SANDPOINT — The sun — and the Spirit — were shining as area residents gathered for the community's 20th National Day of Prayer celebration Thursday at Farmin Park.

"Twenty years ago, a handful of us wrapped ourselves around the flag pole in front of the Bonner County Courthouse with an acoustic guitar and a couple of people gathered together to call on the God of heaven and earth to charge our nation and move in the hearts and minds of believers that revival would come to our nation," said Pastor Chris Bassett of Hidden Valley Worship Center and member of Pray 7B which organizes the annual event.

Established by Congress in 1952, the annual observance is held the first Thursday in May to encourage all Americans to exercise their religious freedom by gathering publicly to worship and pray.

In Sandpoint, roughly a half-dozen area pastors welcomed more than 100 people gathered to celebrate their faith and pray for the community — and nation's — leaders in all aspects of life, from government, families and business to the military and education.

Area residents were also invited to join the Moms in Prayer group to pray for students, schools and education or to participate in the Adopt a Cop program to pray for a member of one of the community law enforcement agencies.

The event's theme centers around Romans 15:13 — "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" — which emphasizes the link between peace, joy and hope.

"The Lord is our rock, our truth and our certainty," Bassett said. "God of hope, we pour out our praises and are filled with your powerful presence. We pour out repentance of sin and are filled with forgiveness and righteousness. We pour out pain from the attacks of the enemy, anxiousness, fear, anger and you fill us with courage, assurance and love. We pour out our needs, the desires of our hearts, and are filled with your kingdom, provision and purpose."

Will Bush, leader of the local youth movement, Revival in Our Time, said he is excited by a revival among the community's youth in bringing God's word to their peers. That spirit and joy can be seen in the youth — and will be on full display when the 2026 National Day of Prayer becomes a youth-led service and highlights the youths' belief in transforming the region.

"There is a revival going on in our time," Bush told those gathered. "It's a revival in Sandpoint. This generation is a generation who is going to bring the kingdom of God in fuller course than we've ever seen and it's going to happen through unity in the church and in us as the church, empowering a generation to pursue God."

Eric Rust of Cedar Hills Church prayed for the community's families, noting all families are in the heart of God's love.

"It takes two pages in the Bible before families are introduced. They matter a lot to God," Rust said. "It took three pages for us to screw it up and the rest of the Bible is God's story of bringing us back to himself."

Rust used his time to note the bond that all families share despite differences in how they may look or whether they are families of blood or chosen families.

"Sometimes we say that blood is thicker than water, but in your kingdom, water is thicker than blood, we are washed in the water of your spirit, and there's a bond that we have together so that none of us stand alone," Rust said in his prayer. "So we thank you that we get to share family with one another."

Jerry Favor of Victory Church prayed for local businesses, noting the challenges faced by many in the current climate. Many are struggling, especially small businesses due to the current uncertainty. The businesses are the lifeblood of the community and he prayed for blessings for the businesses, their owners and their employees.

"I just pray that you give prosperity to them, you help them to hold on and continue on, and that you would just bless them and help our businesses, big or small, that they would operate with honor and integrity and honesty," Favor said.

Kyle Bostock of North Summit prayed for local governmental officials, drawing parallels with the Lord's Prayer. He asked for direction for those serving in all levels of government and asked that their decisions be guided with wisdom and clarity.

"Protect our leaders from the snares of corruption and greed and fear, deliver them from the lies and deceptions that abound," Bostock said.

Will Godsin of the Church of God led the prayer for the nation's military, asking for God to protect them and offer guidance and protection to service members and their families.

"Lord, we are truly grateful for them, and God, I just pray that you would fill them with your spirit, keep them safe, let them do what they need to do, but ultimately bring them safely back right here," he said.

Scott Acklin of New Fire Ministries prayed for the education system, asking for God's intervention to lead a revival among educators and students. He asked those gathered to pray for educators "who feel like they're up against the wall" and give them "courage and strength" to speak the love and life that is in them through God.

Justin Gardner, pastor of River of Life, offered prayers for those in the arts, entertainment and media industries, noting their role in transforming culture. He asked for God's spirit to transform Hollywood and the media industry as a whole.

"We just declare a greater level of Your Holy Spirit upon it, Father, that it would transform not just this generation, not just a nation, but transform the world, because we live in a time where information is so easily passed from when that one end of the planet to the next," Gardner said.

In wrapping up the prayers, Bassett emphasized the importance of unity among the church despite the occasional difference in interpretation or doctrine.

"There's a point where we will have distinctive differences as churches, styles of worship, specific, maybe distinctive, doctrines. Maybe we slightly disagree on or interpretations of scriptures where we're like, 'Oh, I see it differently.' But can we believe that Jesus is Lord? Can we believe in the infallible word of God?" Bassett said, prompting applause and cheers.

    More than 100 people gathered for the community's National Day of Prayer celebration at Farmin Park.
  

    Will Bush, leader of the local youth movement, Revival in Our Time, raises his arms in praise at Thursday's National Day of Prayer celebration in Sandpoint.
  

    Pastor Eric Rust of Cedar Hills Church takes part in Thursday's National Day of Prayer celebration.
  

    Pastor Chris Bassett is surrounded by fellow pastors laying their hands on in support as he prays for the unity of churches at Thursday's National Day of Prayer celebration in Sandpoint.