TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

National Day of Prayer, observed the first Thursday in May, will be celebrated as usual with an interdenominational service at noon at the Liberty Bell downtown.

But also this year, a group of about 30 churches is having its own three-day Day of Prayer celebration that is primarily Christian.

Some religious leaders say the Christian emphasis of the longer celebration flouts the spirit of the national observation — signed into law by President Harry S Truman in 1952 — to bring all Americans together to pray for the country.

“I don’t feel like we’re excluding anybody. This is an opportunity for the body of Christ to come together,” said local coordinator Samantha Levy, wife of the pastor of In Him Praise and Worship Center.

“The National Day of Prayer is actually all about the Lord. So we’re representing the Christian community — just like the Sikhs represent the Sikhs. ... It’s just like if the Irish people came out to celebrate being Irish.”

Rabbi Cheryl Rosenstein of Temple Beth El said, “It’s interesting, if they’re broadening the scope so much, that they haven’t called me.

“I think the National Day of Prayer, if it was ever inclusive — which I’m not sure it ever was entirely — has morphed into something else.”

She said the local Jewish community has not participated in National Day of Prayer observances in recent years.

Bakersfield City Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan, who supports Levy’s efforts, said, “I think that many times people are too quick to be offended. And I think it’s a matter that, when there’s a group planning something, we either participate or do not participate ... It’s certainly not intended to be offensive to anyone.”

According to the Web site, www.bakersfieldchristianparade.com , which opens with an invitation from Levy, some of her group’s local activities include:

• The formation of a human cross around noon today at Stockdale Highway and California Avenue. Levy said the event will not stop traffic. She said she has hired a helicopter to take aerial shots of participants joining hands to form the cross and the event will include “repentance for the sins of our city.”

• On Friday, Levy’s group will hold communion at a small ceremony at the Liberty Bell. The participation of “pastors, leaders (and) mature believers” is encouraged.

• On Saturday, a Christian parade themed “Bible Stories Come to Life” is scheduled to follow the same route as the well-established Christmas Parade downtown according to Lt. Gary Moore of the Bakersfield Police Department’s Traffic Section.

“We have about 24 or 25 Bible stories coming to life,” Levy said. Most of them will be on floats — like the “In God We Trust” floats that will be at the head and rear of the parade, she said.

The rear float will be representing In God We Trust—America, Inc., a nonprofit founded by Councilwoman Sullivan in 2002.

The one at the front is by Youth Explosion and Tabitha House and will feature two youths dressed as presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln kneeling before a cross, a giant penny with the “In God We Trust” motto and an angel hovering above, according to organizer Flor Hull. Other youths will be dressed in military camouflage gear to symbolize that they are “soldiers for Christ,” Hull said.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE OFFENDED

Kay Takhar is the owner of a 7-Eleven store near the “human cross” corner of Stockdale and California. She is a Sikh but said she is not offended by the Christian nature of the local celebration.

“No matter to me,” Takhar said. “Whatever people have to do they have to do.”

The Rev. Chuck Cournyea of Unity Church of Bakersfield voiced the harshest criticism of the three days of Christian-based events, saying the day of prayer is being “hijacked” and turned into “a community altar call.”

“You’re going to profess your love for Jesus. You’re going to create a human cross. And then you’re going to take communion and be washed in the blood and then pray for the sins of this city,” he said.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

“You could argue that the whole concept of the national day of prayer flies in the face of the separation of church and state,” Rabbi Rosenstein said.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a watchdog organization that works to preserve religious liberties under the Constitution, agrees with that assessment, according to Kern County chapter president Jeannie Parent.

“When President Bush makes proclamations that we pray on this particular day it gets kind of murky,” she said. “That is the business of a religious leader, not a government official.”

She said she doesn’t have a problem with churches or private citizens such as those Levy has organized, as the practice of their religion is their prerogative. “As long as the government officials stay out of it, it’s not an issue at all,” Parent said.

Americans United points out that a private “Religious Right” nonprofit called the National Day of Prayer Task Force has, in recent years, taken over the coordination and promotion of day of prayer events. There is a link to that task force’s Web site, www.ndptf.org on Levy’s Web site.