March 24, 2008 - At 6:25 a.m. Easter morning, I began the 45+ minute drive to Washington, DC to attend the early morning Easter service at the historic National Cathedral of Washington. Another WOW in my book! I had originally read about it in the latest issue of Southern Living, then spent a lot of time researching it online. With all my plans of attending on this great day, I had no idea that the preacher/priest for the early service was someone I knew and had grown up with his baby sister in Canton, MS!! What a small world. "The Very Reverend Samuel Lloyd, III" as he was listed on the program has come a long way since I used to spend time at his family home on Liberty Street. He was much older and away at college when I was around, but he amazingly looked the same!
I had only attended an Episcopal service once or twice in my life before, so it was a bit of a comfort to know that everything I was to say or do was right there in the program booklet we were given on the way into this magnificant, architectural wonder of a building. Like all the other obvious tourists, I was quickly snapping pictures both inside and out.
I thought I was in some cathedral in Europe, not right here in America! Simply amazing and beyond beautiful in every way. I was stopped by a local tv-camera man and asked a few questions about being there, etc, etc. Since I am not familiar with Washington tv stations, I didn't bother to try and catch my interview on it, nor did I think another thing about it. I was far too intrigued with the Cathedral and all its glory and anxious to find a good seat to hear "Sam", as I always knew him, tell of the great Easter story to the thousand or so people packed into this early service. On my way up the aisle, I passed ABC's newscaster, Sam Donnelson, standing there about to be seated. I nodded my head at him and smiled and he did the same. I thought to myself how neat is was that I was "sharing" in the same Easter service with such a nationally known newsperson. I am sure there were others, but he is the only one I saw. After all, this WAS Washington, DC I was visiting!
I had the pleasure of sitting next to an elderly couple from Tulsa, OK. They were in town sightseeing and were so nice to talk too. Of course, they thought I was too and we had a really nice visit while waiting on the service to begin. What a show it was for me. All the pomp and circumstance of royalty, with a lavish parade of "people of the church" entered through the back and proceeded to the front alter. Please note again, I know very little about the Episcipal faith or procedures of church, so I do not know the proper titles of all the different peopled that entered in front of The Very Dean Samuel Lloyd or the highly decorated Bishop of the church. It was quite interesting to watch and exciting too. Once "Sam" began his sermon, all the "fluff" was gone. It was just the same young man I knew all those years ago speaking as if he were across the table from me. He didn't talk a language of biblical verbage that was confusing to most common folk, but as normal as in everyday conversation. He spoke from the heart and touched on issues plaguing all Americans and the challenges we face as Christians.
Although I so missed being with my boys on Easter, I truly had a wonderful weekend and my spiritual batteries are back where they need to be. I hope to one day attend The National Cathedral again. Afterall, President Woodrow Wilson is buried on the grounds there; President Ford's funeral service was held there; and a young, smart Southern gentleman is presiding over some of the greatest services Washington will ever know! I highly recommend it to anyone touring the DC area in the future.
I had only attended an Episcopal service once or twice in my life before, so it was a bit of a comfort to know that everything I was to say or do was right there in the program booklet we were given on the way into this magnificant, architectural wonder of a building. Like all the other obvious tourists, I was quickly snapping pictures both inside and out.
I thought I was in some cathedral in Europe, not right here in America! Simply amazing and beyond beautiful in every way. I was stopped by a local tv-camera man and asked a few questions about being there, etc, etc. Since I am not familiar with Washington tv stations, I didn't bother to try and catch my interview on it, nor did I think another thing about it. I was far too intrigued with the Cathedral and all its glory and anxious to find a good seat to hear "Sam", as I always knew him, tell of the great Easter story to the thousand or so people packed into this early service. On my way up the aisle, I passed ABC's newscaster, Sam Donnelson, standing there about to be seated. I nodded my head at him and smiled and he did the same. I thought to myself how neat is was that I was "sharing" in the same Easter service with such a nationally known newsperson. I am sure there were others, but he is the only one I saw. After all, this WAS Washington, DC I was visiting!
I had the pleasure of sitting next to an elderly couple from Tulsa, OK. They were in town sightseeing and were so nice to talk too. Of course, they thought I was too and we had a really nice visit while waiting on the service to begin. What a show it was for me. All the pomp and circumstance of royalty, with a lavish parade of "people of the church" entered through the back and proceeded to the front alter. Please note again, I know very little about the Episcipal faith or procedures of church, so I do not know the proper titles of all the different peopled that entered in front of The Very Dean Samuel Lloyd or the highly decorated Bishop of the church. It was quite interesting to watch and exciting too. Once "Sam" began his sermon, all the "fluff" was gone. It was just the same young man I knew all those years ago speaking as if he were across the table from me. He didn't talk a language of biblical verbage that was confusing to most common folk, but as normal as in everyday conversation. He spoke from the heart and touched on issues plaguing all Americans and the challenges we face as Christians.
Although I so missed being with my boys on Easter, I truly had a wonderful weekend and my spiritual batteries are back where they need to be. I hope to one day attend The National Cathedral again. Afterall, President Woodrow Wilson is buried on the grounds there; President Ford's funeral service was held there; and a young, smart Southern gentleman is presiding over some of the greatest services Washington will ever know! I highly recommend it to anyone touring the DC area in the future.
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