The National Day of Prayer Committee is preparing to present the 20th annual Salem Area National Day of Prayer May 7, with the theme “Glorify God Among the Nations-Seeking Him in All Generations!” Shown from left are Rev. Daniel Hardy, Day of Prayer Committee members Tony Seaman and Becky Craig, Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey, and committee members Theresa Morris, Cindy Smith, Joe Kozar and Jim Kelly. (Submitted photo courtesy of Debbie Bricker)

SALEM — The 20th annual Salem Area National Day of Prayer gathering has been set.

This year’s day of prayer ceremony will be held at noon on May 7 at the Salem Memorial Building at 785 E. State St. This year’s event will also be streamed live on the Salem National Day of Prayer website at praysalem.org and on the Pray Salem Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, so that anyone in the Salem Area can participate either in person or digitally.

The them of this year’s program will be “Glorify God Among the Nations-Seeking Him in All Generations!” which is based on scripture from Chronicles 16:24.

This year’s program will begin with a musical prelude at 11:45 a.m. by the Allegheny Wesleyan College Orchestra, with musical selections by Dustin Weaver. The welcome and opening prayer will be delivered by Jim Kelley, with flag presentations and pledges to be led by members Salem VFW members Jim Moffett, Doug Brannon, and Mark Stillion and the national anthem performed by the Allegheny Wesleyan College Orchestra.

The program will continue with a proclamation for the city by Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey; followed by the traditional scriptures and prayers for business, government, media, family, military, church, education, and safety forces/health care workers, by Jerry Wolford, Bob Hodgson, Kathy Johnson, Blake Quales, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Third Class Timothy Troyer, Pastor Brian Regal, Bob Shilling and Debbie Pietrzak, respectively. Pietrzak will also offer the recognition of safety forces/health care workers, and the closing prayer will be given by Ann Brunk.

The National Day of Prayer is held each year on the first Thursday of May and traces its early origins to 1775 when the Continental Congress issued a proclamation recommending a day of public prayer and fasting. What began as a suggestion become formal law in 1952 when a joint resolution of congress mandating the president declare a National Day of Prayer each year was passed by both chambers and signed into law by President Harry Truman. The floating date would be replaced by its current consistent day in 1988 when an amendment to that resolution was signed by President Ronald Reagan.