Today was the 56th annual National Day of Prayer.  During my lunchtime, I joined others for a gathering at the Washington State Capitol steps for prayer.  In this time of increasing unrest worldwide with wars and senseless killings in schools, it seems appropriate that the people of our state and our nation should turn to God in prayer.  I am thankful that I live in a country which still recognizes that neither the people nor the government are the final authority on matters of moral conscience.  Ultimately, we are all answerable to God, the sourcfe of all morality.  Both President Bush and Governor Gregoire issued proclamations for an official day of prayer to be recognized in our land.



I didn't have much time over lunch to spend at the Capitol today, but I was very blessed to have participated in another event, a prelude to the National Day of Prayer, on Monday evening.  Called a Concert of Prayer, it was a wonderful time of singing, praying, and reflecting on God's blessings in our lives and our own state.  A wide variety of talent was on hand to lead us into this week, preparing for the officially proclaimed day of prayer today.  The acoustics inside the Capitol building were excellent, echoing and resonating like a great cathedral.  It was not the best for the speeches, but it was wonderful for the songs.



The program started with the blowing of a shofar and then Amazing Grace played by two brothers on bagpipes.  It was quite a sound, eerily beautiful.  The Star Spangled Banner and Pledge of Allegiance were next, followed by a reading of the Ten Commandments.  We were welcomed by Tim Taylor, Washington State NDP Coordinator who also offered a prayer of confession, repentance and revival.



Then we were treated to a selection of songs by a children's choir, led by Susan Shoemaker and Mrs. Nakhla.  It was fun to see children from my church in the choir and even a scripture recitation by Brooke Parsons.  The children did a fine job, sounding quite professional.



The rotunda was filled with people who had come to hear and be a part of this Concert of Prayer, sitting and standing at all levels, looking down from every balcony.  Having not been in the Capitol buildings since my school days, I was awed by the aesthetic grandeur of this structure.  I felt proud to have such a magnificent building representing our state.



Completed in 1928 after six years of construction, it has the fourth tallest masonry dome in the world, rising 287 feet high.  It has withstood three major earthquakes, in 1949, 1965, and most recently the Nisqually Earthquake of 2001.  Although damage was sustained in each earthquake, the excellent structural design and superior craftsmanship, held the building together.  Seismic upgrades after each quake have further helped ensure the integrity of the building.

Before the 2001 earthquake, the capitol dome, weighing 26,000 metric tons, was not held in place by any bolts or fasteners, but by gravity alone. During an earthquake, the dome could shift, along with the sandstone columns supporting it. The columns moved up to three inches during the Nisqually quake. Renovations completed in 2004 permanently fixed the dome to the rest of the building.



One of the truly special treats of the evening was hearing from several groups of Russian and Ukrainian church choirs.  These people especially have an appreciation for the freedoms of this country, particularly the freedom of religion which once was fairly non-existent in their countries.  Above you can see one of the choirs which treated us to several delightful songs of praise to God in their native language.  Their voices blended beautifully and echoed through the halls and corridors of the capitol building in a way that seemed symbolically to be lifting up to heaven.  I could kind of understand what singing in the great cathedrals of the world might be like.

The evening ended with a lovely rendition of The Lord's Prayer by Samantha Ordos and then a final blowing of the shofar, which you can see in the above photo if you look carefully in the middle.  I am so pleased that I was able to take part in this celebration of praise to God right here in our state capitol during this special week of focus on prayer for our state and our nation.

Tags: concert
Current Location: Olympia, WA