Thursday is National Day of Prayer and members of the Natchez Ministerial Alliance plan to honor the day with prayer at specified locations at certain times of the day.

The alliance also will host its traditional prayer walk through Downtown Natchez later in the evening beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is Unity: Making Every Effort to Keep the Unity of the Spirit through the Bond of Peace. The Central verse is Ephesians 4:3.

The day will begin at 7 a.m. at the bandstand gazebo on the bluff. Members, and any guests who wish to join them, will meet in prayer for roughly 30 minutes.

At noon, the group will meet on the steps of the Adams County courthouse, on Wall Street, to pray. They will stay at that location about 45 minutes, at which time, various ministers will pray for different concerns after the Rev. Scott Green says the opening prayer and The Mount Sinai Choir performs musical selections under the direction of Tony Fields.

The Rev. Clifton Marvel said he will pray for government; the Rev. Bo Swilley said he will pray for the military; the Rev. Bill Barksdale said he will pray for media arts; the Rev. Marcus Archer said he will pray for business and Tony Fields said he will pray for education.

Later in the evening, Ministerial Alliance members and all guests will participate in the traditional prayer walk. Participants will walk to various locations of Downtown Natchez, which serve as symbols of various areas in need of prayer including business, education, government and others.

The prayer walk will begin at the bandstand gazebo and travel up State Street where the Rev. Scott Green will lead the group in a prayer for unity, repentance and reconciliation outside of the William Johnson House.

The group will proceed to City Hall, on Commerce Street, where Pete Mills will pray for government, both locally and nationally.

Next, the group will walk to Main Street where they will travel to Memorial Park, behind St. Mary’s and the Rev. Linda Fox said she will pray for the nation’s families and those in the military.

The Rev. Bo Swilley will lead the group in prayer for businesses along Union and Franklin streets.

The Rev. Robert Wallace will next lead the group in prayer for church and education outside of Jefferson Street United Methodist Church.

The group will travel back toward the Natchez Bluff on Jefferson Street and stop just outside of the Natchez City Auditorium where the Rev. Renae Loy will lead the group in prayer for media arts.

Prayers will also be offered for music and unity in America and the church, by the Rev. Marcus Archer; prayer for unity in families, the workplace, communities and cities, by the Rev. Linda Fox; prayer for unity among all ethnicities and people by the Rev. Renae Loy and prayer for unity in prayer for the next spiritual awakening by the Rev. Scott Green.

In the event of rain, the group will meet in the City Council Chamber building, across from City Hall, on Pearl Street.

Also, Women of Worship of Natchez are inviting all who are interested to join them in fasting for the day which will conclude with a time of prayer at the house of one of their members, Cheryl Givens, 4 Club Drive in Beau Pre. This will take place for 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Women of Worship is an organization of diverse Christian women in the Miss-Lou. Their goal is to bring events to the community so women can learn about and worship God together.

Givens said they want people to participate in the day with them.

“Our purpose is unifying women of Christ across denominational and racial lines to worship study and serve Christ together” Givens said. “This is based on the scripture found in Ephesians.”