Interfaith healing service for victims, responders of tornadoes scheduled June 8 in Springfield

Gov. Deval Patrick set to speak along with representatives of all faiths.

Republican photoTwo men inspect the tornado damage to the second floor bedroom of this home on Rosella Street monday afternoon

An interfaith service of prayer, hope and healing for all the victims and responders of the three tornadoes that struck the area on June 1 will be held on June 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at at Christ Church Cathedral, Episcopal 35 Chestnut St. in Springfield.

Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to attend and speak during the service along with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno

Participating organizations include the Council of Churches of Greater Springfield and the Interfaith Council of Western Massachusetts Participating leaders Archbishop Timothy Paul, Basilica of the Holy Apostles, the Most Rev. Timothy A. McDonnell, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Bishop Margaret Payne, New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Bishop Gordon Scruton, Episcopal Diocese of Western Mass., Rev. Peter Wells, associate conference minister, MACUCC, Rev. Janet Burdewik, United Church of Christ, Imam Rasul Seifullah, Al Baqi Center for Human Excellence, Paul Robbins, Springfield Baha’i Community.

Also, Martin Pion, Interfaith Council of Western Mass., Imam Wissam Abdul Baki, Islamic Society of Western Mass, Dr. M. Saleem Bajwa, Islamic Society of Western Mass., Rev. Phyllis O’Connell, Pastor U.U. Society of Greater Springfield, Rev. Darrick Jackson, Pastor U.U. Society of Monson, Rev. Bruce Shaw, New Hope Pentecostal Church, Rev. Dr. Brett Snowdon, President, Pastors Council of Springfield, Bishop Neal Boyd, Endtime Revival Holiness Church, Sister Clare Carter, New England Peace Pagoda, Rev. Jack Johnson, Mass. Council of Churches and Rev. Talbert Swan II, Spring of Hope Church in Springfield.

Program for the service:
PRELUDE by Peter Beardsley

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION by Archbishop Timothy Paul and

PRAYERS FOR THOSE WHO DIED CALL TO PRAYER by Rev. Dr. Janet Burdewik

SILENCE a bell marks the beginning and end of silence

SACRED TEXT by Muslim Faith Imam Rasul Seifullah

SACRED TEXT by Baha’i Faith Paul Robbins

PRAYER by Rev. Talbert Swan II

SONG Musical Selection

PRAYERS FOR THOSE WHO SURVIVECALL TO PRAYER by representatives of the Muslim community

SILENCE a bell marks the beginning and end of silence

SACRED TEXT from the Christian Faith by Rev. Peter Wells

SACRED TEXT from the Jewish faith by Martin Pion (the observance is taking place during the Jewish holiday of Shavuot)

HEALING PRAYER by Bishop Gordon Scruton

HEALING PRAYER by Bishop Margaret Payne

HEALING PRAYER by Bishop Timothy McDonnell

SONG One Voice Choir from the Basilica of the Holy Apostles

PRAYERS FOR THOSE WHO RESPOND

CALL TO PRAYER by Rev. Phyllis O’Connell

SILENCE a bell marks the beginning and end of silence

SACRED TEXT from the Unitarian faith by Rev. Darrick Jackson

SACRED TEXT from the Buddhist faith by Sister Clare Carter

HOPE PRAYER by Rev. Bruce Shaw

HOPE PRAYER (Spanish)

Remarks by Governor Deval Patrick

Remarks by Mayor Domenic Sarno

Closing Remarks by Rev. Dr. Brett Snowdon

BENEDICTION by Bishop Neal Boyd

SONG Musical Selection

POSTLUDE Pby eter Beardsley

Participants are asked to contribute to a collection for Tornado relief today as you leave.

All proceeds will go towards the relief assistance through the Council of Churches for Greater Springfield, Catholic Charities and the American
Red Cross. Write your check to any of the three organizations and the monetary assistance will be distributed evenly between the three.

FOR THOSE WHO DIED

“Dirge Without Music”

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts

in the hard ground.

So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.

Crowned with lilies and with laurel they go;

but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.

Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.

A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,

A formula, a phrase remains,—but the best is lost.

The answers quick and keen, the honest look,

the laughter, the love,—

They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses.

Elegant and curled

Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom.

I know. But I do not approve.

More precious was the light in your eyes than

all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave

Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;

Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.

I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.