"Let's pray," 5-year-old Eliannah Boll said, forcefully and with conviction, as she stood on her tiptoes on a stool in front of nearly 12,000 people at Long's Park on Thursday night.

The Ephrata girl's prayer received a standing ovation from the large crowd gathered for the annual National Day of Prayer.

"We've never had a prayer leader so enthusiastically bring people to their feet," said Mike Sigman, director of Lancaster County's National Day of Prayer events.

This year for the first time all prayer leaders were county children and youths, he said.

Thursday afternoon also was the second time the local event held a children-and-families prayer experience.

The Rev. Douglas Enck, who chaired that portion of the day, said it went "very well," with 40 children plus their parents attending.

"It was neat to hear families praying for different needs, some of whom had lost jobs. Staff came alongside them and prayed for them," Enck said.

Dona Fisher, chair of Lancaster County's National Day of Prayer task force, said this year she has seen a "real undergirding time of prayer. Serious prayer — no fluff. It's all about praising God and praying. … It's a time to get rid of things that don't matter but a relationship with God, praying more and a stronger faith."

Lancaster resident Jack Crowley said he brought his wife and four children to be part of the National Day of Prayer at Long's Park again this year to experience the "sense of unity. We're all different denominations, but we're all together in Christ."

Crowley also participated in the community prayer gathering at Water Street Mission on Thursday morning.

"It was nice," he said. "The residents, staff and a handful of community members spent an hour in prayer for the city and country. We had a really good time together."

Neal Benedict of East Petersburg said he came to pray for the nation and community.

"It's an important part of making a difference," Benedict said. "It's great to gather with other congregations and do it as a collective group of believers."

Landisville resident Jim Deck and his family attended because "it's always a great event and great music." And women's Bible studies author Beth Moore was an attraction, too, his wife, Cindy, said.

"Prayer is really important to make a special day of it, but it should also be part of our lives every day," Deck said.

Moore, the 2009 honorary chairman of the local National Day of Prayer, told the crowd that Shirley Dobson often speaks about Lancaster and the large numbers of diverse people who gather here each year to pray.

"As you look around, it is the body of Christ — every denomination and every background," Moore said.

Moore, whose ministries are normally directed only to women, said she listened to the men in the crowd as they prayed.

"It was powerful to hear you pray," she told them. "It's a joy for me to serve your wives. But I want to say to you, there's no measuring God and the mark of God on future generations when men stand up and pray for their family."

Getting into her message, Moore said there were four things she wanted to tell them in these times of crisis.

Look at what God has already done, she said. "Look at his Word from Genesis to Revelation and think as wide and broad as you can and petition God to show his power," Moore said, the way he did for Abraham, Paul, Silas, Timothy …

"One day of corporate prayer offered in sincerity, unity and humility can have a titanic effect, not only immediacy of need, but for generations to come," Moore said. "Our nation does not need us to lose our faith, even when there are those who vehemently oppose us. They are greatly affected by our prayers; they just don't know that. We've got to resist cynicism and defeatism."

Moore said God esteems a faithful remnant. "Let the remnant pray like crazy, and they will be heard," she said. "No one and nothing can keep us from revival, but we ourselves."

She also reminded the crowd that God holds his people responsible for righteousness, not results. "The moment you and I obey God, we are a success," she said.

But, she said, God is not on a vacation.

"He's not given up on this nation. We're not in a godforsaken world, after all. As the remnant cries out, he hears us," Moore said.

E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com