Prominent Minnesota minister The Rev. Peg Chemberlin is leading an effort by a diverse array of national religious leaders, who are calling on Americans to pray for more civility in politics.

The nonpartisan group Faith & Politics Institute on Thursday announced the "18 days of Prayer for the Nation" with faith leaders, denominational and organizational leaders and all Americans, "concerned that excessive political polarization is harming America," according to a released statement from the group.

The prayer commitment is for Jan. 3, the first day of the new Congress, to Jan. 21, the day of the president's inauguration.

Chemberlin, executive director of Minnesota Council of Churches and immediate past president of the National Council of Churches, is one of the faith leaders leading the 18 days of Prayer for the Nation effort.

Both conservative and left-leaning faith leaders have signed on to the effort, including Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Richard Land of the Southern Baptists' Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and Richard Cizik, president of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good.

All can sign the pledge at http://test.fpirsvp.org/galleries/call-for-prayer/ to join the prayer effort.