you are prejudice against someone.

“You may be a black person thinking, ‘Rev. Mitchell, this doesn’t apply to me, there are no white people in my neighborhood’ or you may be a white person thinking ‘there are no blacks that live around me,’ but this is a matter of the heart,” Mitchell said.

Those leaving the one-hour service said the theme of the day hit home.

“I thought this was so awesome,” Community Outreach Director for Chez Hope Sharon Russo said. “I’ve been to many days of prayers but none were like this. Unity is the theme and you can feel it taking place.”

The noon day prayer at City Hall was one of several events that took place around New Iberia for the National Day of Prayer.