The community of Bethel will hold a joint National Day of Prayer gathering at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 3 at the Bethel United Methodist Church.

The event is being organized by the Bethel Ministerial Association.

Prayers will be offered for the major concerns of our families, community, churches and nation.

Bob Proud, a Clermont County Commissioner, will be the speaker for the occasion. There will be special music by the Bethel Community Choir in additional to other musical presentations from area churches.

This annual prayer emphasis is being chaired in Bethel by Jeremiah Hembree, pastor of the Bethel Assembly of God, and also an elected member of the Bethel Village Council.

Bethel United Methodist Church will host the event in its sanctuary located at 402 West Plane St. in Bethel.

At the national level, the National Day of Prayer leaders offer the following background information about this annual prayer emphasis.

“Since the time of our nation’s founding, public prayer has been an essential part or our heritage. The tradition of designating an official day of prayer actually began with the Continental Congress in 1775. On October 3, 1789, President George Washington issued a National Day of Thanksgiving Proclamation, and since that time, American Presidents have continued this important tradition.

In 1952, by a joint act of Congress, the National Day of Prayer was signed into law.

In 1988, the law was amended to read as follows: ‘The President of the United States shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.’”

The national theme is “One Nation Under God,” based on Psalm 33:12, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”