MOTHER EMANUEL NINE MEMORIAL SERVICE at Grace Chapel AME Beaufort, 06/16/16

On June 16th Rev. Nat Carter and I attended this moving interfaith memorial at the historic Grace Chapel AME Church on Charles Street in Beaufort. The memorial marked the first anniversary of the tragic shooting which took place at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina on June 17th 2015. Nine lives were taken including The church's senior pastor, the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney who was also a Democratic member of the South Carolina Senate, representing the 45th District from 2000 until his death. 

The Emanuel  AME church was founded in 1816 and it is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in the South, often referred to as "Mother Emanuel". It is the oldest historically black congregation south of Baltimore. The memorial was organized in a most commendable way by the Unified Interfaith Community Coalition of Beaufort. The sanctuary was packed with representatives of all the mainline churches as well as other faiths including Bahá'í, Judaism, Orisa (a west African based indigenous religion), and Islam. Rev. Nat and I represented Unity at the faith roll call.

Among the most memorable moments for me were the beautiful reading from Bahá'í scripture by Ms. Victoria Smalls and the address by former state representative Bakari Sellers (pictured above), a friend of the much lamented Clementa Pinckney, who had been born in city of Beaufort, SC.

Nine candles were lit, the name of a victim spoken by a faith leader with the lighting of each one. A 10th candle was lit in memory of the Orlando victims. The candle for Sharonda Coleman-Singleton was lit by Ms. Smalls who had known her in college. This was unbeknownst to the person who assigned the candles to the faith leaders who lit them, and for me much increased the poignancy of this ceremony.
 
This is a prayer from the sacred texts of the Baha'i' Faith by 'Abdu'l-Baha, as read by Ms. Victoria Smalls from the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'í s of Beaufort County.
 
O Thou kind Lord!
Thou hast created all humanity from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence.
O God! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all. Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy.
O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.
O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of mankind.
O God! Establish the Most Great Peace.
Cement Thou, O God, the hearts together.
O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence.
Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all mankind.