The prayer service portion of the Bladen County Troop Support Prayer Service and Care Package Drive, will be held at the Bladen Community College Auditorium on Sunday, September 12, at 3 p.m. The service will provide local residents a collective opportunity to pray for troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families.

The theme of the service is "Lest We Forget." It is being sponsored by the Bladen County Commissioners in conjunction with the Bladen Ministerial Association.

The two-prong effort is designed to show the members of the armed services from Bladen serving in the two countries that the folks back home care about them and keep them in their thoughts and prayers, said County Commissioner Greg Taylor, who led the effort to organize it. It is also to show support to the families of the servicemen and servicewomen.

"We are going to record the prayer service on CDs and include a copy of the CD in the care packages we are gathering to send to our troops serving in the two countries," said Taylor.

Donations will also be accepted at the service for items to be included in the care packages, which are scheduled to be sent to the troops in early November. All items for the packages must be turned in by October 1 so the packages can be prepared for shipment.

Taylor asks that all churches urge their members to come out and participate in this show of support.

"It's the least we can do," he said.

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