The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is the Lord is our strength and shield in Psalm 28:7.

“The Lord is my strength and shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore, my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.”

“We feel prayer in the community is a very good thing. We even have more reason to pray,” Jackie Burnett, Port Neches NDP organizer, said. “Never before has our country been in this type of situation. Our boys are fighting a war for us and we need to pray for our leaders and for those who will be elected this year.

“We need to pray for faith, strength and patience and the peace of God in the war zones. We’re in dire need for God to help us.”

Two local events are scheduled for NDP this year. A NDP service will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Port Neches-Groves High School gymnasium and another service is scheduled from 12:20 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. at the flag pole at Port Arthur City Hall, 444 Fourth St.

Port Arthur NDP organizer Marybeth Bulgherini said Mayor Deloris “Bobbie” Prince will pray at the event with the the public and members of the Ministerial Alliance invited.

Bulgherini said people need to set time aside to recognize prayer for the government — on down.

“The National Day of Prayer began in 1952 when President Harry Truman signed it into law and it was amended in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan,” she said. “It’s a time to stop and pray in unison for the United States during the lunch hour. People will have time to pray and get back to work.”

Bulgherini added there is an absolute and critical need for prayer in the nation.

“America was founded in prayer. We have grown and strengthened through prayer. Especially during this time of elections, finite man needs to bring our prayers to Someone greater than ourselves,” she said.

According to their Web site, The National Day of Prayer Task Force’s mission is to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: government, military, media, business, education, church and family.