Coronavirus

Mayor’s prayer breakfast held virtually on Facebook

Published

4 years ago

May 7, 2020

In the 24 years of La Crosse’s Mayoral Prayer Breakfast, the event had never been held exclusively on the internet until Thursday.

Because of COVID-19, the usual ballroom setting was replaced with pre-recorded messages on Facebook.

Pastor Taylor Haley of La Crosse’s First Presbyterian Church was the lead-off speaker, opening his remarks by wearing a face mask, and urging people not to demonstrate against the government or “storm the palace” during the pandemic.

‘Thank God for technology’ is what Dr. Marc Barclay, a Michigan clergyman, told the on-line audience.

Barclay was the event’s keynote speaker, and he praised essential workers, including police, calling it

The 35-minute video program included short statements from Mayor Tim Kabat, and from Catholic and Protestant clergy members from the La Crosse area.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.