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JEFFERSON CITY -- Governor Jay Nixon said Missouri’s new legislative session offers a chance for politicians to put past battles and mistakes behind them and start anew to meet the state's challenges.

The governor Thursday morning hosted a prayer breakfast that drew about 750 people.

The annual event has become a tradition at the start of each legislative session.

This year, it also came just four days before Nixon is to be sworn in to a second term as governor.

He told the gathering that faith and prayer are the foundation of the country and essential for bringing people through turbulent times.

The keynote speaker was David Steward, the chairman and founder of St. Louis-based World Wide Technology.

That's a $5 billion global company.

Steward encouraged the audience to lead with a servant's attitude.

Last year's Prayer Breakfast raised more than $2,000.

The freewill offering from the January 5, 2012 breakfast raised $2,315.

Governor Nixon Jefferson City Samaritan Center’s Founder and Executive Director Marylyn DeFeo.

In 2011, Coach Mel Tjeerdsma gave the keynote speech at the annual event.

Tjeerdsma had just announced his retirement as football coach of the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats just one week before.

Proceeds from the 2013 Governor's Prayer Breakfast support the Governor's Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values.

It is a forum that brings together select Missouri college students for a three-day study of faith and leadership. Participants explore the role faith has played in the lives of business executives, sports figures and government officials.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)