by John Gessner
Thisweek Newspapers

Sharon Auldrich felt the power of prayer in her darkest hour.

Prayers said Thursday -- the 2006 National Day of Prayer -- were of a different sort, as thousands of Minnesotans gathered to invoke divine support for the institutions of government and society.

Auldrich was at the Capitol for a Day of Prayer rally with Gov. Tim Pawlenty and other dignitaries. But the Burnsville resident's devotion to the annual observance could be felt from Rochester to Ely.

Auldrich is in her fourth year as state coordinator of Day of Prayer events. Under her watch, some two dozen official prayer gatherings were held Thursday across Minnesota.

"Those are only the ones we know about,î she said, "but there are likely hundreds we don't know about.î

Prayer was always important to Auldrich, who was raised on a South Dakota farm and baptized a Lutheran.

She married husband Norman at 19. The couple moved to Burnsville in 1968 and joined St. James Lutheran Church.

"I liked National Day of Prayer before I really realized what it was,î Auldrich, 61, said Tuesday. "I would go to the Capitol 20 years ago and just enjoy it.î

Norman's death from cancer 10 years ago followed a tense year of increasingly dismal prognoses.

Auldrich said prayers were her salvation -- not only her own, but other people's prayers for the Auldrich family.

"It makes no sense. You should feel very frustrated about everything,î Auldrich said, recalling that trying year. "But I felt peace, total peace. And I knew he was dying and I would have to go on without him, and I loved him very much -- we were married 31 years. But there is something about the spirit of God coming and comforting you.î

During that time Auldrich switched from St. James to Faith Covenant Church, which she said offered deeper study of prayer.

"The value of prayer just became so very real to me, and I wanted other people to know that so much,î she said.

After Norman died, Auldrich began organizing local Day of Prayer events. An annual observance at Burnsville's Civic Center Park amphitheater got strong backing from Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, who was soon inviting neighboring mayors to what became a south-of-the-river event.

Auldrich's work was rewarded with a personal call from an aide to Shirley Dobson, chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, who asked her to fill Minnesota's vacant coordinator position.

"It's a full-time job you don't get paid for,î Auldrich said. "But that's OK, because I needed something to come into my life.î

The mother of three and grandmother lacked the necessary computer skills, but got help from Julie Nybakken of Apple Valley, a former Faith Covenant employee who remains the state task force's Webmaster.

"She gets paid the same amount I do, by the way,î Auldrich said. "She's key. There's no possible way we would have what we have in Minnesota without her doing what she's doing.î

Every president since Washington has declared a day of prayer, Auldrich said. A 1952 act of Congress established the National Day of Prayer. During the Reagan administration, Congress designated the first Thursday in May, allowing public officials to plan their calendars around it, Auldrich said.

Every governor marks the day with a proclamation.

"Some put a lot of thought into it,î Auldrich said. "Some are, ëWell, it's the National Day of Prayer.' Ours has put a lot of thought into it. It's a beautiful proclamation.î

This year's Capitol observance included prayers for families, education, the military, business, the church and the judicial branch.

"This prayer is absolutely nonpartisan -- absolutely no issues,î Auldrich said. "When you pray about education, you limit it to that.î

It's a Judeo-Christian observance, and people of other faiths who ask about participating are encouraged to set aside their own day of prayer, Auldrich said.

The Minnesota Atheists group booked rally time inside the Capitol to coincide with Thursday's rally outside, Auldrich noted.

"I had to laugh,î she said. "I said, ëGod, you bring them the power with their lungs to curse you.' ... Whatever they do is going to be nullified by what God's doing outside. Because God has been invited to be on the steps of the state Capitol, and he will be there.î

John Gessner is at burnsville.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.

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