Dozens of prayer-minded folks will be gathering in front of the Island County Courthouse next week to participate in an event that has become a yearly tradition on Whidbey Island.

The ceremony scheduled on the steps of the county campus in Coupeville is just one of three scheduled on north and central Whidbey Island in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer.

This year’s theme is “Pray for America” and the Bible verse for the 2013 Day of Prayer is Matthew 12:21(NIV), which states “In His name the nations will put their hope.”

Volunteer Jacque Hidreth, who is part of a 16-member committee organizing the National Day of Prayer events on Whidbey Island, said people attending pray for seven areas — school, family, military, church, government, media and business.

Daybreak, a trio out of Oak Harbor, will perform religious and patriotic music during Coupeville’s ceremony and the Oak Harbor NJROTC will send a color guard.

Like the 2012 event, a couple of participants will blow a shofar, which is a ram’s horn. The shofar is traditionally used in Jewish Rosh Hashanah morning services.

Coupeville’s event takes place at 12:15 p.m., Thursday May 2.

In addition, a community prayer rally takes place at 5:30 p.m. at the Windjammer Park Gazebo. Hidreth said the evening event will be similar to the Coupeville ceremony. Music will be provided by Lance Gibbon and a youth band from Living Word Fellowship.

National Day of Prayer kicks off with a prayer gathering at Concordia Lutheran Church, located at 590 N. Oak Harbor Road.