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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAJOR EVENT CELEBRATES RHODE ISLAND AT WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL WASHINGTON - The principles of tolerance that marked the establishment of the first Rhode Island settlement 366 years ago were celebrated on June 9 at a special worship service at Washington National Cathedral. An estimated 975 worshipers marked Rhode Island State Day at the landmark house of prayer, including close to 100 pilgrims from the state and Rhode Islanders who live in the Washington area. The Rev. James Miller, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Providence, delivered the sermon and invoked Roger Williams, who founded the Providence settlement in 1636 as a haven for those persecuted for their faith. Williams also founded the First Baptist Church in 1638, making it the oldest Baptist church in America. Williams "bequeathed to our nation the sacred religious and constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and the principals of separation of church and state," Miller said. "Those convictions marshaled creative forces that drove our new democracy." Washington National Cathedral, in seeking to fulfill its outreach mission, sets aside one major state day each month. The National Cathedral Association organized Rhode Island State Day, inviting religious and political leaders and parishioners from around the state to take part in the service and a celebration afterwards. Stephanie Chafee, wife of Sen. Lincoln Chafee, and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian read Scripture. Chafee was accompanied by her mother, Sophie Danforth, and her children Louisa, 10, and Caleb, 8. Acolytes and parishioners from St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, St. John’s Church in Barrington and the Church of the Ascension in Wakefield carried their parish banners in the opening processional. Sean Spicer, a Barrington native now president of the Rhode Island State Society in Washington, carried the state flag in the processional and placed it on the chancel steps where it will remain through the week to further recognize the state. "A refuge from religious persecution is what brought Rhode Island into existence. In a similar way, America’s need for a national house of prayer for all people is what gave rise to the National Cathedral," said Ray Foote, a senior director at the Cathedral. Foote continued "the Rhode Islanders who traveled here for this service are modern day pilgrims who, like their predecessors, value the opportunity to worship in a place that professes its beliefs while acknowledging other faiths." Rhode Islanders played key roles throughout the service. James and Martha Peters of Bristol, Charlotte Tracy of Bristol, Joan Harper of Barrington and Eileen Newell of Barrington, carried gifts to the altar during the service offertory. Members of the Rhode Island State Society also attended. After the service, the National Cathedral Association hosted a reception in the Pilgrim Observatory Gallery for Rhode Island visitors. Ray Foote and Dennis Fruitt, Washington National Cathedral executive director for external relations, presented pins signifying National Cathedral Association membership to Scott Avedesian, Stephanie Chafee and Rev. Miller. Monty Burnham, a Rhode Island native now living in Washington, read a proclamation from Gov. Lincoln Almond declaring it National Cathedral Day in the state. "This beautiful cathedral is a marvelous example of the determination of those individuals committed to preserving peace, morals and the fellowship of mankind," the governor said. Following the reception, guides conducted special tours, pointing out to the Rhode Island visitors how their state is represented in the stone and glass of the cathedral, the sixth-largest in the world. "The National Cathedral Association and its 13,000 members from across the nation salute Rhode Island on their special day in the National Cathedral," said Foote. ATTN PRINT MEDIA: If you desire e-mail transmission of this account and/or photos sent as JPEG attachments please contact Greg Rixon at the number above. Also, print-quality photos of Washington National Cathedral are available on our Website, www.cathedral.org/cathedral. Click on "Cathedral News." |