|
July 17, 2005 |
Contact: Elizabeth Mullen |
|
GEORGIANS CELEBRATE AT SPECIAL SERVICE WASHINGTON – Close to 1,000 worshipers gathered at the landmark Washington National Cathedral on July 17 for Georgia State Day, a worship service celebrating the people and leaders of the Peach State More than 250 people traveled from Georgia or were natives of the state now living in the Washington area. Church and political leaders played key roles at the event. The Rev. Joanna M. Adams, pastor of Morningside Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, delivered the sermon as guest preacher. The Right Rev. Henry I. Louttit, bishop of the Savannah-based Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, celebrated the Eucharist. The combined choirs from St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Columbus and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of LaGrange performed a half-hour musical prelude. Participants from other parts of Georgia also took part in the event at Washington National Cathedral, where the nation has celebrated presidential inaugurals, mourned the death of leaders at state funerals and marked tragedies like the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Washington National Cathedral sponsors a high-profile state program each month, with each state spotlighted roughly every four years Adams spoke to the congregation from the historic Canterbury Pulpit, from where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his last Sunday sermon. She urged the congregation to ponder the parable in which an enemy sows weeds amidst a farmer’s wheat, a lesson that Christ told to show how God will separate sinners from the faithful at Judgment Day. Adams said it is can be difficult to distinguish weeds from wheat—good people from bad ones—when most people are a bit of both and God can change them as well. She decried terrorists who take it upon themselves to decide in the name of religion who should live or die by that measure. The 55 singers from Columbus and LaGrange selected a program of Georgia-flavored spirituals and psalms, one written by H. Hamilton Smith, an Atlanta composer. St. Thomas choir director Rick McKnight said singers had tears in their eyes after the performance, which was greeted by applause from the congregation and praise from cathedral leaders afterwards. “It was a tremendous community builder for us and for our congregation,” a joyful McKnight said afterwards. About 100 members of the two small parishes traveled to Washington. Other Georgians played roles at the service. Brent Taylor of Saint Simons Island, read Scripture. Tuyet Tran of Morrow, Marquette McKnight of Columbus, Eston and Peggy Ann Melton of Clayton, delivered gifts to the altar as oblation bearers. Annabelle Coyne, 6, and Madelyn Coyne, 5, of Athens, also served as oblation bearers. U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, who served as Georgia flag-bearer at the service, congratulated participants in Georgia State Day. “In our area, I tell my colleagues in Congress we believe in God, country, work and family,” Bishop said. “Those are our values and certainly this day has represented that.”
ATTN PRINT MEDIA: If you desire e-mail transmission of this account and/or photos sent as JPEG attachments please contact Elizabeth Mullen at the number above. Also, print-quality photos of Washington National Cathedral are available on our website, www.cathedral.org/cathedral. Click on “News.” | |