Washington, DC, December 30, 2006
New Jersey Major State Day
New Jersey to be Honored at Special Service at Washington National Cathedral
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WASHINGTON – On January 21, 2007, New Jersey leaders and citizens will be celebrated at a special worship service at Washington National Cathedral. Pilgrims from the state and natives now living in the nation’s capital will gather at the majestic house of prayer for this major event.
The ChildrenSong of New Jersey choir, from Haddonfield, will be featured performing a choral prelude to the cathedral’s 11 a.m. service marking New Jersey State Day.
New Jerseyans will play key roles in the service including reading Scripture, bearing communion elements and offering up gifts to the poor. Youths will march in the grand opening procession carrying banners representing their congregations from home.
The state flag will be carried in the procession and placed on the chancel steps in the Cathedral for the following week in further recognition of the people of New Jersey.
The Right Rev. George E. Councell, bishop of the Episcopal diocese of New Jersey, will preside at the service.
As part of its national ministry, Washington National Cathedral offers prayers for the people and leaders of each state annually. The Cathedral, which hosts state funerals and other events of national significance, honors each state with a major observance once every four years.
“The National Cathedral Association invites all from New Jersey to participate in this special day,” said Vanessa Andrews, director of the National Cathedral Association, which is organizing the event. “Since 1899, when the association was founded, we have recognized that the strength of the National Cathedral is the citizens from across our nation who helped build this place, and who enliven it daily by worshiping here.”
The ChildrenSong choir will be led by director Polly Murray. The program serves children between the ages of 7 and 16 in Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties. Its mission is to provide music instruction with the goal of attaining the highest level of excellence in choral music performance.
Afterwards, guides will lead guests on special tours of the cathedral, the sixth-largest in the world. The tour will highlight references to New Jersey, including the tomb of President Woodrow Wilson, on which is carved the state flower, the state seal and the seal of Princeton University. Additionally, needlepoint kneelers in St. John’s Chapel honor President Grover Cleveland, Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein.
“As a national house of prayer for all people, the Cathedral opens its doors to all. On January 21, we especially welcome New Jersey citizens as we honor their contributions to our nation,” Andrews said. “New Jersey State Day will be an energetic celebration of the role the state plays in the life of the Cathedral and our nation.”
The National Cathedral Association, the organization of friends of Washington National Cathedral, has 14,000 members from many denominations in every state and around the world. Its regional volunteer leader in New Jersey is the Rev. David E. VanSciver of Southampton.
ATTN PRINT MEDIA: An account of the celebration and photos from the event will be available on January 22. If you desire e-mail transmission of this account and/or photos sent as JPEG attachments please contact Elizabeth Mullen at the number above. Available on the web site are print-quality photos of Washington National Cathedral (you may also click “News” then “Photos for Print” at www.nationalcathedral.org.)
SOURCE: Washington National Cathedral