Several local ministers delivered messages about unity on the Court Square yesterday, as the Andalusia Ministerial Association held a National Day of Prayer event.

Ministerial Association President Leroy Cole used a guide on the National Day of Prayer website to figure out what the theme of the event should be and for whom they should pray.

“There were several different categories that covered almost everything under the sun,” Cole said. “So I started calling ministers in our association and see who could talk for the event.”

The ministers prayed for unity in the nation, churches, families, law enforcement and first responders, work places, communities and cities, unity among all ethnicities, and unity of a great spiritual awakening in the county.

“The theme for the event was unity,” Cole said. “Ephesians 4:3 challenges us to mobilize unified public prayer for America, ‘Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ ”

LaMorris Pryor preached on unity in families.

“I already thought about coming and about that time I got a call from [Leroy] Cole asking me to speak,” Pryor said. “I just want to thank God for the unity of our families. We are all God’s family and when we come together, we get strength.”

Resounding applause followed by screams of “amen” began through the crowd as Pryor raised his voice saying, “we need to get in our righteous place.”

Lena Boswell, another who spoke yesterday, is now retired and enjoying Jesus.

“He looked beyond my faults,” Boswell said. “And he saw my needs.”

Boswell prayed for the unity among all people in the country.

“I truly believe we are living in perilous times,” Boswell said. “The root of all evil is sin, and the only answer is Jesus. He will heal our land.”

Boswell said that God can make people whole and will bring all races together.

“I don’t believe that everything that is dead needs to be buried,” Boswell said. “But everything that is dead needs to be resurrected. So God give us help to speak sound words.”

The Rev. Mike Flowers from Southside Baptist Church preached on unity of a great spiritual awakening in the county.

“Before a spiritual awakening can happen at the court house, a spiritual awakening must happen in the church again,” Flowers said. “Before righteousness can happen in the country, righteousness must reign again in the pulpit.”

Flowers said that people must look at the impurities in their own hearts before looking at the impurities in someone else.

At the end of the ceremony, Cole gathered all the people in a big circle and started singing “Victory In Jesus,” an old gospel hymn.

“My dream is to one day get the entire Court Square filled with people praising Jesus,” Cole said. “Twenty-five years I have been doing this and it has never happened, but next year we will be here at the same spot, at the same time, and we will praise Jesus again.”