The ministers who are organizing the event will lead an anticipated 1,000 people in laying 6,000 yellow roses at the memorial to represent the dead and missing.

The 1 p.m. gathering is sponsored by several ministries, including Washington-based Faith and Action, a politically conservative, 50,000-member organization that encourages pastors to be involved in politics. Other sponsors are the National Association of Evangelicals (nae), which has 51 member denominations, and Creation Festivals, which sponsors Christian pop music events.

Richard Cizik, acting director of the nae, says prayer and praise will be the focus.

"The world has a spiritual vacuum that needs to be filled," he says. "This kind of need needs to be answered by a spiritual response."

Rob Schenck, president of Faith and Action, says people of all faiths will be welcome at the gathering, but the prayers will be Christian.

"The interreligious services have been very positive and a very good thing," Schenck says, "[but] there is a difference between services where prayers are offered in many ways and in many names, and our biblical mandate to pray in the name of Jesus."

"We want to really call up the people of God to intercede for our leaders," says Harry L. Thomas Jr., director of Creation Festivals. "It's also a time for the churches to be there, to reach people with the gospel." Creation Festivals donated the roses for the event, and Thomas will pray over them before they are laid at the memorial.

Schenck says the service will allow people to observe the passing of a month since the September 11 attacks, and ...