7:15 am Thursday, May 1, 2025 
Cost $37 per ticket; Table of 10 $350 
Theme for this year:   Focus Your Eyes on Jesus 
Keynote Speaker:  James E. Ward, Jr.
Music:  Joel Nash and Scott Miller
Emcee: Roy Patterson 
‍
‍CPB Committee:
Jeff DeVries
Roy Patterson
Bob Schuldt

2026 Chicago Prayer Breakfast
Presenters and Musicians

image_2025_02_13T14_11_20_898Z

James E. Ward Jr.

Keynote Speaker

James E. Ward Jr. is a pastor, coach, best selling author, keynote speaker, visionary, and entrepreneur who has emerged as a mainstream, conscionable voice of spiritual and moral truth. James has affectionately become known as America’s Zero Victim Pastor and leading expert on the subject of Zero Victim thinking.
Because of his unique Zero Victim, Biblical perspective, his involvement is highly sought after by corporate, government, and thought leaders, and on mainstream media outlets to mitigate the complex cultural, relational, intersectional, and socio-political challenges of our day.  James serves on numerous corporate boards and advisory councils in education, business, and social services.
In his latest book, Zero Victim: Overcoming Injustice With a New Attitude, James presents a universal principle that equips individuals to succeed in every area of life—the development of a Zero Victim mindset.
Along with his wife Sharon, James is pastor and founder of INSIGHT Church near Chicago, and founder of National Prayer Altar at Museum of the Bible. He is Chairman and CEO of the TLN Media broadcast and digital media company.
James completed his undergraduate studies in music and business at DePaul University, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Regent University.
James and Sharon have been married for twenty-four years and have two wonderful children serving in ministry with them, Hannah and Jonathan.

Donnita Travis

Keynote Speaker

Donnita Travis will tell you that for her,there is no greater privilege than to serve God by investing in the lives ofHis children—mind, body and soul. Sensing God’s call to start a holisticafter-school program to help children from Chicago’s most under-resourced neighborhoods have abundant life, Donnita resigned as president of anadvertising agency to launch By The Hand Club For Kids in 2001. Under her leadership, By The Hand Club has grown from 16 kids in Cabrini-Green to serve more than 2,000 kids with six sites strategically located throughout Chicagoand now also expanding to Dallas, TX.
‍
She loves seeing how patience, love, andthe positive learning environment that By The Hand provides transform the livesof kids, and is inspired by the abilities of kids. Thankful for each child Godbrings to By The Hand, Donnita still serves as a volunteer, driven by herconcern and love for each child. She has been widely recognized for her workwith the kids of By The Hand—as Chicago’s Chicagoan of the Year 2012, the 2011 recipient of Mayor Daley’s SAGE award, and Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010. She holds an MBA from Northwestern University and a BA in English and communications from Spalding University. She also attended Harvard Business School for Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management after receiving the HBS Club of Chicago’sRoman Nomitch Fellowship.

Joel Nash and Matt Taylor

Worship Leaders

Joel grew up in the Chicago suburbs. He and his wife, Mandi, served as missionaries on the Texas-Mexico border and in South Asia before returning to the United States in 2024. Joel now serves on the worship team at ValleyBrook Community Church in Geneva, Illinois. He and Mandi have three children.

Matt Taylor also grew up in the Chicago suburbs and spent 15 years living and serving along the Texas–Mexico border with his wife, Nati, and their three children. Now back in the Chicago area, Matt serves as Director of Cultural Engagement with To Every Tribe and continues his work as an artist. He has been writing and performing with Joel for nearly twenty years.

In 2013, Joel and Matt—performing as Temples—released Against the Grain, a project marking the end of a musical season before Joel’s family moved overseas. Now reunited in the Chicago suburbs, Temples looks forward to writing, playing, and recording together again.
image_2025_02_13T14_14_01_744Z

Emcee, Roy Patterson

Roy Patterson became a follower of Jesus Christ when he was 14 years old.  He is a preacher, worship leader, broadcaster, producer and vocalist.

He served as a youth pastor for 10 years. He also served as a substance abuse counselor for  youth and adults. Roy believes  sin is the ultimate addiction and the cross is the only cure.
‍
Roy is a graduate of Trinity International University and Moody Theological Seminary.
‍
He served as station manager of Moody Radio Chicago., is the originator of Urbanpraiseradio.org, and he is the host of Moody Radio’s, Music for Sunday.
‍
He has been married to Lynette for over 40 years and has 3 children and 4 beautiful grandchildren.

See this video for more info

Our History

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse tincidunt sagittis eros. Quisque quis euismod lorem.

2024 CPB

2023 CPB

2022 CPB

2021 CPB

2020 CPB

2017 TV show segment

Chicago's National Day of Prayer

The Chicago Prayer Breakfast is Chicago's National Day of Prayer event.  We enjoy breakfast, great fellowship, encouraging music, an inspirational keynote address and importantly spend time in prayer.  We pray for our nation, our state and our city.  We pray for the various institutions of government, churches, education and the business community.  The breakfast event starts at 7:15 am and finishes by 9:00am.    

The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked "to turn to God in prayer and meditation". The president is required by law to sign a proclamation each year, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day.

This theme of this year's Chicago Prayer Breakfast is Focus Our Eyes on Jesus based on Hebrews 12:2.  In this era of uncertainty, it is more important that ever for us to look to God completely for the answers and hope we need for the future.

Sponsors

Steering Committee

image_2025_02_13T14_14_01_744Z

Emcee, Roy Patterson

Steering Committee

Roy Patterson became a follower of Jesus Christ when he was 14 years old.  He is a preacher, worship leader, broadcaster, producer and vocalist.

He served as a youth pastor for 10 years. He also served as a substance abuse counselor for  youth and adults. Roy believes  sin is the ultimate addiction and the cross is the only cure.
‍
Roy is a graduate of Trinity International University and Moody Theological Seminary.
‍
He served as station manager of Moody Radio Chicago., is the originator of Urbanpraiseradio.org, and he is the host of Moody Radio’s, Music for Sunday.
‍
He has been married to Lynette for over 40 years and has 3 children and 4 beautiful grandchildren.
image_2025_02_25T11_12_51_599Z (1)

Jeff  De Vries

Steering Committee

As a 30+ year veteran of the broadcast television industry, Jeff De Vries has been recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with 10 Emmy nominations including 4 wins as producer, director, and lighting director. The National Religious Broadcasters awarded his locally produced program, Faith Chicago, as the TV Program of the Year in 2018. He has also contributed to several other national award winning programs.

Jeff is a graduate of both Oklahoma Baptist University and Moody Graduate School. Through his own company, JDV Productions, he currently works with two dozen ministries and non-profits. He is the founder of PRAY Joliet and member of a 38 year music ministry, and serves on several ministry boards. He has devoted his life to encouraging and propelling the church, and sharing the Gospel in word and deed.

Jeff is married to Aurora. They have three children.
image_2025_02_25T11_12_51_599Z

Bob Schuldt

Steering Committee

Bob joined Merrill Lynch in 1994.  He has 30 years of experience as a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill where he serves individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations.

Bob is a graduate of Rockford University.   He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER  (CFP) certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. He is also Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) through Kingdom Advisors, a Christian financial planning organization.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Moody Bible Institute.
Bob and his wife Jennifer have been married for 21 years.  They have two children.
image_2025_02_13T14_09_49_013Z

Purchase Tickets Here

CLICK HERE
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
HomeOur HistoryINFORMATIONOur  Team
facebook-icontwitter-iconinstagram-iconyoutube-icon
© 2025 Company Prayer Breakfast Chicago. All rights reserved