By Adam Larson
Utah Valley”s celebration of the 56th annual National Day of Prayer will take place on May 4, at 7 p.m. in the Provo Tabernacle, featuring an address by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The local theme for the celebration is “From Tolerance to Love,” and includes clergy from the Jewish, Muslim, Presbyterian, Seventh-day Adventist, Franciscan, Christ Evangelical and Episcopalian faiths.
The program will include scriptures about the theme quoted from the Bible and Qur”an, as well as performances by the Provo High School Advanced Choir, the Utah Valley Handbell Choir, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars American Fork Post 49 Color Guard.
“We want this to be a time of inclusion, not exclusion, in our community,” said Chaplain Linda P. Walton, chairman of the event. “…we are pleased to offer this program to everyone in Utah Valley.”
The event is co-sponsored by the Utah Valley Ministerial Association and the Utah Valley University Interfaith Student Association.
The National Day of Prayer originated in 1775 when the Continental Congress issued a day of prayer to assist in the forming of our nation.
On April 17, 1952 President Truman signed the day into law as a national celebration and, in 1988, President Reagan set the day of prayer as the first Thursday of May.
In addition to this activity, a community flagpole prayer ceremony is scheduled to take place outside the Orem City Hall at noon on May 3. According to event organizer, Pastor Gene Short of Light the Way Christian Fellowship, the event will be a “special time of prayer to our God and for our land.”
This years theme, “America, Unite in Prayer,” is based on the verse from II Chronicles 7:14, according to the National Day of Prayer Task Force Web site, a non-governmental organization created to help coordinate events on National Day of Prayer.
