Four-Day Prayer, Bible Reading Marathon for a God-Blessed America
WASHINGTON – In less than two weeks, the 17th annual U. S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon will kick off a week of prayer for the nation and reading of God’s Word with thousands gathering over the course of four days.
For 90 continuous hours, the Bible will be read aloud from start to finish on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., before concluding on May 4 with a ceremony. During the marathon, prayer stations will be available for those wanting to ask for God’s continued blessing on the nation.
"There is excitement in the air in our nation's capital and we are looking for God to do great things,” commented the Rev. Dr. Corinthia Boone, Coordinator of the 1990 Marathon. “We are experiencing the urgency of prayer for our nation. God has told us: If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face [read My Word] . . . then I will . . . heal their land (II Chronicles 7:14).”
The Bible Reading Marathon was established in 1990 by Dr. John Hash, founder of the International Bible Reading Association, and coordinated by Boone, who currently serves as Chairman of the National Capitol Region National Day of Prayer.
Each year since then, believers have gathered on the steps of the nation's Capitol for the marathon leading up to the National Day of Prayer. Many of the Bible Reading Marathons have been held in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer observances around our nation, which take place on the first Thursday of May.
"I believe God is using this vision singularly to call this nation back to the simplicity of God's Holy Word, the Bible,” commented the Rev. Michael Hall, Pastor of The Peoples' Church and Executive Director of the International Bible Reading Association. “All of the participants – workers, organizations, churches, legislators, and clergy – come here for one reason alone, to honor the Bible, God's Word, by reading it without comment or interruption from beginning to end."
The ceremony to start the marathon will be held at 8:00 p.m. EDT and hosted by the Rev. Rob Schenck, founder of Faith and Action and president of the National Clergy Council.
The marathon concludes on with a ceremony at 12 noon, during which attendees will read the final two chapters of Revelation in unison.
The Capitol Region National Day of Prayer celebration will be held at the same site beginning at 5:00 p.m.
