For a year since it had to cancel the public portion of its annual National Day of Prayer observance, the Greenfield Area Ministerial Association has been planning for an event that will finally unfold at the City Building at noon on Thursday, May 6.

The theme for this year’s observance is “Lord Pour Out Your Love, Life and Liberty,” based on 2 Corinthians 3:17 that says: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom, ” the ministerial association said in a news release.

“Especially during a time like this, it is the desire of Christians across the nation to join with the national prayer that states: ‘We pray that America will be united in love to serve You with all our hearts, all our ways, and all our days. Unite us to pray, love; to live and walk by the Spirit,’” the news release said.

The ministerial association said it is going to invite the public to pray out loud in a congregational prayer for every area it prays for. It said it will provide updates on the association’s Facebook page and also encourages the public to use May 6 to have individual times of prayer and times of prayer with their families.

A day of prayer dates back to 1775 when the first call for a National Day of Prayer was issued by the Continental Congress. Since that time American presidents have issued a proclamation for an annual day of prayer. In 1988, Congress set aside the first Thursday in May as National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States return to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals, the news release said.

For further information about the local observance, contact the Rev. Chris Stokes at 937-763-2790 and [email protected]. Correspondence may be sent to P.O. Box 361, Greenfield, Ohio 45123.

For further National Day of Prayer information, including other events across the national during the year, visit www.nationalDayofPrayer.org.