FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 04/28/2008

BC President To Speak At National Prayer Day Observance

BRIDGEWATER, Va. — Bridgewater College President Phillip C. Stone will deliver the keynote address at Harrisonburg's First Presbyterian Church on Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m., in observance of the National Day of Prayer. The event is free and open to the public.

The topic of Stone's address is "Prayer: America's Strength and Shield," based on Psalm 28:7. First Presbyterian Church is located at 17 N. Court Square.

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. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress and was signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Although its purpose is to organize and promote prayer observances conforming to a Judeo-Christian system of values, other religious and philosophical views are encouraged to organize and participate in activities that are consistent with their own beliefs.

Bridgewater College, a private, four-year liberal arts college, enrolls more than 1,500 students. Founded in 1880 and located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, it was the state's first private, coeducational senior college.

#####