Thursday a group of area residents gathered together at Alpena City Hall to participate in the National Day of Prayer.

Wouldn’t it be nice if that gathering, repeated thousands of times across the United States, would be the spark to start a healing process in our fragmented political culture?

Never can we remember such incivility and lack of respect toward our elected officials as what exists today in the nation. Thursday though we were reminded of what is like when people put aside their differences and gather together to call upon God for a common purpose. This year’s theme of “For Your Great Name’s Sake! Hear Us … Forgive Us … Heal Us” is based on scripture from Daniel 9:19.

Some will disagree with the need for such events, but we would contend there is nothing more important than prayer. At this time in our country, we can think of no better way to bring opposing sides together.

Doug Bliss delivered the main message at Alpena’s event Thursday. Ironically, he read much of a proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 establishing the National Day of Prayer. Had you not been listening carefully, you might easily have mistaken the proclamation as one from today.

We were encouraged Thursday and hopeful that respect and integrity might soon return to the political arena.