Mayor William E. Cooper will read a proclamation declaring the observance of the 2023 National Day of Prayer as he joins local church leaders in front of city hall on Thursday, May 4, starting at noon.

The ceremony connects people of faith with tens of thousands of others all over the United States who will be praying in their own communities for blessings upon the Nation, its people, its first responders, church leaders, military, farmers, etc.

Prayer, praise and music will be the order of the day at the ceremony, where Cooper will present the proclamation. Mayor Cooper will also play his trumpet as part of the event.  Everyone is invited to gather in the courtyard in front of city hall for the hour-long ceremony.

The theme of this year’s national observance is “Pray fervently in righteousness and avail much,” which is inspired by James 5:16B, according to the National Day of Prayer Task Force website. 

At 7 p.m. CST, a National Day of Prayer service will be broadcast from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. It will air on Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), GodTV, Daystar, as well as on social media platforms and websites.

The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America, evidenced by the Continental Congress’ proclamation in 1775 setting aside a day of prayer. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May.