A handful of people temporarily gave up social distancing on Friday to attend a prayer event to lift up first responders. As first responders have continued to be in harm’s way as a result of the pandemic and with the recent loss of a San Marcos police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty, Cleveland Fire Chaplain Lance Blackwell thought the timing for the prayer event was appropriate.
The pandemic also has caused uncertainty for this year’s National Day of Prayer, an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May. In normal scenarios, prayers would be offered for the first responders at the National Day of Prayer event in Cleveland and the Liberty County Courthouse.
Cleveland firefighters and Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy Willie Davie stood outside of Cleveland Historical Museum while members of local churches took turns saying prayers of protection over them.
Cleveland Police Department was unable to attend because all officers were tied up with calls for help at the time.
