A national prayer service is scheduled to be held at the National Cathedral on Jan. 21, the day after the presidential inauguration. Today's New York Times reports that president-elect Barack Obama has selected Sharon E. Watkins, president and general minister of the comparatively small, liberal-leaning, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) denomination to deliver the sermon at the service. Watkins came to Obama's attention when she delivered an inclusive closing prayer at a meeting he held during the campaign with a diverse group of clergy.
UPDATE: AP reported on Jan. 14 on other participants scheduled to deliver prayers at the National Cathedral national prayer service: (1) Ingrid Mattson, the first woman president of the Islamic Society of North America; (2) rabbis representing the three major branches of American Judaism-- Reform Rabbi David Saperstein, Conservative Rabbi Jerome Epstein and Orthodox Rabbi Haskel Lookstein; and (3) Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, the Most Rev. Donald Wuerl. Also Obama will follow the tradition of many presidents-elect and will attend a service at St. John's Church in Washington's Lafayette Square before the inauguration ceremony. St. John's is known as the "Church of the Presidents." The Washington Post (1/14) reviews the tradition of all presidents since Franklin Roosevelt (except Richard Nixon) attending a service at somewhere in D.C. on inauguration day morning.
