Community Gathers for ‘Prayer in the Parking Lot’ to Bless New School Year
By Autumn Gavlock
CLINTON COUNTY – On Monday evening, August 25, parking lots across the Keystone Central School District (KCSD) schools were not filled with cars, but with community members united in faith and prayer. The event, titled ‘Prayer in the Parking Lot’, brought together around 150 people from all walks of life; parents, students, teachers, grandparents, neighbors, and local church members, to pray over each school before the new academic year begins.
At 6:30 PM on Monday, groups gathered in the parking lots of Renovo Elementary, Bucktail High School, Sugar Valley, Central Mountain High School, Central Mountain Middle School, Woodward Elementary, Mill Hall Elementary, Liberty-Curtin Elementary, and Robb Elementary. Each campus was personally covered in prayer as part of a coordinated effort across the district. Rain or shine, the strong turnout showed just how deeply this community cares for its students, teachers, and school staff.
“It wasn’t about us,” one organizer shared. “It was about Jesus, asking Him to fill our schools with His peace, His protection, and His presence. We believe His hope can light every hallway, and His love can reach every heart,” said Rebecca Melzer in a social media post shared after the event.
A special thank you goes to Brad McCloskey, a Facilitator at ROBB Elementary, for spearheading this meaningful event and helping bring the community together in prayer. His leadership played a key role in making the evening a success.
Prayers were lifted for every part of school life, for the students who will walk the halls each day, the teachers who will guide and inspire their classrooms, and the staff who provide the essential support that keeps each building running smoothly. Attendees prayed for protection over every classroom, courage for every challenge, and moments of joy that would brighten even the busiest days. More than anything, they asked that each person, student, teacher, or staff member, would know they are not alone. That Christ goes before them, has prepared the way for them, and that His light will shine in every circumstance they face this year. It was a call for peace to settle in the hallways, encouragement to fill the hearts of all who enter, and for the presence of God to be felt in every corner of every school.
In addition to praying for the day-to-day life of the schools, participants also lifted up some of the heavier concerns that weigh on the hearts of many—violence, bullying, anxiety, loneliness, and the pressure students and staff face in today’s world. With so much brokenness and uncertainty present in schools across the nation, the group prayed boldly for healing, protection, and transformation. They asked for God’s peace to stand guard over each campus, for darkness to be pushed back, and for hope to take root in places where fear and despair too often creep in. The prayers weren’t just for good grades or smooth schedules—they were cries for real change, for hearts to be softened, and for schools to become places of safety, restoration, and light.
“It was such a beautiful thing to witness,” one participant shared. “We’re thankful to be part of a community that cares this much.”
Midge Kramer, who attended one of the gatherings, summed up the spirit of the evening simply: “Prayer at the school was amazing. God is so good!!! It’s going to be an amazing year!”
As the school year begins, the message of the evening remains clear: hope in the hallways, love in action, and faith in every step forward.
