All across a snowy Massachusetts this weekend, priests and ministers, rabbis and imams are reflecting on the historic inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail. There are several dozen sermons posted already, and more will be added as they come in; we will also have a story in Monday's paper about the scene at multiple area churches, synagogues and mosques.

(Photo above, by Matthew J. Lee of the Globe staff, shows the congregations of the Historic Charles Street AME Church and the Wellesley Congregational Church holding hands during a joint worship service this morning. Photo below, by Bill Greene of the Globe staff, shows worshipers listening to a sermon about the inauguration during Friday worship at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Boston.)

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

A sermon by the Rev. Debora Jackson, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church in Needham:

"I am honestly looking forward to Tuesday. I want this event to be indelibly emblazoned on my mind – I want to say that I knew where I was and what I doing when history was made – when the first African American man became the 44th president of the United States of America. I’m excited. I am filled with joy. As I’ve told you before, I have great grandfathers who were born slaves. My grandfather shared stories of having to get off the sidewalk if a white person was walking by. My parents remember segregated movie theaters and being unable to try on or return clothing as if somehow our black skin would soil and spoil the material. These memories, this legacy of oppression, are part of my consciousness. So living this experience where I can acknowledge and recognize freedom and liberty; this experience where I am a living witness to progress and equality is great and meaningful to me. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

A sermon by Rabbi Barbara Penzner of Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, a Reconstructionist congregation in West Roxbury:

"At the end of our service, our prayers always conclude with Aleinu. At the end of every service, every day, we say aleinu, which means “it is up to us.” So often our heads are already out the door, thinking about food or where we should be, or what our children are doing. That’s a shame, since everything we have said and prayed and contemplate during the course of any service culminates with the message contained in Aleinu. And if we were praying with attention, with kavanah, we would discover a central truth about Judaism awaiting us there: FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Remarks by the Rev. Jason D. Genest, pastor of First Baptist Church, an evangelical congregation in North Middleboro:

"Whether or not one agrees with the platform and ideology of those who are elected to the Presidency of the United States, the mere fact that the people are those to whom such a voting privilege is granted is to be celebrated among us all. The Office, itself, is most impressive and the fact that our voice and vote determines the outcome of the election is something that so many around the globe are left without. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

From the weekly bulletin column of Msgr. Paul V. Garrity, pastor of St. Mary Church, a Roman Catholic parish in Lynn:

"On Tuesday of this week, an event will take place of truly historic significance when President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. It is both ironic and prophetic that this event should be taking place one day after we, as a nation, will have paid tribute to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King. Ironic: because the election of a black person to the presidency was probably inconceivable to most people even 10 years ago! Prophetic: because the election of Barack Obama represents the turning of a page in our nation’s history that has needed to be turned for a very long time. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

At the Historic Charles Street AME Church in Roxbury, the Rev. Gregory G. Groover Sr. read a letter he wrote, imagining what he would say today to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.:

"Dear Martin,

If I need to, I will first apologize to you for addressing you at the outset of this letter not as Dr. King, or Reverend King or Reverend Dr. King but as “Martin.” I beg your forgiveness if my style of addressing you is taken by you, in any way, as inappropriate. And still, I deliberately begin this letter in the very personal sense by writing – “Dear Martin.”

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Leigh Dry, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Hopkinton.

"All week, a song has been playing in my head. It is not a hymn, but a folksong from the sixties. Perhaps you know it.

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Peter B. Ives, the senior minister of the First Churches of Northampton, a United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches congregation:

"There are numerous reasons why people journey to Washington, but for many Americans, especially African Americans, it has been not just a physical journey, it’s been a journey of faith. Centuries ago the people of Israel were going through a period of enormous suffering, loss and pain. The city of Jerusalem had been pillaged and sacked, they lost everything they valued and held most dear, and they were taken from their homes into Exile. At that time the prophet Jeremiah cried out in lament, “My grief is beyond healing, my heart is sick within me, my heart is broken. Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no precious ointment to heal the wounded soul?” FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Rodney L. Petersen, executive director of the Boston Theological Institute and moderator of the Presbytery of Boston (PCUSA), delivered to the inter-denominational group at the Scandinavian Living Center in Newton:

"Reverse the Curse.

Commonly reserved for Fenway Park, this made-in-Boston slogan might carry into our national life. With the election of Barack Obama to the presidency, the United States has “reversed the curse” of 40 years ago.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. John C. Brink, associate pastor of the Dennis Union Church, a United Church of Christ congregation on Cape Cod:

"Sawubona. I recently learned this is an African greeting that means “I see you.” It seems to transcend our typical greeting of hello, hey, what’s up, and so on. Sawubona – “I see you”—suggests there is more to our human connection than just a nod or a cheery hello. This morning’s scripture shows us there is far more to Jesus than the seemingly simple man from Nazareth. Like Nathaniel, it’s up to us, we are invited to “come and see.” (V 46.) FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

A sermon by the Rev. Christian F. Brocato, the acting priest-in-charge at All Saints Episcopal Church in Stoneham:

"The year was 1968. It was early spring probably not too different from previous springs in the mid-south, Memphis to be exact, a beautiful city on the banks of the Mississippi, formerly known as the Cotton Capital of the Mid-South. It was probably a cool day, typical of that time of the year in the south. However, the political climate was anything but cool. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

The Rev. Anne Robertson, a United Methodist minister who serves as executive director of the Massachusetts Bible Society, sent an inaugural message to her SpiritWalkers podcast and e-mail subscribers:

"I have been keeping a box of tissues near the television this week. For some reason I am much more likely to cry in response to heroism than in response to tragedy, at least on the national scale. I think I must be a closet pessimist, expecting the worst, so when disaster strikes—either in the form of an accidental disaster or an intentional horror—I am angered and motivated to right the wrong, but don’t feel personally disappointed enough to shed tears. Sadly, harm is what I generally expect, much as I hate to see it happen. Somebody drilled that original sin/fallen humanity/bound for hell mentality into me a bit too deeply. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. W. Alan Froggatt, Jr, senior minister of Second Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Beverly:

"I had never heard of the Anglican Church of Nigeria until Gene Robinson became Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, and I never suspected so many congregations in North America would want to be part of the Anglican Church of Nigeria until Robinson’s election. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Peter-Michael Preble of St. Michael’s Orthodox Christian Church in Southbridge:

"We stand today in the door way of history. This is a place we have all been in before in this country. This is nothing new. Every four years the government of our country changes in a peaceful way. However this time we inaugurate a president that will truly make history from the moment he is sworn in. For the first time in our history we will inaugurate a president who is an African American. It was not that long ago when he would not have been able to vote let alone be elected to the highest office in the Land. No matter what the detractors might have to say about this day it will certainly be historic. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Joseph O. Robinson, rector of Christ Church Cambridge, an Episcopal parish in Harvard Square:

"'What a time we live in. How much we have to be thankful for. How much progress we have made. There is still a lot to do, but by God’s grace we have come a long way.'

Those are the words I imagine Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking today if he stood among us as elder statesman. And while each of us surely must be able to raise up some original idea of what he might say, I believe these words would be a part of most of those imaginings because they are characterized by his sense of hope, his grasp of faith and his eye always on the prize of the future.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Tied to the Single Garment of Destiny" by the Rev. Karla Jean Miller, associate pastor of the Eliot Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Newton:

"In the mid-eighties I spent several summers on the staff of a month long summer program for children in low-income neighborhoods in Florida. The heart of the program was spending our days with children, playing with them, teaching them in Vacation Bible School, offering swimming lessons and tutoring and field trips to zoos and parks. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Reverend Anne B. Bonnyman, rector of Trinity Church in the City of Boston, an Episcopal parish in Copley Square:

"I have been asked a big question. The question came in the form of an invitation and assignment. My friend, the Rev. Hurman Hamilton called from Roxbury Presbyterian Church last week. He invited me to speak at a worship service tonight, sponsored by the Black Ministerial Alliance. “Tell us, Anne” he said, “Tell us how the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the pending inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama have affected you personally.” I am humbled and honored by this invitation, and have been blessed as I live with the question. I share it with you now in hopes that we all can reflect personally on this historic time in our public life. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

An open letter to Barack Obama by the Rev. Martin B. Copenhaver, the senior pastor of Wellesley Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation:

"Dear President-elect Barack Obama,

On January 18, just two days before your inauguration as President of the United States of America, two partner congregations—the Historic Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Wellesley (Village) Congregational Church, United Church of Christ—are joining for worship. It is quite a sight. We wish you could be here to see it. You would feel right at home here. And you would appreciate the diversity represented here today. We come from two different Christian traditions. We are African American and European American. We are white and black. We are rich and poor. We come from the city and from the suburbs. And, yes, we are probably Democrats and Republicans. But we are one body. And it is as one body that today we join the psalmist in “singing a new song.” On this day, when we celebrate the 80th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we see in your inauguration the hope that Dr. King’s dream might one day be fully realized.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Identity Politics and the Reign of God," by the Rev. Ashlee Wiest-Laird, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, an American Baptist congregation:

"My family of faith: I come to you today full of excitement and anticipation. It is a most wonderful time to be alive. This week in our nation, history will be made as Barack Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States. There are many who thought the day would never come when an African American would be elected to the highest office of leadership in our land. But much to our rejoicing that day is dawning upon us. Now when a child looks up to their mother or father and says, someday I am going to be president, we know that that dream can truly become a reality. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

A guest sermon, titled "Dr. King s Legacy and what it means to be an Upstander,'' by Andrew Tarsy, of Facing History and Ourselves, delivered at Temple Israel, a Reform synagogue in Boston:

"Dr. King would have turned 80 yesterday - and the day he was murdered in April of 1968 he was only 39 years old. In his too-short life, Dr. King moved a proud nation a giant step closer to its lofty ideals. He is remembered well for his vision, and for the action he inspired. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Anne C. Fowler, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain:

"I’ve had an unusual couple of weeks. I had a bad case of the flu the first week of January. And then this last week I was in Portland Maine taking care of my granddaughter Amelia, 8 months old, for reasons beyond the scope of this sermon. But this all means I haven’t been as focused on the great moments we’re anticipating and celebrating: Martin Luther King Day tomorrow, and on Tuesday the inauguration of our first African American president, Barack Hussein Obama. Alleluia! FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "From Preacher to Preached," by the Rev. Dudley C. Rose, senior minister of North Prospect Union United Church of Christ in Medford:

From preacher to preached. Or as the well known Frontline television program said it, “From Jesus to Christ.” It begins with preaching a message, and then, as time goes on, the person becomes the message. Jesus becomes the Christ, and as Paul says, we preach Christ, crucified and risen. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Judith A. Davis, rector of Christ Church, an Episcopal parish in Harwichport:

In today’s Gospel lesson from John about Jesus’ calling the disciples, "Nathanael said to Philip, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see" (John 1:46). In the famous passage about the call of Samuel as a boy, Samuel said when he heard God speak, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’ (1 Samuel 3:10). And in Psalm 139, we hear these words, “You press upon me behind and before and lay your hand upon me” (Psalm 139:4). This morning we begin an historic week in the history of this nation. It is a time when we might say with Philip, “Come and see.” FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life,'' by Rev. Deborah J. Blanchard, pastor of the First Baptist Church, an American Baptist congregation in Littleton:

On Monday our nation will have not a “day off” but a “day on” to remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, a man of faith and a Baptist minister who courageously lived his life and gave his life for the Christian principle that all human beings were created equally by a loving God. King’s activism and his ministry from speeches to sermons, from boycotts to Baptisms, from prison walls to sanctuary halls, were based on his lived Christian understanding that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "In God We Trust," by the Rev. Ann L. Hallstein, minister of the First Church of Deerfield, a congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association:

Today I am reminded of the time a good friend, a non-church goer, asked me a few days before Easter, “what are you preaching about on Sunday?” Umm--the Resurrection? I guess there are some clergy not preaching on the Inauguration today, but here, on this historic Sunday in our historic church, we certainly are not going to let this significant moment pass us by! FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by Rabbi Howard A. Berman of Boston Jewish Spirit, a Reform congregation in Boston:

As we share in this special Sabbath Eve Service tonight, we join thousands of other synagogues, churches and mosques in ushering in a national weekend of celebration and affirmation, as we anticipate the historic moment that will unfold this Tuesday – the Inauguration of Barak Obama as the 44th President of the United States. At this profoundly significant time in the history of our country, people of faith are joining together in voicing our hopes and joys – believing, as we do, in the power of prayer as a transformative force in our lives. Our blessings and intercessions are directed to the God of justice and peace - who, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “directs the destinies of men and nations.” But we also voice our benedictions with the understanding that our prayers have the power to inspire and energize our own actions and commitment as well. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Bee-lieving," by the Rev. Gretchen S. Grimshaw, priest-in-charge at the Parish of St. Paul, an Episcopal congregation in Newton Highlands:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night’, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you. Psalm 139:1-18, NRSV

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

This is a big weekend in the history of justice for this great nation of ours. It is the celebration Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and that arc of the moral universe that is bending a bit more toward justice because of his indomitable dream. It is the beginning of the fulfillment of that indomitable dream with the inaugural festivities for our first African American President, Barack Obama – a rare moment in our national lives when the tides of history and justice collide in the highest office in the land, and for the first time, the leader of the free world has been and will be judged on the content of his character rather than the color of his skin, or at least not excluded for the color of his skin. And, it is the return of Psalm 139, my favorite of all psalms, in our common lectionary reading this morning.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "A New Opening," by the Rev. Kate Layzer of Union Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Winthrop:

When I heard the Sunday forecast as I was getting ready for worship yesterday, I told myself we were going to have church today even if it was just me and the Holy Spirit!

Last week’s church closing coincided with a reading from our Sunday lectionary which I simply can’t bring myself to skip: the baptism of Jesus as told by Mark, the earliest gospel. So today we’re playing catch-up, sharing the story of that baptism together while less snow-challenged Christians move on to John’s story of the call of the first disciples. And because we’re playing catch-up, we’re exploring that story together on this very special Sunday in American history, the Sunday before the Inauguration of one of the more gifted leaders to emerge on the American political scene in our lifetime—a leader of maturity, breadth, and judgment, with a listening ear, an inclusive approach to governance, and that rarest of visions, where American politics are concerned: a vision of the common good. Add to that picture the worst economic crisis in 80 years, and the fact that the leader happens to be African American, and it is impossible not to see this as an extraordinary moment, one that tears asunder our notions about America and race and the presidency.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. John F. Hudson, senior pastor of Pilgrim Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Sherborn:

"And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!” “I’ve been to the mountaintop and I’ve seen the Promised Land ….” (From Reverend King's Last sermon, April 3, 1968, Memphis Tennessee) FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. John R. Clarke, priest-in-charge at St. Paul's Church, an Episcopal parish in Malden:

The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. (1 Samuel 1:1b)

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Try Googling “visioning deficit disorder.” The results? You’ll get suggestions like: “Attention Deficit Disorder, effects on vision,” but zip-zero-nada for “visioning deficit disorder.”

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "God’s Call in Remarkable Times,'' by the Rev. Margot D. Critchfield, rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Cohasset:

"What a remarkable time in which we are living!

At the Martin Luther King Day breakfast yesterday, retired Superior Court Judge Julian Houston read from his semi-autobiographical book “New Boy,” about growing up in the segregated south. He told of being the first African American to go to an exclusive boy’s prep school in Connecticut, and about what it was like riding home to Richmond, Virginia on trains with coaches set aside for “Coloreds.”

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "The Home of the Brave," by the Rev. Robert W. Asinger, the interim minister of Union Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Waban:

"A man visited his friend one rainy evening and found him rummaging through his home. “What are you doing?” he asked. “I’ve lost my key,” the friend said. The first man, like the good friend he was, helped him look all over the home in vain until finally he said, “So where were you when you lost the key?” The second man said, “Oh, I was outside in the front yard, but its dark and miserable out. Inside its more comfortable.” FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "On to the Promised Land," by the Rev. Vicki Kemper, pastor of First Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Amherst:

"Do you feel it? Can you sense a shifting in the tides of time, a long-overdue opening of hearts to what is possible? Did you catch a whiff of hope in the air when you went out into the bracing cold this morning? Do things suddenly look brighter, sharper, more beautiful—the contrast of a white birch tree against deep blue sky above blindingly white snow highlighted by brilliant sunshine? Does it seem as if the spirits are attuned, the stars are aligned, and we have entered an unexpected state of grace where even a jet plane can float—landing in a river and becoming a boat, delivering all of its passengers safe on that shore again? Do you find yourself uttering that overused, under-appreciated word “miracle”—and feeling the wonder of it? Are you tempted to dream again? FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,'' by the Rev. Daniel A. Smith, senior minister of First Church in Cambridge, a United Church of Christ congregation:

"'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'

So says the young boy, Samuel, after the old priest Eli clues into the fact that it must be the voice of God that was calling Samuel’s name. Apparently, “the word of the Lord was rare in those days, and visions were not widespread”. Naturally then, Samuel wasn’t even listening for the Lord. Instead, he thought it was Eli calling. Not once, not twice, but three times, he goes to Eli thinking it was his voice that kept waking him up. But the voice of God persists, and Eli comes to realize that it is God who is speaking directly to him. Finally, both of his ears perk up, they may even start to “tingle,” we are told, as God calls upon Samuel to bring a word of divine justice to the house of Eli. We learn in the next few verses that Eli’s son had been blaspheming God, and Eli did nothing to restrain them.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "What Does the Lord Require?" by the Rev. Cheryl Kerr of Allin Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Dedham:

"This week we enter into an historical time in our country’s history. The day so many never thought they’d see: On Tuesday, January 20, 2009 this country will inaugurate its first black president of the United States. And how appropriate that should occur as a postlude to the day we commemorate The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who lived and died for equality and justice and, in that, freedom for all of God’s children. On Tuesday the prayers that are prayed, the words that are spoken, and the promises that are made will hold so much more meaning than they ever have because they will represent the work that has been done in the name of freedom and justice. They will represent an oppressed community that has finally shaken the shackles of prejudice and hatred enough to represent themselves in the highest ranking political position of our government. They will also represent how far we’ve come in our efforts to obtain a piece of God’s kingdom here on earth. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution," by the Rev. Jennifer Wegter-McNelly, interim pastor of the Church of the Covenant, a congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Boston's Back Bay:

"About forty years ago, the great American preacher Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. preached a sermon. It was March 31, 1968 and the Poor People’s Campaign had come to Washington. He recognized that it was a pivotal moment in the struggle for justice and peace in that time, and he told the congregation gathered in the immense Sanctuary of the National Cathedral that though the cards were stacked against them, they were about to confront Goliath. He said, “God grant that we will be that David of truth set out against the Goliath of injustice, the Goliath of neglect, the Goliath of refusing to deal with the problems, and go on with the determination to make America the truly great America that it is called to be.” FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Forging New Hope," by the Rev. Suzanne Woolston Bossert, the associate pastor of the United Parish, a Brookline congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ, United Methodist, and American Baptist denominations:

"It was a seemingly ordinary winter day, the weak Alabama sun already fading as she got off work. The 6pm city bus rumbled to the curb, and the woman boarded, sitting down in the front-most row for black people. Soon, a white man got on, causing the driver to call out for everyone to move back, to make a new row for the whites. The woman remained motionless, the shocked silence that followed punctuated only by the hiss of the bus heater. The woman—Rosa Parks—felt stifled, hot. She wished a window could be opened.

It was December, 1955. Change was about to be born.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Holly Lyman Antolini of St. James's Episcopal Church in Cambridge:

"If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night," darkness is not dark to you, O God; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike. Amen. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "The Inaugural Step," by the Rev. Amy Alletzhauser, pastor of Christ Church, a United Methodist congregation in Wellesley:

"Telephone Call From God

Taking off from the children’s sermon in which “Telephone” was played…

To my knowledge God doesn’t call anyone by telephone because God prefers to do things in person, as God did with Samuel and Philip in the readings for today.

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth?" by the Rev. William (Scott) Campbell, pastor of the Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church in Cambridge:

"The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled “Visions of Today and Tomorrow,'' by the Rev. Liza M. Neal, minister of the Village Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Cummington:

"Forty-six years ago Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King spoke these words: “So I say to you, my friends, that even though we must face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed- we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, called "Fig Preserves," by the Rev. Virginia G. Bove, interim pastor of the United Church of Christ in Pelham:

"I saw a cartoon of the last Israeli and the last Palestinian, coming at each other with weapons, land fragmented between them. As in so many human conflicts, people are born into the ongoing turmoil. They either die as children with no control over the situation, join an emotionally charged terrorist element to try to control the situation, or make decisions at top levels to keep the conflict going for financial or political reasons. None of these seems to offer much prospect for peace. None of them makes for a comical situation as in “funny,” but ludicrous and seemingly hopeless. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Prayer for America by Rabbi Victor Hillel Reinstein of Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue, a non-denominational Jewish congregation in Jamaica Plain:

"Compassionate One, fill our hearts with love and compassion for each other, that in truth we might be one nation indivisible. Bless our country, its government, its leaders, and its people. Bless the vision that is America and help us all to make it real. Help us to be for each other a mirror in which to see the best we are, and when we stray give to each one the courage to remind, speaking truth to power when need be. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev Susan H. Russell, the priest-in-charge at the Church of St. Andrew, an Episcopal parish in Marblehead:

"God knows us deeply. Psalm 139 is a beautiful hymn to the belief that God knows us through and through. “Lord, you have searched me out and known me.” You know what I do, you know what I’m going to say before I say it, you know what’s in my heart. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Martha L. Hubbard, rector of St. Paul's Church, an Episcopal parish in Newburyport:

"Do you have any full circle stories from your life? One of my full circle stories is that the parish I served as seminary intern in the 1990’s was planted by a neighboring parish where my great, great, great grandfather, had served as rector in the 1790’s. One of Marco’s full circle story is that when we were living in Wiesbaden Germany, he discovered that the town where his great grandfather had been raised was only half an hour from us. Through a number of “coincidences” Marco ended up reconnecting with a second cousin there who shared family history he had not been aware of. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Excerpts from sermon by the Rev. Mark D.W. Edington, rector of Saint Dunstan's Church, an Episcopal parish in Dover:

"This morning, and this week, we are dealing with the remarkable business of Prophecy At Work. And we learn that what makes a prophet is not what we thought made for one—that old idea of the prophet shouting out dramatic and disturbing proclamations. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Judy Proctor, pastor of First Church of Danvers Congregational, a United Church of Christ congregation:

"This week will be historic– tomorrow we celebrate and remember the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; and on Tuesday, we will witness the inauguration of the first African-American president. The coincidence in timing is wonderful for it unleashes our imaginations and we wonder about what this might mean to us as a nation, to us as communities, and to us as individuals. It is with shame that we view the racial history of the United States: of White oppression against Black, first in slavery, then in segregation, and continuing in suspicion and an undercurrent of prejudice. We may wish to forget it, but in light of the achievement of President-Elect Barack Obama, we can leave it behind. We can see that King’s radical dream of being judged not by the color of our skin but by the content of our character has been realized. We have turned a corner, moving toward true racial equality through understanding – understanding that we hope will permeate many other national matters. It is a defining moment for us as a nation. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Remarks from the homily of the Rev. Joseph T. Nolan at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, a Roman Catholic parish in Chestnut Hill:

"What can we say – and pray – about the inaugural of our new president, Barack Obama, a message that can come from all of us with jubilation, regardless of whom we voted for? The answer is easy—and wonderful: what is happening is a tremendous rollback of our national sin of racial prejudice. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Upon Seeing a New Way,'' by the Rev. James A. Blair, pastor of Union United Methodist Church in Fall River:

"'Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.' —John 1:51

Because he is remembered only in John's gospel, Nathaniel is among the least known of Jesus' disciples. In fact, he is unidentified on the apostolic list. Many scholars insist he is identified with Bartholomew, but who knows?

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Jean Crist Thompson , pastor of the Community Church of North Orange and Tully, a federated church associated with both the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association:

"I want to tell you that I am speaking today from a personal perspective. In one sense, of course, everything I say each week reflects my own perspective, but I usually make an effort to keep myself out of it as much as possible. One of the things Olav Nieuwejaar said when I had lunch with him and Jeanne on Monday, was that every sermon should reflect our personal experience and perspective. I’m not sure I could preach any other way today. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

A prayer by the Rev. Ed Deyton, pastor of Ballard Vale United Church, a United Methodist and United Church of Christ congregation in Andover:

"Our God, as the psalmist of old prayed for the king, we pray today that you would give the president justice. Let his hand be opened to the poorest of the poor. May he hold the mighty accountable for their deeds. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

A prayer by the Rev. Michael Ferrini, the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Dorchester:

"The Apostle Paul wrote these words to his son in the faith, Timothy:

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV)

This Tuesday, we, as a country, will witness the transfer of presidential power from George W. Bush to Barak H. Obama. As we seek to please God, let us join together in prayer for our President:

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Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon by the Rev. Susan H. Lee, rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Fall River:

This week marks an historical event in the life of our nation, the inauguration of our first African-American president. It’s fitting that President Obama will take the oath of office the day after the Martin Luther King holiday. What a long way our nation has come since the civil rights marches in Washington with Dr. King! Only four or five decades ago blacks were not allowed to vote in many parts of the country, and public schools for blacks were in decrepit condition. And yet this Tuesday, a black person will enter the highest office in the land. It’s certainly a tribute to the ability and charisma of Barack Obama. But it’s also a credit to the American electorate. Many, many people voted for a black man for president in the last election, something that was unheard of until recently. America has changed since the marches of the 1960s, and it’s a great day for our nation that this color barrier has fallen. President Obama’s example will encourage many people of color in this country and around the world. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "Dreams Coming True," by Rev. Paul R. Adkins, the senior pastor of First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, a United Church of Christ congregation:

Something that would not have been thought possible a few short years ago – and in fact, still seems impossible to many, if not most– has happened. Our nation has elected its first African American president. FULL ENTRY

Inspired by the Inauguration 2009 Sermons and Orations Project of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, the Globe invited local clergy to e-mail the texts of inauguration-related sermons and prayers for posting here on the Articles of Faith religion blog. You can find all of the submissions by clicking on the Inauguration Sermons category in the blog’s right rail.

Sermon, titled "The Audacity of Hope," by the Rev. John Nash, associate pastor of Sudbury United Methodist Church:

“Now I’m going to tell you a story about spiritual courage.” Those were the last words spoken by Wesley Branch Rickey. I’m sure that most of us have never heard of Branch Rickey, but I think he’s someone we should know. Rickey was a lifetime baseball man and also a devout Methodist, having been named by his mother for John Wesley. At the age of twenty, in order to help pay his way through school, he became the baseball coach for Ohio Wesleyan University, and it was while he was there that he had an experience that would change him and ultimately this country forever. FULL ENTRY