National Day

Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. At 11 a.m., services will begin at Naylor's Run Park, Garrett Road, Upper Darby. At 11:30 a.m., the celebration will begin at Rose Tree Park, Providence Road, Media. Services will also be held at 7 p.m. at Grace Community United Methodist Church, Chester; 7:30 p.m. at Proclamation Presbyterian Church, Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr; and at 7:30 p.m. at Park Square, 10th and Prospect Streets, Prospect Park. The First Baptist Church of Oakeola, 600 Oak Lane, Glenolden, will hold a revival at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Two local events highlight the "National Day of Prayer," which will be observed tomorrow: From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow, the day will be commemorated with prayers and music at Rose Tree Park, Route 252, just north of Media in Upper Providence Township. Local pastors invited to speak that day include the Rev. Manuel Avila, retired pastor of Springfield Baptist Church; the Rev. John Francis, Christ Church, Media; the Rev. Jonathan Miller, Manoa Presbyterian Church, Havertown; the Rev. Salvatore M. Riccio, St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, Springfield, and the Rev. Douglas Scalise, Prospect Hill Baptist Church, Prospect Park.

Kevin Ferris is a member of The Inquirer Editorial Board Some thoughts and hopes on this National Day of Prayer and Remembrance: That peace be granted to those who have suffered so much in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and comfort to the many who grieve for loved ones. That the prayers of all those families divided by tragedy, scattered in shelters and homes around the country, are answered. That the displaced continue to be treated with the utmost respect, dignity and decency.

Donna Hepner's words reached only the two dozen people in a small, spare chapel in Guthriesville yesterday, but her thoughts echoed across the nation. "Our prayers go out today to those families whose faces we see in the newspapers and on television in Kosovo, in Littleton, and in Oklahoma and Kansas," said Hepner, director of children's ministries at Hopewell United Methodist Church. On the 48th National Day of Prayer, the tragic events in Kosovo and Littleton occupied the minds of worshippers who gathered across Chester County - in churches, a catering hall and in a local park - to ask for an end to the suffering.

Rick Orlando's prayer life rarely ceases. At any one time, the Broomall salesman is involved in upward of four prayer groups. He prays alone, with friends, with co-workers, with church members and with his family. He prays during gatherings that integrate prayer with Bible study, fasting, the charismatic gifts of the Spirit, and long walks. Praying, he says, often seems like the only thing he can do. "You look around at Oklahoma, the killings, the wars, the earthquakes, the children dying, the reports of it. It's rampant . . . " said Orlando, 32, a member of Covenant Fellowship Church in Newtown Square.

Mo Redding (left) and Gerri Ameri dig trash out of the crevices of Roxborough High School's bleachers yesterday as part of the National Day of Service and Community Building. The cleanup was sponsored by Barbera Dodge.

A clergy member speaks during the "Liberty Prayer Alert" at the Judge Lewis Quadrangle in Center City. The event was part of the National Day of Prayer, which was yesterday. At the quadrangle, a dozen clergy members of various faiths spoke during the two-hour service.

Penn's Landing was turned into a piece of Italy yesterday in celebration of the National Day of the Republic of Italy. The event, which began in the afternoon and stretched into the evening, featured music from opera to folk tunes, as well as dancing, theater and Italian food.

An observance in Independence Mall of the National Day of Prayer centered on this theme: "Heal Our Land. " The day, which was set aside for Americans to pause, reflect and pray, has been observed the first Thursday in May since 1988.

Amis Trattoria 412 S. 13th St. 215-732-2647   Bibou 1009 S. 8th St. 215-767-0731 biboubyob.com Bistrot La Minette 623 S. 6th St. 215-925-8000 bistrotlaminette.com Caribou Café 1126 Walnut St. 215-625-9535 cariboucafe.com   Creperie Beau Monde 624 S. 6th St. 215-592-0656 creperie-beaumonde.com ...

All aboard as Amtrak celebrates the 5th annual National Train Day on Saturday at 30th Street Station. The Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale will perform at 11 a.m. During the celebration, kids can rock out at the celebration's Ernie and Neal concert and also visit the AmtraKids Depot, where there will be giveaways and prizes. Visitors can take tours of private trains and Amtrak equipment. Amtrak ambassadors will discuss their experiences working with the trains. French chef Michael Richard will give cooking demonstrations.

Arnett Woodall heard that a crowd was poised to converge on his West Phillie Produce store Friday, and was greatly relieved to learn it was a mob of the carrot variety. A carrotmob is a good thing, especially when it marks the first National Food Day. But if the term carrotmob is strange and new, National Food Day - Monday - probably is too. A project of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, National Food Day celebrates the changed place of healthy food in the national consciousness.

GROVE CITY, Pa. - The faithful gathered for the National Day of Prayer in Grove City. "I'm strengthened and humbled by the show of support here," said Josh Click, a chiropractor who prayed for businesses at Thursday's gathering at Grove City Memorial Park. The tiny town lies about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh. "I believe the core values of business are the same as being a Christian: humbleness, thoughtfulness, trusting and serving Him. When we serve God, we honor and glorify him. " The people at the gathering wanted to glorify God in other areas as well.

In honor of National Pretzel Day - for real - Philly Pretzel Factory is handing out free soft pretzels today at its more than 100 locations. Sixty are in Pennsylvania, 38 in New Jersey, with a handful in Delaware, and one or two in five other states. Locations can be found at www.phillysoftpretzelfactory.com/#/locations . No purchase necessary, the company says. Lancaster pretzel-maker H.K. Anderson also has a kind of giveaway. "The contest is simple," says spokesman Steve Robinson.

MADISON, Wis. - A federal appeals court Thursday threw out a ruling that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional and ordered the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging President Obama's right to proclaim the day. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group of atheists and agnostics, did not have standing to sue because the proclamation had not caused...

Every Thanksgiving, Grandfather gets up from the table and spends the afternoon at the piano, singing folk songs from the old country. Did you ever wonder what memories the music unlocks? Did you ever ask him? The days surrounding Thanksgiving, when many a far-flung family draws near, are an opportune time to turn on a recording device and invite relatives to share stories from their lives. That's the annual reminder from StoryCorps, a national oral history project that since 2008 has designated the day after Thanksgiving as a "National Day of Listening.

By the time the "sweet pudding of native corn" makes its appearance, delivered by period-costumed servers in brightly colored, flowing wool skirts and breeches, there could be little doubt as to how a 17th-century Pilgrim banquet, commonly known as a "groaning board," got its name. Preceding it was a sallet (salad), mussels, sauc'd turkey, and a pottage of cabbage, leeks, and onions. Still to come are the stewed pompion (pumpkin), a chine of pork, fricassee of fish, cheesecake, a charger of Holland cheese, and fruit, plus the evening's entertainment - hymns, communal rounds, and jovial wordplay.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks are being remembered today with a variety of observances and events throughout the region. Some are calling it a "National Day of Service and Remembrance" and others using the term "Patriot Day," although some form of the date - like 9/11 - is most widely recognized. The city also is calling today "PhillyServes Day," with many nonprofit groups spreading the word about opportunities to volunteer. At City Hall, a volunteer fair is underway until 2 p.m. Non-profit and government organizations such as the Salvation Army, the city Department on Aging and the the Committee of 70 set up tables in the covered passageways after rain spoiled plans to hold the fair in the City Hall courtyard.

A few weeks after the March presidential primaries, Darlene Atta had a feeling. Barack Obama had won a string of state primaries and was besting the mighty Hillary Rodham Clinton. It could happen, Atta thought. Obama could very well become the next president of the United States, the first African American to hold the title of commander-in-chief. It was that belief in the historically impossible, and her memory of a time when blacks couldn't even drive buses in her native Chester County, that drove Atta to book a hotel room so she could attend the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20. "I just felt a sense of excitement," explained Atta, 60, an adjunct professor of urban studies at Eastern University's Philadelphia campus.