Saturday, January 17, 2009

News from the Inaugural Front


I'm sitting here watching the news reports of the "Obama Express" heading to Washington DC. As I just shared with a colleague: getting weepy over two guys on a train platform doesn't bode well for my Kleenex conservation over the next 72 hours!

And I'm not the only one. Millions will jam the Washington Mall to be part of the historic events and the rest of us will watch, listen, TIVO or podcast this new beginning for all of us. And right there in the thick of it will be our own Bishop of New Hampshire ... who sent this missive via email early this morning:

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Dear Friends,

Well, in a few hours we'll be off to Washington for the inauguration. Here are a few items that might be of interest. Please feel free to share them with whomever you deem appropriate:


1. I will be blogging from Washington, using my summer's blogspot: "Tales From the Fringe" (Perhaps this should be renamed "Tales from Closer to the Center" but I didn't have time!)

2. Sunday's opening inaugural event at the Lincoln Memorial will be taped by HBO. What I DO know is that HBO will be airing it on Sunday evening -- and the signal will be available to EVERYONE, WHETHER OR NOT you are a subscriber to HBO!

3. The text of my inaugural event prayer will be available on our diocesan website on Sunday afternoon.

4. On Tuesday night, after attending the LGBT ball, sponsored by HRC and others, I will be Jon Stewart's guest on The Daily Show, a special live-from-Washington edition. At least here in the East, it is broadcast at 11:00pm on the Comedy Channel, and then rebroadcast the next night. Check local listings.

This promises to be an awesomely wonderful time. I am so honored and humbled to be so included. The President Elect has invited me to attend a small, private worship service on the morning of the inauguration, to attend the swearing in/inauguration itself, to view the parade from the Presidential viewing stand, and to attend the National Prayer Service at National Cathedral on Wednesday.

I hope that through these invitations, in some small way, ALL of you will feel included in these events by our next president.

Please pray for me as I undertake this awesome honor. I hope to do us and the Episcopal Church proud!

+Gene
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You've already made us proud, +Gene! Now go keep warm, have some fun and thanks for keeping us so "in the loop!"

4 comments:

Cany said...

Dang it all. I don't have TV... any news if it will be on the web?

Joan K said...

I'm watching HBO live and they didn't show it. Turns out the event started at 2 PM and HBO started broadcasting at 2:30. NPR was broadcasting it live but I didn't learn it till after the fact.

hennypenny said...

I spent all day trying to watch the webcast on HBO.com because I also don't have TV. I kept thinking I must have missed the prayer because it wasn't loading fast enough. But at Queers United blogspot they said that the prayer was given before the Obama and Biden were even seated and that they purposely didn't broadcast it as did CNN, CBS, or MSNBC. In fact the speakers seemed to go out just during the prayer so I'm wondering if anyone heard it. I read the text and was so moved. I'm sure that Rick Warren's prayer will be broadcast without any difficulty. How is this not intentional?

Mary Beth said...

I'm so disappointed. I watched it on HBO AND taped it so I could be sure to see it. No such luck. I'm writing them.