Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will lead a live-streamed prayer service from Washington National Cathedral, Holding on to Hope: A National Service for Healing and Wholeness, on All Saints Sunday, November 1, at 4:00-5:30 p.m. EST. In the midst of pandemic, racial reckoning, and a historic election, the live-streamed service will gather Americans for prayer, song, lament, hope, and a call to love God and neighbor.
The service will feature an ecumenical and multifaith array of voices, musical offerings, and prayers. Using a combination of live and visually stunning pre-recorded elements gathered from across the nation, the service will be live streamed in English and Spanish.
“The Washington National Cathedral has gathered Americans for prayer at the death of presidents, after terrible tragedies like 9/11, and in moments of joy and hope for our nation and our world,” says Bishop Curry, “As the people of the United States cast their votes for the office of president and many other offices throughout the land, we gather to pray to the God who is the Creator of us all. We pray that we might learn to stand and hold each other’s hands as the children of God.”
In addition to Bishop Curry’s sermon, the service will include reflections from Father James Martin, a noted Roman Catholic commentator on American life and values, and Valarie Kaur, an inspiring Sikh author, filmmaker and civil rights attorney. The gathering will be officiated by Washington’s Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith, and Reverend Stephanie Spellers, Canon to the Presiding Bishop.
Prayers for the nation will come from leaders like Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core (IFY); Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Rabbi Shoshana Conover of Temple Sholom, Chicago; and Shane Claiborne, speaker, activist, and best-selling author. Music from The Coro de la Cathedral of Christ Church Cathedral-Indianapolis and Washington National Cathedral will help to lift and open hearts.
A live prayer hotline in English and Spanish will be open during the service, staffed by Episcopal clergy and chaplains, in partnership with Virginia Theological Seminary and General Theological Seminary. The hotline will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST from November 1 to November 5.
A live stream embed code is provided on the web page and available to any congregation that would like to add the stream to their own website or Facebook page. Congregations are invited to host watch-parties as part of their All Saints' Day observance and Election Day preparations.
To receive a reminder about this service, text HOLDING to 51555 (standard messaging and data rates apply).
