Copyright 2005 Ben S. Pollock
Thursday, May 5, 2005. I attended one of the things I thought I’d never see, a National Day of Prayer service at noon today. I participated in one of the sets. As a member of the Bella Vista Recorder Consort, I played on tenor recorder a traditional “Grace” melody and some Bach airs at the conclusion of the worship at Fay Jones’ Cooper Chapel.
It was not bad. It was no more and no less than a straightforward Protestant service praying for the country. It, the Benton County service I attended, was not a left-baiting wrapped-in-the-flag sermon. It was as Protestants call it ecumenical and nondenominational, so no Jews, Catholics or Muslims. One Asian woman but no black or brown people. The main Scripture was the 107th Psalm, and the prayers were sincere and neutral.
Besides the leaders, the military, and families and children overall, the media and the economy were also deliberate foci. The media prayer was for fair and accurate reporting, and for responsible entertainers (mass media not just news media). Hard to mock that.
This year’s theme — I saw it on the national Web site, too — was “God Shed His Grace on Thee,” a line of course from “America the Beautiful,” which we sang toward the end.
It gave me an image: a Godshed, like a woodshed or tool shed. How big would it be? Does God work in a Godshed or does God store stuff in a Godshed? What exactly would be in it? Would it need sweeping out like my sheds always have? -30-
