The State Funeral was held for Jimmy Carter today at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. I found it to be very moving.
In case you missed it, it is on YouTube from several sources. I have it above for you. I think it was just over 3 1/2 hours, but it is absolutely worth watching every minute, I promise. If you don't have time to watch it all, just go forward until you are at the 2:44 time. That is when Andy Young delivered the Homily. Please, be sure and listen to that. (For some reason, the camera is mostly on the ex-Presidents at that time, but it is Andy Young that I want you to hear.) As one of the TV announcers pointed out afterwards, Andy Young spoke most eloquently and without looking at any notes.
As you all know, Jimmy Carter was from Plains, Georgia. (Although he really was from a place even smaller, a community about 3 miles from Plains called "Archery".) He wrote of his upbringing during the Depression in his book, "An Hour Before Daylight". I highly recommend it!
With love and respect, that is one of the phrases that I remember from this service. It is with love and respect that I will remember him. He is our longest living U.S. President and the only one from my home state.
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There was another service that they showed on the local Atlanta station this evening. It was from Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where he taught Sunday School for many years. Jimmy Carter will be laid to rest in Plains, Georgia, beside his wife of 77 years, Rosalyn Carter. (I am thankful that all these services happened before tomorrow as Georgia will have a "weather event". Snow is predicted! Wish us luck, Southern folks can't handle snow.)
"Let There Be Peace on Earth (And Let It Begin with Me").
Can I hear an "Amen"? AMEN!
