The Villages Daily Sun

THE VILLAGES — The 184 guests of the annual Community Prayer Breakfast at La Hacienda Center Tuesday were entertained by the angelic voices of The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake chorus, followed by an inspiring speech by the Rev. Michael Fordham and a moving rendition of the Lord’s Prayer by Villager Reno Pietrantoni.

The Kiwanis Club of Lady Lake hosted the event and expressed gratitude to area pastors and their assistants for their faithful work. The Rev. Roger Miller of St. George Episcopal Church gave the invocation, and Judge Marvin Jasper of the New Jewish Congregation led the benediction.

As pastor of Community United Methodist Church of Fruitland Park, Fordham served as the speaker and praised the Kiwanis Club for hosting the prayer breakfast for 15 consecutive years.

“Prayer is something that is private, and not something as public as it should be,” he said. “Prayer is one single ingredient, more than anything else, that can make a difference in our nation. ... It can make all the difference in a community, in our county, our state, our country and the world if people of God everywhere would begin to become people in prayer.”

He said prayers can be said anywhere — even on the golf course or while playing pickleball.

“It can be very, very simple. Simply going to God and talking to him,” Fordham said. “Share your strengths and weaknesses. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.”

Fordham shared that God appreciates humor, too, as he revealed one man’s prayer:

“Dear God, so far today I have done everything right. I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper. I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty or over-indulgent. I’m very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, I’m going to be getting out of bed.”

The crowd chuckled.

“And from then on, I am going to need a lot more help,” Fordham said finishing the man’s morning prayer.

“Now that is a powerful prayer,” the pastor said.

Fordham stressed it’s important to trust in the Lord.

“Let God be God,” he said. “Allow him to lead and direct, to control and to run with our lives. ... Have faith and trust God in prayer. ... He will never let us down, and he will always be there to catch us, no matter how difficult circumstances may be.”

Margaret Stokes, John Cornell and Gerry Matt were among those in the crowd moved by the event.

“This was wonderful, and I think everybody needs prayer in their lives,” Stokes said.

“It was a very, very nice event. There is no question about that,” Cornell said, adding he was impressed by the speakers. “It was very well done.”

“Prayer is so necessary in our lives and we really need to emphasize it more,” Matt said. “And just as Pastor Ford said, over the years we’ve kept prayer so private and really need to talk about it openly.”

Tuesday’s event was part of the Kiwanis National Prayer Week observance.

Theresa Campbell is a senior features writer with the Daily Sun. She can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9260, or theresa.campbell@thevillagesmedia.com.