SCR 153

May 5, 2026

The Honorable Shannon Grove
California State Senate
1021 O Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Senator Grove:

On behalf of the California Family Council, I write to express strong support for SCR 153, introduced by Senator Grove, which designates May 7, 2026, as the National Day of Prayer. This resolution honors a tradition as old as the republic itself, and we are grateful the Legislature is taking this step to formally recognize it.

From the nation's earliest days, America's leaders understood that free government is sustained not by power alone but by reliance on God. The Continental Congress called for days of prayer and fasting throughout the Revolutionary War. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of Prayer and Fasting in 1863, acknowledging that the nation had "forgotten God" and calling Americans to return to Him in humility. The formal National Day of Prayer was established by Congress in 1952 and fixed to the first Thursday of May by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

President Reagan understood, perhaps better than any modern leader, that prayer is not merely a private comfort but a public necessity. In his 1983 proclamation of the National Day of Prayer, he declared: "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." That conviction shaped his presidency and his vision for America. Reagan called prayer the most powerful force available to a free people, and he was right.

California's own history reflects this same tradition. The state's founding was shaped by Christian missionaries who built a network of missions along El Camino Real, establishing communities of faith that preceded statehood by more than a generation. California's Constitution, adopted in 1849, opened with a grateful acknowledgment of God's blessings. Governors throughout the state's history have called Californians to prayer in times of drought, disaster, and division. The tradition of seeking God's guidance for public life is woven into the fabric of this state, not imposed on it.

This year, the California Family Council is honored to host a National Day of Prayer gathering on the West Steps of the Capitol on May 7th. In the days preceding this event, CFC staff visited every legislative office in the Capitol to personally ask members and their staff for prayer requests. On May 7, we will lift those requests before God on the steps of this building, trusting that He hears and answers prayer. We invite members of the Legislature and the public to join us. More information is available at californiafamily.org/2026-national-day-of-prayer.

SCR 153 sends a clear and needed message: California's faith communities are not a relic of the past. They are active, engaged, and vital to the health of this state. Prayer is not an escape from the challenges California faces. It is the foundation from which we face them with courage, wisdom, and compassion.

We urge the Legislature to pass SCR 153 without delay. We are grateful for Senator Grove's leadership in bringing this resolution forward and for every member willing to stand with California's faith communities on this historic day.

Respectfully,

Greg Burt
Vice President
California Family Council