PASTOR BLESSES BOEING 787 AND DONALD TRUMP AT CAMPAIGN RALLY

From the editor:  As a backsliding agnostic, I don't pray to anyone.  If I did want to talk to a supreme being, it would be a personal conversation, not televised, videotaped or rehearsed.

Long-winded public prayers, similar to Pastor Burke's semi-monthly offerings at the City Commission meetings, or Reverend Manning's public blessing of Boeing's latest 787-10 aircraft at yesterday's Donald Trump campaign rally in South Carolina, turn me off.

An expert on prayer, the historical Jesus of Nazareth, made this observation two thousand years ago as recorded in St. Matthew Chapter 6, Verse 5: 


5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.


6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Reverend Eric Manning, Pastor of
Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Reverend Manning:  Let us pray:  Father, we come into your presence on this (day) for praise and thanksgiving.

Thank you for your bountiful blessings which you have graciously bestowed upon us on this day.  We thank you, Father, for the employees that are employed here by Boeing of South Carolina.

We thank you for the engineering and the design center, able to design the 787-10.  We thank you for the operation and the final assembly teams who were able to assemble this wonderful aircraft. We thank you, Father, as well for the leadership within Boeing of South Carolina for Joan Robinson Berry and her team, who created such a wonderful environment of teamwork that allowed for the members of this wonderful team to come together and successfully complete the 787-10 ahead of schedule.

We thank you, Father, as well for the families and the sacrifices that they have made and their support that they gave each and every team member who served on this project.  We praise you on this day, God, because we acknowledge that none of this would have ever been possible without your presence.

So, we humbly ask that your presence will continue to keep this Boeing family, not only this day, as they celebrate this major accomplishment, but, also in the days and months and years to come. 

We thank you for all your bountiful blessings and we love you.

In the name of the Lamb of God, we pray, Amen.

God bless you. {Applause}