I was fifteen-years old when the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday first became the law of the land. Having lived my entire childhood in Georgia, also Dr. King’s birthplace, I knew his story and heroics well. I also knew that he was often maligned – sometimes viciously so.

When the first official King Day rolled around on the calendar, it produced some brisk conversations within my extended family, community, and yes, my church. Never can I forget standing outside the church building on a cold Sunday night, a nosey and curious teenager listening to the old men talk, just weeks before that first January observance.

One man asked the group, “Well, what y’all think about getting a day off for this King fella’?” With a big, fat, King James Bible under his arm, one of the other men answered, “Oh, I appreciate a day off. If we kill a few more of ‘em, we might get a whole week off next year!” This was met by uproarious laughter and backslapping from the rest of the group. Then they all marched inside to sing praises to Jesus with clear consciences.

I thought of that horrible event for the first time in a long time when I read the recent story about a Kentucky church banning an interracial couple from participating in their worship services. The Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church in Pikeville, Kentucky voted to ban interracial couples after life-long member Stella Harville came to services with her fiancé, Ticha Chikuni, a young man from Zimbabwe.

The church’s resolution, later rescinded, stated: “Parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services…This recommendation is not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve.” Greater unity? That’s dreadfully ironic.

These two events, separated by decades, and both many years removed from the work for which MLK lived and died, show how racism continues to endure in this country.

But more horrifying, it reveals how racism continues to endure within the Christian church, a collection of people who profess allegiance to Jesus, the same Jesus who produced true unity by welcoming all people regardless of their nationality, skin color, sexuality, gender, or any of the other factors that divide people.

If we who are Christians are genuinely part of the church Jesus initiated, then love for our neighbor must be our calling card.

Grace must be the currency which we exchange, and when people who allege faith in Christ refuse those he readily accepts, we must declare the truth that such actions are unequivocally and explicitly wrong.

For me, this has become much more than theory or simple rhetoric. It is personal. I have a multi-racial son, a beautiful prepubescent boy with eyes as dark as the sea and skin that is rich, mocha-brown.

Though I am his adoptive father, we are more accurately, to quote King, “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners,” from the red hills of Georgia.

Yes, I want my son to grow up in a culture without the prejudice that has plagued these hundreds of years. I want him to be a part of a nation where “he will not be judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.”

But even if such achievements are not brought to bear in the greater society in his lifetime, for God’s sake, I never want him subjected to the kind of conversation I heard as a teenager, all within the shadow of the church steeple.

Society may be slow in changing its attitudes. Governments may intentionally delay the changing of policies. Individuals may go to their graves clinging to hate and hard-heartedness for their fellow human beings.

But in the church that carries the name of Christ, this should not be. We cannot simultaneously express our love for God, and by means of racism, refute the love that Jesus has for our neighbors.

A federal appeals court ruled recently 3-0 to throw out a lower court decision that stated that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.

The three-judge panel decided on Thursday that the U.S. president has the right to proclaim the National Day of Prayer, and as a result overturned last year’s ruling by U.S. district judge Barbara Crabb, which deemed the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, the AP said.

The unanimous decision by the 7^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stated that private citizens, including the Freedom From Religious Foundation, do not have legal standing to challenge the National Day of Prayer, which is simply one of the duties of the U.S. president rather than a demand.

The panel noted the oftentimes the president urges citizens to do things they would otherwise perhaps not do, especially concerning political issues. The Republican Party however has no personality to sue the president if he talks to supporters or tries to persuade the undecided, the AP said.

The three-judge panel noted that while some may not agree with the president’s proclaiming a National Day of Prayer, neither are they harmed by it, adding, “a feeling of alienation cannot suffice as injury,” Christianity Today reported.

As an example the ruling, penned by Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook noted that God is mentioned seven times and prayer, three times in the second inaugural address of President Abraham Lincoln, the AP said.

Easterbrook wrote, “The address is chiseled in stone at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. An argument that the prominence of these words injures every citizen, and that the Judicial Branch could order them to be blotted out, would be dismissed as preposterous,” the AP reported.

In April 2010 Crabb ruled that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and calls for religious action. Crabb said the government cannot enact a law that supports a day of prayer, neither can it require citizens to fast for Ramadan or go to a synagogue, the AP said.

The Appeals court said a lawful presidential proclamation is a request, not a command of the public. The three-judge panel wrote, “If anyone suffers injury…that person is the president, who is not complaining,” USA Today reported.

The court ruling, penned by Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook stated, “Those who do not agree with a president’s statement may speak in opposition to it; they are not entitled to silence the speech of which they disapprove,” according to USA Today.

The ruling also said that a National Day of Prayer does not obligate people to pray, “any more than a person would be obliged to hand over his money if the President asked all citizens to support the Red Cross or other charities,” the AP reported.

Rehearing sought

The Freedom from Religion Foundation told USA Today that the ruling is in violation of the Constitutional prohibition of the establishment of religion by government. They told USA Today that they will seek a rehearing by a full panel of judges in the circuit court.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the FFRF said, “ the decision is part of an ominous trend in the federal courts to deny Americans the right to challenge church-state violations,”  the AP reported.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council lauded the ruling saying, “The court is to be commended for rejecting even the idea of a federal lawsuit that demands this kind of religious expression be scrubbed from the public square,” USA Today reported.

The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 by Congress, and signed by President Truman. In 1988 it was determined that every first Thursday of May the president may issue a proclamation asking the people to pray, the AP said.

This year many Christians are marking May 5 with plans to hold celebrations for the National Day of Prayer nationwide, according to USA Today.

On World Youth Day, which is slated to be held this August in Spain, some 300,000 Manga-styled biographies of Pope Benedict XVI will be handed out for free.

The Manga comic book is entitled Habemus Papam! a Latin phrase that is used when the election of a new pope is announced. There will be editions in Spanish and English, and copies will be distributed in hotels, churches, bus stops and other sites, AFP said.

It is not uncommon for Manga-form biographies to be made of leaders and famous personalities. A number of Japanese celebrities have their own Manga biography, as do the 14^th Dalai Lama, Harry Houdini and Che Guevara.

The comic book will be published by Jonathan Lin, founder and owner of the California firm, Manga Hero. According to Comic Book Resources, the pope’s Manga, at 300,000 copies, puts it on equal footing as Twilight: The Manga.

Lin said he chose the Manga format for the pope’s biography because it is entertaining as well as cutting edge in form, making it more appealing to a wider range of age groups, AFP reported.

Lin said, “We want to use Manga as a tool to show the youth and the world that the Church is not afraid of modernity and evolving culture. It is not afraid to use, in this case, new and compelling forms of media to meet young people where they are,” according to CNA.

Lin added, “We hope the Manga acts as a fun platform for people to learn more about the Holy Father and realize that the Church is relevant, visible, and active in modern culture. We want as many people as possible to read the Manga,” according to the World Youth Day website.

The comic biography will depict the Pope’s life as a cardinal who was then working under Pope John Paul II, up to his own election as pope in 2005, CNA said.

It will also talk of Benedict’s travels to other celebrations of World Youth Day in the past, and show the range of proposals that he made to help the youth to find meaning in their own lives, Rome Reports said.

Lin observed, “The story also shows how he grows into his role as pope,” CNA reported.

The drawings on the Manga of the pope will be the workmanship of Sean Lam from Singapore. The story is written by Gabrielle Gniewek, a graduate of John Paul the Great Catholic University in San Diego, CNA said.

Over one million people are expected to attend World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, which will be held from Aug. 16-21. This will be the third time that Benedict has visited that country, according to the AFP.

It comes by many names, and across the world, it is celebrated with many different traditions. Three Kings Day, also called The Feast of The Epiphany, El Dia de los Reyes, Little Christmas and Theophany was celebrated by Americans as well.

In New York City the day was marked with a parade featuring the three wise men in huge, colorful papier mache puppet costumes bearing gifts, their live camels adorned with tassels walking behind them, winding through the streets of Harlem, according to UPI.

Catholic Americans usually celebrate The Feast of The Epiphany on the first Sunday between Jan. 2 and Jan. 8, although for others it falls on the 12^th day after Christmas (which explains the Christmas carol), Aol News said.

Some Hispanic Americans give even greater importance to El Dia de los Reyes than Christmas day, US News Source said, which may be why Walmart stores sold Hispanic food including the customary Three Kings cake, Roscon de Reyes.

In Puerto Rico Three Kings Day is observed more than in any other Spanish Speaking country, US News Source said, and each town has its own planned activities. In Malta it is a national holiday.

In Spain, children leave milk and cookies at the door for the three kings, and water and grass for the camels, US News Source said. When they wake in the morning they find candy and small gifts in place of the food.

Julian calendar

Gifts are also given in Italy and some other Mediterranean countries, as well as Mexico. In Central and Eastern Europe, Orthodox Christians, who follow the Julian calendar, believe that Christmas eve falls on Jan. 6, Aol News said, particularly in Russia, Armenia, Bulgaria and some other countries.

In Turkey, Orthodox Christians dive into Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait to compete to be the first one to grab a cross that’s thrown into the water, and to bring it back to shore, NTD Television said.

This year’s winner, a Greek named Dimitris Kouzounis, called for unity of all faiths saying, “Peace and love together. Christians and Muslims, we believe in God. It does not matter if we call Theo, if we call Allah—it is the same thing, love and peace,” NTD Television reported.

In Bethlehem along the West Bank, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch makes a customary visit to the Church of the Nativity before midnight mass. According to NTD Television, this is where Christians believe Jesus was born.

Three Kings Day celebrates the arrival of the Magi, or three wise men, to the stable to meet the Son of God. It also marks the last official day of the Christmas season, according to Aol News.

Because the Julian calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar which is followed by most countries, Epiphany, which Orthodox Christians call Theophany, falls on Jan. 19, Aol News said.

We come to this final section in the Gospel of Luke. We are in Chapter 24 and at verse 13. Jesus Christ is risen and alive, and it is mid-afternoon on Resurrection Day. A lot has been going on. These past two weeks have been fairly traumatic for everyone and we have looked at the events in some detail.

Two disciples of Jesus are walking the seven miles or from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

They appear to have so much to say to each other. They have been in Jerusalem and they had seen Jesus Christ crucified, and now they think it is all over. Do you ever think that?

Do you ever go through a period or a season when you just think that all you have worked for and all your various spiritual experiences are just all over and everything is in the past? Have we not all been there at some time or another?

We all need this relevant living Word. Jesus is risen from the dead, and their hearts are exceedingly sad. They are so disappointed. Up until now the disciples have called it all nonsense! They accused the women who had been to the tomb as being delirious or fevered. They have had too much sun, or the emotion has got to these women!

Not very far along the road and third Man joins them and it is Jesus, but they have no idea Who it is.

It is possible to have Jesus this close and this near, and not know it.

They did not expect to meet Jesus. They knew Jesus was dead, and they assumed He would remain dead. Dead men don’t rise. They are still blind. They cannot see who has come alongside them, and Jesus is so close and so near. Does this not happen frequently today? Jesus approaches and many miss Him for various reasons.

They are so sad. They had lost Jesus. It is always sad when you lose someone you really love. Jesus was only in His early 30′s. Perhaps they thought Jesus was going to be around for a long time. They got it so wrong. They are so burdened, and it shows. Faces reveal a lot.

Jesus asks then a question. “What are you discussing as you walk along the road together?”

Cleopas asks, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who does not know what has been going on?”

“What things?”

“Concerning Jesus of Nazareth. He was a prophet powerful in word and deed. Our leaders handed Him over to be killed. They did it. They crucified Him. We thought He was the One Who was going to redeem Israel. This all happened three days ago.”

Read the conversation. Share it with your people in detail. Feed them with these spiritual truths.

Their precious Jesus was gone. Their buoyant hopes had been dashed.

“O, He said something about being killed at the hands of sinful men, and the elders of the people.

Yes, He said something along these lines, and even mentioned something about rising three days later, but His time is up. It is now the third day. We have seen no sign of Him. But – but – do you know this? Some women amazed us this morning. Some whom we know went to the tomb where they laid Him, and they came and told us that they had seen angels, and the angels said that Jesus was risen and alive. Some others went. They too saw the tomb empty, BUT HIM THEY DID NOT SEE!

They are so disappointed, upset, perhaps even angry? That comes over from the words used in the conversation. Do you ever become upset, or disappointed, or even angry when things go spiritually wrong? It is quite understandable.

They have left all to follow Jesus Christ. They had believed that Jesus was the ONE Who would rescue them and save them.

They believed that Jesus had the answer to all of men’s problems and needs and sicknesses and pains and sins.

They had looked to Jesus and they felt let down. This is an honest and realistic book.

These are two broken dejected men, and the Bible does not try to hide this. Jesus interjects and takes over the conversation and resolves these various issues in a most wonderful way. He still does. Know that, and let your people know that.

Despite a judge’s ruling that declared the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, special observations were held across the nation and in several places in the capital city including the Pentagon, the Cannon House Office Building and the steps of the US Capitol, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Rev. Franklin Graham, who had been disinvited to the Pentagon because of comments he had made regarding the Islamic faith after 911 nonetheless prayed on a sidewalk outside the building.  Graham is honorary chairman of the private National Day of Prayer Task Force.

However, President Brack Obama, whose administration on April 22 appealed the judge’s ruling and issued a National Day of Prayer proclamation, did not hold an interfaith observance at the White House, according to the SunGazette.

On April 15, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment.  However in her decision, Crabb said ceremonies could still be held pending appeals.

In observances at Williamsport-Lycoming County, Pennsylvania keynote speaker state Superior Court Judge Cheryl Allen challenged Crabb’s argument centered on the separation of church and state, and alleged violation of the First Amendment, the SunGazette said.

Allen said, “I couldn’t find separation of church and state in the Constitution.” Regarding the First Amendment she cited the first part which says, “Congress shall make no laws establishing a religion” and said the founding fathers came to America to escape England, which had established a church and persecuted those who would not attend.  Allen then noted the second portion of the First Amendment clause which states: “or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

James Dobson, who founded Focus on the Family and whose wife chairs the National Day of Prayer said the event puts a prayer covering over the nation and noted that since 1775 the first Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer.

Dobson noted that 34 out of 44 Presidents have called for a national day of prayer including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush, the New York News Today reported.

Dobson said, “How can something be unconstitutional when it was passed by both houses of Congress unanimously and signed by Ronald Reagan and Harry Truman and implemented by all those Presidents back through the years?”

Charles Haynes, a First Amendment scholar who specializes in religious liberty expects President Obama to succeed with his appeal.  He said a  judge could possibly cite a 1983 Supreme Court decision that upheld the right to legislative prayer on grounds that “the offering of prayer is a tolerable acknowledgment of beliefs widely held among the people of this country,” the Los Angeles Times reported.

This year Christians throughout the United States will be celebrating Earth Day through a live simulcast nationwide, through documentaries, lectures and seminars on God’s creation and man’s stewardship of the earth.

Earth Day, slated for April 22, is intended to raise awareness and appreciation for the environment.

Now on its 40^th year, Earth Day is said to be founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson.  However its concept originated from Pentecostal minister John McConnell Jr, 95, who told the Assemblies of God (AG) Heritage magazine that he first proposed Earth Day in 1969 to promote peace and unity.  He wanted it to be held in late March at the start of spring.

McConnell said he submitted his proposal for Earth Day to San Francisco city officials on Oct. 3, 1969.  The first governmental recognition of Earth Day was held March 21, 1970 supported by Congress and the United Nations.

However, it was moved by Sen. Nelson to April 22 because he had scheduled a political protest called Environmental Teach-In Day.

McConnell’s biographer, Robert Weir, said Nelson admitted that he got the idea for Earth Day from others, but he did not specify from whom. In time, he began to publicly claim full credit for Earth Day.

Christians have commonly neglected to celebrate Earth Day as it was deemed to be identified with left leaning environmentalism and implied nature worship.

However now they see Earth Day as a time to renew their stewardship of God’s gift of creation, celebrate God and to witness their faith to others.

McConnell said, “We love God … [and therefore should] have an appreciation for His creation.”

A study in 2008 by the Barna Group, a religious research organization, found that 78 percent of self-identified Christians would like to see their fellow Christians take a more active role in caring for the earth.

Some of the things that Christians are doing on Earth Day include:

• Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood, Fla. will hold a simulcast on April 21 that organizers say will be the largest ever faith-based gathering involving Earth Day, drawing thousands of churches.
• Blessed Earth, founded three years ago by Dr. Matthew Sleeth of Wilmore, Ky, has organized hundreds of churches for “Hope for Creation: A Live Simulcast Event,” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.  Sleeth is the author of “Serve God and Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action.”  Since its founding, Blessed Earth has produced a 12-film series on the Bible and the environment.
• St. Monica-St. George Parish Newman Center in Ohio will hold its annual “Thomas Merton Year,” from April 25-May 7 with the talk, “Meeting Merton Again for the First Time: Contemplative Ecologist, Ecological Prophet.”  Merton was a 20th-century Catholic monk in Gethsemani, Ky.  The talk is presented by Sister Kathleen Deignan, a GreenFaith Fellow with training in religious environmental leadership.  She wrote the books, “When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on Nature” and “Thomas Merton: A Book of Hours.”

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation recently objected to an invitation that was sent to Reverend Franklin Graham to address the Pentagon on National Prayer Day.

The MRFF said they were objecting on behalf of members of the Pentagon’s Muslim community who wrote to the organization and objected to Graham’s invitation.

After the 2003 attacks of 9/11 Graham described Islam as “evil” and “wicked.”  In a forthcoming letter to the Wall Street Journal Graham wrote, “As a minister … I believe it is my responsibility to speak out against the terrible deeds that are committed as a result of Islamic teaching.”

President of the MRFF, Mikey Weinstein said in a letter that inviting evangelist Franklin Graham to speak at the National Day of Prayer on May 6 “would be like bringing someone in on national prayer day madly denigrating Christianity” or other religious groups.  It would also endanger American troops by “stirring up Muslim extremists.”

The MRFF’s Web site is headed by a quote by Weinstein which says, “When one proudly dons a U.S. military uniform, there is only one religious symbol: The American flag.  There is only one religious scripture:  The American constitution.  Finally there is only one religious faith: American patriotism.”

Weinstein also objected to the Pentagon’s “noxious” affiliation with the National Day of Prayer Task Force which is headed by Shirley Dobson, although he stressed he does not object to the Pentagon Chaplain’s Office hosting an NDP event.

Graham is the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and president and CEO of both Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian international relief organization in Boone, N.C., and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, in Charlotte, N.C.

Franklin Graham at the podium and on the big screen at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash. in 2007. Credit:Flikr-publicjill

Graham, through a spokesman said, “As the father of a son serving in his fourth combat tour, I’d be glad to know someone was leading a prayer service at the National Day of Prayer, or any other day.”

The spokesman also said Graham will be a guest of the Pentagon and will speak only if he’s still invited.  A military spokeswoman said she was locating officials to respond to the criticism.

A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled last week that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it amounts to a call for religious action. The judge did not bar any observances until all appeals are exhausted.

The National Day of Prayer has been recognized and observed by every U.S. President since 1775.

The American Humanist Association (AHA) is at it again. The group recently embarked on a mission to replace the word “God” in the national motto “In God We Trust” with “Good” (see The Underground’s article Humanist Group Unveils “In Good We Trust” Billboards). Now they have set their sights on the National Day of Prayer, arguing instead for a “National Day of Reason,” according to CNS News.

The group’s movement started on the heels of last week’s federal court ruling that the National Day of Prayer was indeed unconstitutional because it violates the separation of church and state. U.S. District Court Judge Barbara B. Crabb wrote of the 1952 statute creating the National Day of Prayer that its “sole purpose is to encourage all citizens to engage in prayer, an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function,” according to the official AHA web site.

White House spokespersons have reported that President Obama will still recognize the traditional observance of the National Day of Prayer on May 6, as the court’s appeals process will not yet be exhausted by that time.

AHA Director Roy Speckhardt disagrees with the president’s decision.

“The government should not be directing citizens to pray,” he said. “In addition to being unconstitutional, it’s also specifically offensive to people who don’t believe in a god and are made to feel excluded by the observance.”

Historically, there have been several recorded National Days of Prayer, even before the 1952 ruling establishing the observance we now recognize as a nation. In 1775, the Continental Congress marked a day to designate “a time of prayer in forming a new nation.”

Former U.S. President John Adams would later declare May 9, 1798 “a day of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer.” He asked Americans to pray “that our country may be protected from all the dangers which threaten it.”

The National Day of Prayer became a requirement of U.S. presidents’ recognition when, on April 17, 1952, former President Harry S. Truman signed a bill declaring that all subsequent presidents observe the day.

In recent years, the National Day of Prayer was reintroduced to the nation due, in part, to the efforts of the Reverend Billy Graham and certain members of both the House and the Senate. Together, these men implemented a joint resolution to mark an annual 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.”

Peter Spriggs, senior fellow for policy studies at Family Research Council told CNSNews.com, “The American Humanist Association and their allied groups have every right to promote a new celebration if they want to – and if they can persuade people to participate voluntarily, that’s fine, but I don’t think they have a right to do away with a long-standing tradition that is deeply rooted in our nation’s history – which is calling the people to prayer.”

Spriggs also added, “[The National Day of Prayer] is inclusive of the vast majority of Americans who believe in a Supreme Being and who do pray, and it is inclusive of the vast majority of Americans throughout the history of our country –and the vast majority of the leaders of our country through our history.”

Of Judge Barabra Crabb, Spriggs concluded, “Judge Crabb was inferring that she found something in the Constitution that every president and Congress since 1775 has not.”

The case is expected to have its day in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Attorneys with the Christian legal firm Alliance Defense Fund urged President Barack Obama to appeal the decision of a federal judge’s ruling that National Prayer Day is unconstitutional recently.

Before thousands of guests, including a dozen foreign leaders, President Barack Obama called for greater understanding and cooperation among people of all faiths at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5, 2008.

The ADF lawyers made their plea after U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb struck down a federal statute creating the “National Day of Prayer.” According to Crabb, the statute connotes endorsement and encouragement of a particular religious exercise.

But ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster argues that the national prayer day is “America’s heritage” and “belongs to Americans.”  He added, “The National Day of Prayer provides an opportunity for all Americans to pray voluntarily according to their own faith – and does not promote any particular religion or form of religious observance.”

National Prayer Day (NPD) was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.  Although it has been celebrated yearly since then, a lawsuit against NPD was filed in October 2008 by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF).

The FFRF is a Madison, Wisconsin group that was founded in 1976.  They are pledged to promote separation of church and state, and to educate the public on “nontheism”.

The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State,  praised Judge Crabb’s ruling saying, “This decision is a tremendous victory for religious liberty.  Congress has no business telling Americans when or how to pray.”

Lynn added, “The Constitution forbids the government to meddle in religious matters. Decisions about worship should be made by individuals without direction from elected officials. That’s what freedom is all about.”

Ever since 1952, US presidents have always set an annual National Day of Prayer.  Since 1988, the presidents have always designated the first Thursday of May as the National Day of Prayer.

Last year, President Obama issued a proclamation designating the first Thursday of May as the National Day of Prayer, and prayed privately.  Despite the present ruling, Obama still intends to recognize the day this year on May 6.

Shirley Dobson, chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force said it is imperative “now more than ever before” to pray.  Dobson has organized thousands of local prayer events throughout the country, including gatherings in Washington, D.C., with government leaders.

Sources:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100416/ts_csm/294988;_ylt=AkZQP7YV39sLuNafx7pe2jg7Xs8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJldDE4NGhjBGFzc2V0A2NzbS8yMDEwMDQxNi8yOTQ5ODgEcG9zAzE2BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2ZlZGVyYWxqdWRnZQ–

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100416/obama-urged-to-appeal-nat-l-prayer-day-ruling/index.html