National Day of Prayer events planned in St. Joseph

The theme is 'AWAKEN Southwest Michigan' with prayer gatherings on May 7 and 8.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:00am

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Preparations are underway for this year's National Day of Prayer events in St. Joseph, Michigan. The theme is 'AWAKEN Southwest Michigan,' and there will be prayer events on May 7 and 8 at the John and Dede Howard Ice Arena. Among the speakers are Pastor James Atterberry of Brotherhood of All Nations in Benton Harbor and Pastor Mark Johnson of Elkhart Life Church in Elkhart, Indiana.

Why it matters

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. The St. Joseph events aim to bring together a diverse community to transcend divisiveness and honor God through worship and testimony.

The details

The prayer events on May 7 and 8 will both be held at 6 p.m. at the John and Dede Howard Ice Arena. In addition, there will be a prayer breakfast at 9 a.m. on May 7 at New Hope Community Church in Watervliet. Special guests include Berrien County Sheriff Chuck Heit, St. Joseph Department of Public Safety Director Steve Neubecker, and numerous other community leaders.

  • The National Day of Prayer is held annually on the first Thursday of May.
  • The St. Joseph prayer events will take place on May 7 and 8, 2026.
  • The prayer breakfast will be held at 9 a.m. on May 7, 2026.

The players

Pastor James Atterberry

The pastor of Brotherhood of All Nations in Benton Harbor, Michigan, who will be speaking at the National Day of Prayer events in St. Joseph.

Pastor Mark Johnson

The pastor of Elkhart Life Church in Elkhart, Indiana, who will be the keynote speaker at the May 8 prayer event in St. Joseph.

Chuck Heit

The Berrien County Sheriff, who will be a special guest at the National Day of Prayer events in St. Joseph.

Steve Neubecker

The St. Joseph Department of Public Safety Director, who will be a special guest at the National Day of Prayer events in St. Joseph.

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What they’re saying

“There's a song that we sing that only God can do it. We come together as believers in worship and in prayer, the powerful testimonies, and coming from all backgrounds and denominations, we can conquer anything.”

— Pastor James Atterberry, Pastor, Brotherhood of All Nations

“We've got a variety of cultures, a variety of faiths, church organizations gathering together. So it really is the melting pot of America joining together to honor God together and lift up His name.”

— Pastor Mark Johnson, Pastor, Elkhart Life Church

What’s next

Organizers are hoping for hundreds of attendees at the National Day of Prayer events in St. Joseph on May 7 and 8.

The takeaway

The National Day of Prayer events in St. Joseph aim to bring together a diverse community to transcend divisiveness, honor God, and promote unity through worship, prayer, and testimony.