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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Elizabeth Mullen |
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TEXAS TO BE HONORED AT SPECIAL SERVICE PLEASE NOTE: Singer-songwriter Ms. Sheryl Crow will not be participating as originally planned. WASHINGTON – Texans from throughout the state will converge on Washington National Cathedral on April 22 for a special worship celebration. An 87-voice festival choir whose members were recruited from a dozen Lone Star communities will be spotlighted at an 11 am service recognizing Texas State Day at the landmark house of prayer. The Dallas Baptist University Chorale will offer a choral prelude to the 4 pm Texas State Day service of Evensong. Texans will play key roles at the Cathedral’s morning celebration including reading Scripture, bearing communion elements and offering up gifts to the poor. An estimated 300 visitors from the state are expected. Texas celebrations, which draw large numbers of pilgrims from the state as well as natives who now live and work in the Washington area, have been among the most noteworthy at the National Cathedral. “The Cathedral community invites all from Texas to participate in this special day,” said Vanessa Andrews, director of the National Cathedral Association, which is organizing the service. “Since 1899, when the association was founded, we have recognized that the strength of the National Cathedral is the citizens from across our nation who helped build this place, and who enliven it daily by worshiping here.” The Right Rev. C. Wallis Ohl of Lubbock, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas, will be the chief celebrant. The Very Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III, dean of Washington National Cathedral, will deliver the sermon. The festival choir specially assembled for the Cathedral event will feature members from Episcopal churches in Houston, Richmond, Waco, Austin, College Station, Bryan, Tomball, Atascocita, Sealy, Liberty and Brenham. It will be conducted by Julia Hall of Tomball, and Dr. David Stevens of Austin. The 25-minute performance that will serve as a prelude to worship will feature composition from Texas composers David Ashley White and Robert Young. Afterwards, guides will lead guests on a special tour of the Cathedral, the sixth-largest in the world. The tour will highlight references to Texas such as the iron gates between the north and south crypt aisles that were designed and fabricated by Voss Metal Works of San Antonio. “As a national house of prayer for all people, the Cathedral opens its doors to all. On April 22, we especially welcome Texas citizens as we honor their contributions to our nation,” Andrews said. “Texas Major State Day will be an energetic celebration of the role the state plays in the life of the Cathedral and our nation.” The National Cathedral Association, the organization of friends of Washington National Cathedral, has 14,000 members from many denominations in every state and around the world. Its regional volunteer leader in Texas is Dorothy Knox Houghton of Houston.
ATTN PRINT MEDIA: An account of the celebration and photos from the event will be available on April 23. If you desire e-mail transmission of this account and/or photos sent as JPEG attachments please contact Elizabeth Mullen at the number above. Available on the web site are print-quality photos of Washington National Cathedral (you may also click “News” then “Photos for Print” at www.nationalcathedral.org.) | |