Oxford will join thousands of individuals, communities and churches across the United States to honor the annual National Day of Prayer on May 1.

A prayer service will kick-off the day at 10 a.m. at the Burns Belfry Museum led by second-grade students from Regents School of Oxford.

At 11 a.m., there will be a free Fellowship Lunch at First Baptist Church of Oxford.

A Community Outdoor Service will be held following lunch at noon at the First Baptist Church Prayer Garden on the west lawn of the church. The rain location will be inside the FBC sanctuary.

The National Day of Prayer has been held on the first Thursday in May every year since 1952 and was created to encourage people of all faiths to pray for the nation.

In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer.  In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May.