A DAY OF PRAYER FOR OUR SCHOOLS was conceived by members of the Kiwanis Club of Lebanon, TN during the summer of 1999, after the murder of several students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO, caused Americans across the nation to become concerned for the safety of their children at school.  Sadly, the tragedy at Columbine High School was not the last example of violence in an American school. 

 

The first observance of A DAY OF PRAYER FOR OUR SCHOOLS was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Lebanon, TN on August 14, 1999.  The project has repeated each year since on the day before the start of each new school year.  The 25th annual observance will be held on July 28, 2024 as students return to class the following week. 

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This project seeks to unite the entire community in prayer for the safety of our children by encouraging all churches and places of worship to dedicate a portion of their worship service that day to special prayers seeking God’s help in keeping our children safe at school.

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The first two Objects of Kiwanis are “To give primacy to the human and spiritual rather than the material values of life” and “To promote the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships.”  It is doubtful that the perpetrators of the instances of violence we have read about gave any thought to these two values.  

 

We have no greater blessing from God than the gift of our children.  Kiwanis members believe that the safety of our children at school should be a very high priority. We think that seeking God’s help in assuring a peaceful and safe school year is a good thing to do and we are asking the entire community to join us in this effort.

 

Kiwanians believe that the solutions to many of the problems existing in our society are spiritual in nature, rather than political.  New laws and more metal detectors in our schools will not change the way people treat each other.  That is why we believe A DAY OF PRAYER FOR OUR SCHOOLS is so important for our community.  We can think of no better thing to do while seeking a safe school environment than to ask God to help.

 

More information concerning A DAY OF PRAYER FOR OUR SCHOOLS is available from any member of the Kiwanis Club of Lebanon or Mt. Juliet.