[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Proclamation 7672 of April 30, 2003
 
National Day of Prayer, 2003

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

We are a Nation whose people turn to prayer in times of our most
heartfelt sorrow and our moments of greatest joy. On this National Day
of Prayer, first called for more than 225 years ago by the Continental
Congress, we come together to thank God for our Nation's many blessings,
to acknowledge our need for His wisdom and grace, and to ask Him to
continue to watch over our country in the days ahead.
America welcomes individuals of all backgrounds and religions, and our
citizens hold diverse beliefs. In prayer, we share the universal desire
to speak and listen to our Maker and to seek the plans He has for our
lives. We recognize the ways that He has blessed our land abundantly,
and we offer thanks for these gifts and for the generosity of our Nation
in helping those in need. We are grateful for our freedom, for God's
love, mercy, and forgiveness, and for a hope that will never be shaken.
Today, our Nation is strong and prosperous. Our Armed Forces have
achieved great success on the battlefield, but challenges still lie
ahead. Prayer will not make our path easy, yet prayer can give us
strength and hope for the journey.

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As we continue to fight against terror, we ask the Almighty to protect
all those who battle for freedom throughout the world and our brave men
and women in uniform, and we ask Him to shield innocents from harm. We
recognize the sacrifice of our military families and ask God to grant
them peace and strength. We will not forget the men and women who have
fallen in service to America and to the cause of freedom. We pray that
their loved ones will receive God's comfort and grace.
In this hour of history's calling, Americans are bowing humbly in
churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and in their own homes, in the
presence of the Almighty. This day, I ask our Nation to join me in
praying for the strength to meet the challenges before us, for the
wisdom to know and do what is right, for continued determination to work
towards making our society a more compassionate and decent place, and
for peace in the affairs of men.
The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has called on our
citizens to reaffirm the role of prayer in our society and to honor the
religious diversity our freedom permits by recognizing annually a
``National Day of Prayer.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2003, as a National Day of Prayer. I
ask the citizens of our Nation to pray, each after his or her own faith,
in thanksgiving for the freedoms and blessings we have received and for
God's continued guidance and protection. I also urge all Americans to
join in observing this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and
activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
seventh.
GEORGE W. BUSH