Salem Area National Day of Prayer gathering is set

SALEM -- The 18th annual Salem Area National Day of Prayer gathering has been set, according to a press release.

This year's event is scheduled for noon May 2 at the Salem Memorial Building gym on East State Street. The event will also be streamed live on the praysalem.org website, and Pray Salem Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, and broadcast on cable channel 1021 later in the evening.

This year's theme is "Lift up the Word-Light up the World," which the release explains "is based upon scripture from 2 Samuel 22:29-31."

This year's program will feature a musical prelude of selections by the Allegheny Wesleyan College Orchestra beginning at 11:45 a.m. and will begin in earnest with a welcome and opening prayer by Rev. Daniel Hardy Sr., with flag presentations and pledges to be led by members from Boy Scout Troops 3 and Troop 6, and the national anthem performed by the Allegheny Wesleyan College Orchestra. The program will continue with a proclamation by Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey; followed the traditional Scriptures and Prayers for business, government, media, family, military, church, education, and safety forces/health care workers, by Mitzi Beach, Jennifer Brown, Jeff Schoch, J.W. Linam, Brad Hallam, Father Joseph Ruggieri, Sarah Hodgson and Ed Fabian, respectively. Fabian will also offer the recognition of safety forces/health care workers, and the closing prayer will be given by Jim Kelly.