Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life groups are moving ahead with organizational efforts for protests at the Democratic convention this summer where one of two ardently pro-abortion candidates will accept the party's nomination for president. The groups are awaiting word from the city of Denver on how the protests will be handled.

Today, city officials will hold a lottery to determine the availability of downtown parks for different organizations during the convention.

That will determine where and how the pro-life organizations can hold their large prayer vigils, demonstrations, rallies and concerts throughout the city during the political event.

The groups, including Survivors and the Christian Defense Coalition, call their pro-life protests the "Prayer for Change" and they plan a news conference later today in response to the lottery results.

Danielle Versluys, the program director for Survivors, told LifeNews.com the groups will prayerfully and peacefully protest and they hope the events will lead to a change of hearts and minds among the mostly pro-abortion Democratic activists at the convention.

"It is our prayer that true change will come in 2008 -- that justice and mercy will return to our nation," she said.

The organizations hope "the innocent children of America will be protected from death by abortion, and mothers and fathers will be spared the horrible pain and suffering that accompanies the tragedy of abortion."

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, the director of the Christian Defense Coalition, agreed, but said the party is focused on the wrong kind of change.

"We are coming to Denver to bring a powerful message of change to the Democratic Party," he said.

"That message is Senator Clinton and Obama, end the war on America's children through abortion and stop this horrific violence against innocent human life," he said.

One of the events the groups have planned is to gather 1,500 people to surround the Pepsi Center, the site of the convention, with prayer for the Democratic Party to end abortion. Activists will leave roses on the ground as a reminder to stop abortions.

Versluys told LifeNews.com that her group wants to take the lead in defending free speech rights for those attending the Democratic convention.

"Peaceful prayer and witness in the public square are essential to our fight for justice in America, and we cannot let our rights be trampled at the expense of the children scheduled to die from abortion," she said.