At the noon hour on Thursday, May 7, 2026, the sanctuary of Bethel A.M.E. Church became a sacred meeting ground for the West Volusia community as the West Volusia Branch of the NAACP led an Ecumenical Worship Experience in observance of the National Day of Prayer. Bishop William Bradley, First Vice President of the Branch, served as Worship Leader, calling clergy, laity, civic partners, and friends from across denominations to lift one voice on behalf of our nation and our neighbors.
Anchored in the 2026 national theme — “Glorify God Among the Nations, Seeking Him in All Generations” (1 Chronicles 16:24, NASB) — the service unfolded as a sustained chorus of prayer and song. Brother Joseph Pierce and Sister Olivia Pierce of St. Mary
A.M.E. Church, Osteen, and Sister Katrina Casminski, Bethel AMEC lifted the assembly in worship with “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “For Your Glory,” and “This Is the Day That the Lord Has Made,” weaving the prayers of the righteous together with the Lord’s Prayer offered in unison.
A Full House of Intercession
The Reverend Floyd Narcisse of the Religious Affairs Committee delivered the Invocation, after which Sister Bisi Gbadamosi read the appointed scripture from 1 Chronicles 16:15–24. Brother Mike Williams extended the Welcome, and Sister Jeannette Johnson set the tone for the gathering with the Occasion.
What followed was an extended season of prayer, with leaders from across the West Volusia community standing in the gap for every sphere of public and private life:
Prayers of the Righteous
The Military — Bishop Bradley stood in the gap and prayed
The Youth and Learning Institutions — Dr. Larry Correll-Hughes, Associate Vice President of Campus Life
The Community and Social Organizations — The Reverend Casey Riker, First Presbyterian Church, DeLand
The Economy — The Reverend Benjamin Smith, Retired AME Pastor, Mt. Zion AMEC, DeLeon Springs
Law Enforcement, Healthcare, and First Responders — Chaplain Mike Carroll, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
Elected and Appointed Government Officers and Workers — Pastor Danny Fuqua, Word and Praise Family Church, Daytona Beach
The Environment — Sister Milka Adams, Bethel A.M.E. Church, DeLand
The World and the Nations (Peace and Unity) — The Reverend Michael Bodger, First Presbyterian Church, DeLand
Churches and Places of Worship — Bishop Bradley stood in the gap and prayed the Incarcerated — Bishop Larry Chavers, St. James Baptist Church, Osteen
Widows, Widowers, and Orphans — Reverend Lester Davis, Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, New Smyrna Beach
The Disabled and Mental Health Awareness — Bishop Eugene Collier, New St. John Missionary Baptist Church
Safety in Social Media Use — Apostle Dr. April Johnson, Kingdom Royalty Life Fellowship
Housing and the Homeless — Brother Reginal Sparrow, Exhorter, Bethel A.M.E. Church
Between the prayers, the Pierces and Casminski returned again and again with selections that knit the congregation’s hearts together, reminding us that worship is the soil in which intercession takes root.
A Call to Stand Together
In her Closing Remarks, the Reverend Dr. Caroline Shine, President of the West Volusia Branch NAACP, thanked those who had gathered and turned the moment into an invitation. With characteristic warmth and resolve, she urged every person present to join and support the work of the West Volusia NAACP — “help a sister out,” she said — reminding us that the prayers we had just lifted are best answered by the work we are willing to do together. The Benediction was pronounced by The Reverend Reginald B. Johnson, Chair of the Branch’s Religious Affairs Committee and Pastor of the host church.
Bread Broken, Fellowship Sealed
Following the benediction, the prayer warriors and guests were welcomed to a meal lovingly prepared and served by the members of Bethel A.M.E. Church. The Branch leadership offered heartfelt thanks to the Bethel family for opening its doors and its tables, embodying the kind of hospitality that has long been a hallmark of the African Methodist Episcopal tradition.
“Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all peoples.” — 1 Chronicles 16:24 (NASB)
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Submitted in service to Christ and community, Reverend Reginald B. Johnson serves as Chair of the Religious Affairs Committee for the NAACP and is Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church.
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