THE VALLEYS Leaders: Most aren't aware of national prayer day

Prayers will be offered for the government and troops, among other purposes.
The National Day of Prayer will be observed Thursday, which may prompt a question: Do most people know what the National Day of Prayer is?
"No," said the Rev. Rusty Wills, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Poland and the chairman of the observance committee in Mahoning County.
"No," said Thomas Smith, the regional coordinator for six counties in Northeastern Ohio that include Trumbull County.
"Most people won't even know it happened," Smith said. "Most aren't aware of it or don't even care."
Gerry Salaka is the chairwoman for the event at St. James the Apostle Church in New Bedford, Pa., in Lawrence County.
"I don't think a lot of people understand what it is," Salaka said.
History of event
The National Day of Prayer was established by federal law in 1952. In 1988, the law was updated to set the observance on the first Thursday in May.
The roots of the observance, spiritually and officially, go back to 1775, when the first Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer. In 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln asked Americans to set aside April 30 to "confess national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."
Gov. Bob Taft has proclaimed this Thursday as a day of prayer, noting the day is an "apt companion" to Ohio's motto, "With God all things are possible."
Ohio's proclamation says "prayer has long been a positive force that unites our citizens"; Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell said in his proclamation, "prayer is an important part of our humanity."
For all faiths
The day is for all faiths, the officials noted. Christian groups held about 40,000 events last year.
Salaka said that this year at St. James, organizers plan to give a little more explanation of what the event is about.
However, each group has its own focus.
In Mahoning County, the Rev. Mr. Wills said, there will be prayers in seven areas: holiness, pastors, economic development, neighborhoods, the government and military, families and "mercy services," such as the Salvation Army, that provide help to those with great need.
Any prayers pertaining to the fighting in Iraq would come under the government and military, Mr. Wills said.
In Trumbull, Smith said, "We are quite concerned with everything in Iraq. It's almost getting scary."
Smith, who has been involved with the Day of Prayer for about 35 years, said he sees a constant decline in values.
Right now, the United States is the superpower in the world, he said. "Our leaders should be setting an example for the world, and they're not doing that," Smith said.
There will be patriotic music at the event in Lawrence County. Salaka said she, too, is sure the war in Iraq will come up during the prayers. People will be praying that leaders will do the right thing, she said.