My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions—or bury … — – Marine Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold, former director of operations at the Pentagon’s military joint staff, writing in Time magazine. Newbold resigned four months before the invasion of Iraq.
Ken Sehested
Hail, O human one, progeny of the stars’ dust enlivened by the Breath of the Most High. Stand and be accounted.
Do you enter the portal of Heaven’s presence with open hands and penitential heart? Or do you come to bargain?
Read more ›Compiled by Ken Sehested
Invocation. “The President Sang Amazing Grace.” —Joan Baez
Call to worship. “Don't go playing no shell game with God / Only Satan's going to give you odds / We're given love and love must be returned / That's all the bearings that you need to learn.” —“Starwheel,” Bruce Coburn
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Invocation. “Gabhaim Molta Bríghde” (“I Give Praise to Saint Brigid”). — Aoife Ní Fhearraigh (Scroll down to see the lyrics.)
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Read more ›Assembled by Ken Sehested
Invocation. “Within our darkest night, / You kindle the fire / that never dies away.” —“Within Our Darkest Night,” J. Berthier, Taizé
Call to worship. “Jesus is the reality of which Caesar is the parody." —N.T. Wright, New Testament scholar and Anglican bishop
Read more ›by Ken Sehested
I have a vivid memory of the exact moment. I was in seminary, having fled my native South to New York City to finish college and then seminary, embarrassed at being a Baptist, at being a white Southerner, and not entirely sure if I was a believer. But the God question wouldn’t go away.
A mighty wrestling match was underway in my soul, trying to come to terms with my adolescent “youth revival” preacher days. Neither the Civil Rights nor the anti-Vietnam War movements had disturbed my piously-furrowed brow.
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Ken Sehested
Invocation. “Sometimes I get so sad / Sometimes you just make me mad / It's a sad and beautiful world / It's a sad and beautiful world.” —“Sad and Beautiful World,” Mavis Staples
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“Between the wish and the thing the world lies waiting.”
—Cormac McCarthy, “All the Pretty Horses”
Invocation. “Keep your lamps trimmed and burning . . . / the day is drawing nigh. / Darker midnight lies before us . . . / the day is drawing nigh. / For the morning soon is breaking . . . / the day is drawing nigh. / Children, don't get weary / till your work is done.” —“Keep Your Lamps,” arr. André Thomas, combined choirs of Florida State University
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Invocation. “Dr. King received a message / As he sat there in his cell / In Birmingham Alabama / He had gone there to repel / The troubles in that city / For which it was well known / Though his message spoke of peace / Into the prison he was thrown / Pastors sent that message / Urging King to wait / They didn’t want his protest He wasn’t welcome in their state / History has taught us The Reverend understood / The bad get their power / From the silence of the good.” —Eric Mcfadden, “The Silence of the Good”
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Invocation. “O Holy Night.” —a minor-keyed version of the traditional Christmas carol by Ben Caplan
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