On this - the day after Senator Obama won the nomination - there are two article about the campaign worth looking at. First, the new issue of Newsweek has an article about religious leaders who gather each week by telephone to pray for Senator Obama and the nation. Here's a quick look at what they write:
The Houston mega-pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell—who presided over Jenna Bush's wedding last month and has offered spiritual counsel to her father—is a Christian VIP, so busy that his cell-phone voicemail says, "Do not leave messages here." But on Friday mornings, whether he's at church, in the car or on the golf course, Caldwell tries to dial into a certain highlevel conference call. At 9:30 Eastern time, a group of religious leaders gathers "telephonically," as Caldwell puts it; for 15 minutes, they pray for Sen. Barack Obama. "Typically," Caldwell says, "whoever is praying always prays for the senator and his wife. For his safety, surety, soundness of mind, clarity of thought." One person leads the prayer; everyone else listens. The leaders pray that planes land safely and that Secret Service agents keep their eyes open. (When Caldwell does the blessing, "he also prays for Senator Clinton and Senator McCain," says the Rev. Michael Battle, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.) The number of participants ranges from a handful to 100.
The Houston mega-pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell—who presided over Jenna Bush's wedding last month and has offered spiritual counsel to her father—is a Christian VIP, so busy that his cell-phone voicemail says, "Do not leave messages here." But on Friday mornings, whether he's at church, in the car or on the golf course, Caldwell tries to dial into a certain highlevel conference call. At 9:30 Eastern time, a group of religious leaders gathers "telephonically," as Caldwell puts it; for 15 minutes, they pray for Sen. Barack Obama.
"Typically," Caldwell says, "whoever is praying always prays for the senator and his wife. For his safety, surety, soundness of mind, clarity of thought." One person leads the prayer; everyone else listens. The leaders pray that planes land safely and that Secret Service agents keep their eyes open. (When Caldwell does the blessing, "he also prays for Senator Clinton and Senator McCain," says the Rev. Michael Battle, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.) The number of participants ranges from a handful to 100.
Click here for the full story.
Bloomberg.com also has a new story up about the campaign's outreach to faith communities.
- The Rev. Chuck Currie
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