The ninth annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast was a sold out event as members of the faith community came together to pray for the the well-being of the community and its representatives.
Prayers were said to benefit all areas of the community. Members of the community came forward to offer their prayers for Sylvan Lake including: the youth, the churches and leaders, social issues plaguing the town particularly those facing families, for health care and medical professionals, the business community, the education system including schools and teachers, first responders, the judicial system and peace officers.
Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Sylvan Lake said a prayer for the elected officials of Sylvan Lake, the Mayor and Council. She included in her prayer all elected officials in the surrounding communities, the province and federally.
“Thank you,” said Mayor Sean McIntyre who spoke at the event as Guest of Honour. “You are brave people to pray in public, and to pray for us, and your Town, it means a lot.”
McIntyre came to the podium to speak after viewing the “God of the City”, video which showed what has happened in Sylvan Lake in the past year as well as accolades for the Town and its administration. As he spoke to the crowd, McIntyre was quite emotional, not hiding his tears as he came up to speak.
He said he is grateful and thankful he is to not only live and work in Sylvan Lake, but to be able to represent the community.
“Every year I come and talk about how grateful I am, and for the grace that all of you have. Not just… for us in leadership, but also the grace you have for me…” said McIntyre.
McIntyre went on to thank those gathered for prayer for Sylvan Lake, and its officials, both at the event and in private.
While the event was aimed toward the Sylvan Lake community, the prayer breakfast recognized neighbouring communities as well as the province as a whole.
Also present for the event were special guests: Mayor of Lacombe County Paula Law, Mayor of Eckville Helen Posti, Mayor of Bentley Greg Rathjen, MLA Don MacIntyre and MP Blaine Calkins.
The event was rounded out by a presentation by guest speaker Stephen Wuori.
Wuori, currently the Chair of the Sylvan Lake Ministerial Association and a pastor at the Sylvan Lake Apostolic Lutheran Church, spoke to the gathered crowd about his experience working at Enbridge and how his faith in God led him through trying moment of his life.
Through family tragedy and difficult experiences at work, like a large oil spill in 2010, Wuori said he kept his faith and found “God’s faithfulness is truly unbreakable.”
megan.roth@sylvanlakenews.com
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