A day to upraise all faiths
Twelve representatives of differing religions met Thursday to share individual expressions of belief and break bread together in Abilene for the National Day of Prayer.
This was the 18th annual observance by Abilene Interfaith Council, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote "communication, understanding and peace among people of different faiths" in the Big Country.
The noon program at The Center for Contemporary Arts ranged from eloquent Baha'i prayers to a simple minute of silence for contemplation of the natural world in the Humanist tradition.
Traditional Christian prayers were offered by followers of Catholic, Episcopalian and Orthodox Christian teachings, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Hindu, Buddhism and Protestant beliefs.
Chaplains from Dyess Air Force Base and Hendrick Medical Center prayed, with the final offering coming from Native American traditions.
The event closed with the group breaking bread together with challa proved by Gay Beitscher of Abilene's Jewish Temple Mizpah.
Ronald Erdrich is the photojournalist and a columnist for the Abilene Reporter-News. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: A day to upraise all faiths
