In recognition of National Day of Prayer, a community-wide time of prayer will be held from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday, May 2 at the bell tower on the campus of Howard Payne University. For more information, contact Ron Keener at 325-642-9748.

President Harry S. Truman proclaimed a National Day of Prayer to be observed on July 4, 1952. Each year since that date, Americans have observed the day in their own way.

On May 5, 1988, the observance moved to the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan and has been proclaimed each year since: “The President shall set aside and proclaim the First Thursday in May in each year, as a 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.”