UPDATED 11/2/2015 The Most Rev. Michael Curry was installed at the Washington National Cathedral on Sunday, November 1, 2015. Thousands of people who could not attend were there virtually via a live stream of the service over the Internet.
Some churches in the diocese watched together and participated in the service using worship booklets downloaded from the cathedral’s website. St. Stephen’s, Hurst; the Episcopal Church in Wichita Falls, and St. Francis, Aledo, all gathered to watch the live stream. They sang along with the hymns and even shared Communion.
Curry’s sermon was rousing, riveting, and moving. Watch it here.
Several people from the diocese were among the 2500 present in the cathedral, including Bishop and Mrs. Mayer, Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., Bishop Sam Hulsey, the Rev. Carlye Hughes, rector of Trinity, Fort Worth; the Rev. David Madison and Ms. Kathleen Wells, deputies; and Ms. Patti Denton, parishioner of St. Elisabeth/Christ the King, Fort Worth.
The Rev. Canon Sandye Wilson, longtime friend of Bishop Curry, served as his chaplain.She took the photo of the passing of the staff and of the embrace from her seat behind the altar. These photos are used with her permission.
Bishops Hulsey and Mayer were seated in exactly the right place to be seen on camera during key points of the service. It made the game of spot-the-bishop easy for Episcopalians in the dioceses of Fort Worth and Northwest Texas.
Both Hulsey and Mayer were on camera during the blessing of Curry by Rabbi Steve Gutow, President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs: “May you speak and live always with clarity and conviction; may you guide gently your flock and all of us — not in your flock — who look to you for direction.May you always shower your attention on the poor and vulnerable, on the least of us. May you do your best to walk as God wants you to walk. And let us all say, Amen.”
Other blessings were offered by Dr. Mohammed Elsanousi, Director, Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers; the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Primate, Anglican Church of Canada; and the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth D. Miller, president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference, Moravian Church Northern Province.
Both bishops also were visible during the Prayers of the People.
And Mayer appeared again during the reading of the Gospel by the Rev. Brandon Mauai, who read in English and Dakota.
This photo posted on Facebook of Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori and Curry joyfully flinging holy water at each other is emblematic of the spirit of the liturgy — joy reigned. And those who participated in the ancient liturgy via modern technology felt it as much as did those present in the building.
May God bless Michael Curry’s ministry among us.