Hundreds of people came together Thursday to pray for the community and the United States during a National Day of Prayer luncheon.

Held Thursday at Cumming First Baptist Church, the annual event invites people from all walks of life and denominations to join for an hour of prayer.

First Baptist volunteers and staff members each year prepare sack lunches for attendees. Thursday, participants gathered at tables, each with a different “prayer emphasis” or topic, to eat and get to know one another a bit before praying.

Among this year’s nearly 25 different prayer topics were: emergency responders and military personnel; religious and government leaders; youth; families; and business and media.

Bob Jolly, pastor of Cumming First Baptist, welcomed the crowd and spoke briefly about the importance of coming together in prayer for the nation.

While he has “lost track of the number of years” the church has held the lunch event, Jolly has come to “expect and appreciate several things.”

“First of all, I’ve come to expect lay people from every arena of Forsyth County to show up,” he said. “And let me tell you, I cannot say how much I am thankful, honored and humbled that you would come and share this time with us.”

Jolly said he’s also come to expect a “diversity of churches” at the lunch. “And it’s just heartwarming to look out and see brothers and sisters in Christ from different churches.”

Vicki Shanks and Jan Dismuke attended together. Like Jolly, both said it was heartwarming to see so many gather for a common cause.

“I think we need to do this more often as a group,” Shanks said. “I think if we would come collectively and give the Lord all the glory and honor, [we would realize] that is the only way we’re ever going to get our nation back.”

Added Dismuke: “We need to do this more often, we really do, and it was an honor to be a part of it.”