John Davies, left, and Dean Wilson delivered the keynote address and invocation respectively at the annual Santa Barbara Community Prayer Breakfast.
More than 350 community and business leaders participated Thursday morning in the 62nd Annual Santa Barbara Community Prayer Breakfast.
The sold-out affair was the first public event hosted by the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort since March 2020.
The keynote speaker — John Davies, CEO of Davies Public Affairs — addressed the topic, “Why We Pray.” He shared personal experiences, Biblical promises and insights about communicating with God, according to a news release.
The annual Prayer Breakfast, presented by the Christian Business Men’s Connection, wasn’t held last year due to the pandemic, but saw its most successful year on Thursday, according to the news release. There were 35 sponsored tables, led by Armand Hammer Foundation, Master’s University Seminary, Family Baptist Carpinteria Church and John and Nina Davies.
Debbie Denke played the piano. Dean Wilson, from The Turner Foundation and “Good Life TV,” gave the invocation prayer for the community and nation, while Santa Barbara Police Chaplain Mike McGrew provided the closing prayer.
Tom Reed of Unity Shoppe was the master of ceremonies at the event, which honored the late Santa Barbara Mayor Hal Conklin.
Reed Spangler and Andrew Tricerri, both from MacFarlane, Faletti & Co., acted as event co-chairs. They recalled a time, just a few months ago, when the committee considered skipping the event again this year.
“We looked everyone eye-to-eye and decided now, perhaps more than ever, is the time to come together as a community for intentional prayer,” Mr. Spangler said. “We had to persevere through many unknowns and trust God with the plans. We were all encouraged when several sponsors, like Jordano’s, responded immediately to our first email announcement with commitments to support the prayer breakfast.”
The annual event began in 1959 in Santa Barbara and was based on the National Prayer Breakfast, formerly called the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, which has been attended by every American president since Dwight D. Eisenhower. It often featured the Rev. Billy Graham.
To learn more about the Christian CBMC-Santa Barbara chapter, contact Director Phil Gulley at pegulley@pegulley.com or 805-569-2607.
email: dmason@newspress.com
