For the 16th time in as many years, Deerfield Beach saw the dais turned into a pulpit Thursday, as city officials, residents and clergy gathered inside City Hall to mark National Day of Prayer.

As he has each of those years, World War II Veteran John Hearn, his voice still pure at age 86, accompanied himself on guitar and sang familiar hymns. As is now a city tradition, he led the group in singing I Stand before you and Amazing Grace.

“Hello fellow patriot!” called out one resident as Commissioner Joe Miller, resplendent in a flag-bedecked sports shirt, entered to lead the proceedings.

Then clergy representing nine denominations each offered a five-minute prayer for everything from family and friends to the nation and the community. Rev. Marta Rivera of Center Cristiano packed much into her five minutes: prayers for families and individuals who are desperately hunting for jobs, single moms, marriages, parents, kids trying to survive living most of the time in one place and every other weekend somewhere else ... ”

“There is a lot of hurt in this city,” she said, “but the good news is that you can teach these families not to give up on you ... there is nothing impossible for you ... Our world is a broken hurting world and healing can come only from you, God ... ”
Many of the 60 city employees, clergy and residents who gathered moved their lips adding silent prayers of their own.