DAY OF PRAYER SOOTHES, DISTURBS; GEORGIA STUDENTS TRAVEL TO D.C. FOR SCRIPTURE READING
Written by Bob Dart

Washington --- It wasn't like being in the lion's den, but Courtney Weaver admitted to being "a little" nervous Wednesday on Capitol Hill as she read from the Bible's Book of Daniel on the eve of the National Day of Prayer.

Despite any jitters, "It was a privilege to give the word to our nation," said the 17-year-old junior from Philadelphia Christian School in Conyers.

About 20 high school juniors from the school were among hundreds of people from around the world who joined in a 90-hour Bible-reading marathon.

Beginning with the first verse of Genesis, they planned to conclude with the last passage in Revelation about noon today.

At 9:15 a.m., President Bush is expected to give remarks from the White House for the National Day of Prayer.

Later, Christian author Henry Blackaby, this year's honorary chairman, will address hundreds of federal officials, and Grammy-winning gospel singer Rebecca St. James will perform the event's theme song, "America, Honor God."

This day, set aside by Congress in 1952, "gives our nation a time to reflect on what really matters and on what our nation was founded upon," said 17-year-old Jaron Collins, also of Conyers, who was among the Bible marathoners.

Reading Scripture into a microphone with the Capitol dome looming behind her "was very special," said Sarah Stapp, 17, of Stone Mountain.

"It was like we were talking to the whole country."

"It was a cool experience," agreed Trevor Sancho, 16, also of Stone Mountain. The opportunity was a "blessing," he said, adding that he "tried hard not to mess up any of the big words."

"It allowed the word of God to go out in the atmosphere," said Douglas Green, a hazardous waste truck driver from Gainesville, Fla., who came with other members of the Monteocha New Life Christian Church. "And it allowed the spirit of the word to reach the hearts of people."

In Washington, he said, "They need the Holy Spirit."

However, others rejected what they saw as a collusion of church and state.

"Our elected officials aren't being true to their oath of office when they promote divisive political props like national prayer," said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association.

"Our secular government has no business calling on people to express their beliefs in one way over another."

Mel Lipman, the group's president, said, "Not only does the National Day of Prayer inappropriately promote belief over nonbelief, it sets an unnecessary standard for how religious people should behave."

He suggested substituting a "National Day of Reason."

But Shirley Dobson, chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer, said the traditional observance is needed.

"At a time when so many principles found in Scripture have been rejected by society, it's all the more vital that God's people stand firmly in defense of the precepts he's laid out in his word," said Dobson, the wife of James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family.

StaffSarah Stapp, 17, of Stone Mountain and Ryan Southard, 16, of Conyers, take turns Wednesday, the National Day of Prayer, during a Bible-reading marathon in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The president of the American Humanist Association suggested a "National Day of Reason" instead.