HARMONY — Residents, officials and religious leaders gathered Thursday morning for the Harmony/Zelienople Ministerium's 14th annual National Day of Prayer breakfast at Grace Church of Harmony.

Attendees — including county commissioners, borough mayors, pastors, deacons and residents — dropped by the breakfast to mingle and pray for the residents of Butler County.

The breakfast began with a recital of “My Country Tis Of Thee” by the Seneca Valley Evans City Middle School String Ensemble.

After breakfast, attendees prayed by table with intermittent room-wide prayers by pastors and deacons. Time was split into prayers for segments of the population, covering everyone from local, state and federal officials to those in material and spiritual need.

Pastor Reid Moon said the breakfast is held every year to pray for the nation's citizens and leaders, regardless of whether they're in agreement.

“The Scriptures command us to pray for our leaders,” Moon said. “And here's the thing, it doesn't matter who's in control of the government ... In our 14 years, we pray for our leaders, regardless of political party.”

He said when that command was given to first-century Christians, those leaders included Caesars at the head of a hostile Roman Empire, yet Christians were still told to pray for them.

Don Pepe, deacon and Zelienople Borough manager, said prayer events are important, both to remind attendees of the work they are striving to accomplish as well as to bring them together in prayer.

“It's important for us to pray together because together we have strength,” Pepe said. “And it's important to remember that.”

Around 8:30 a.m., Moon led those gathered in the closing hymn, “Eternal Father Strong To Save.”

Moon explained that the National Day of Prayer brings people together from across the nation to pray, and that this event allows Grace Church of Harmony to do its part.

“So, we call our community leaders together and our pastors to pray for the area,” he said.