Small businesses have had to be creative and try a number of things to get by in these hard economic times.

But one local man thinks that a method that some may not have tried yet is prayer.

Joey Yeary has organized a prayer service for local businesses at Brookton Baptist Church from 6 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 16.

Yeary, who works for a small business, said he was moved by the stories he has heard from business owners who have fallen on hard times during the last year.

“One day I got a burden and felt I needed to hold a prayer service for small businesses,” Yeary said. “Most of them are right now struggling.”

Yeary said the public is welcome to attend the service.

“We would like to invite every small business owner to come to the church,” Yeary said. “But if they are not able to come to the church and they would like to e-mail me their business name ... we will make sure we specifically pray for the ones that we get e-mailed into us.”

Yeary said he will compile a list of interested small businesses to distribute to people at the church to include in their prayers.

Yeary said he hopes the service will inspire people to look to God for help in the new year.

“We’re hoping the economy will definitely turn around after the first of the year,” Yeary said. “The whole United States has kind of turned our heart away from God. I’d like to see people turning back to God and rely on him for success.”