The 75th annual National Day of Prayer falls on Thursday, May 7, and this week’s special section traces the role prayer has played in American life — from its earliest roots in the Continental Congress to the gatherings that continue today in courthouses, parks and churches across northwest Ohio. Inside, articles cover the history and origins of the observance, the growing importance of interfaith unity, the role of prayer during national crises from the Civil War through September 11, and the reasons community prayer gatherings still resonate in a digital age. Locally, the Montpelier Ministerial Association will host a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. followed by 9 a.m. worship at First Presbyterian Church, 114 W. Washington St., Montpelier, with featured speaker Markie Repp addressing “Faith and Our Founding Fathers.” A Pioneer National Day of Prayer observance is also scheduled at the Gazebo at noon.
