The kick-off event today for the Music City Charity Inaugural Ball was a rousing success as country music superstar Ricky Skaggs, his equally talented wife Sharon White-Skaggs and the Rev. Enoch Fuzz and his congregation at Corinthian Baptist Church in Nashville joined for an incredibly spirit-filled event that called for an end to America's historical divisions across race and politics to support the presidency of Barack Obama.
The couple is split like bookends on the above photo.
"Religion and faith have always been used as a negative in the media to emphasize what divides us," Skaggs told the congregation. "Today we are about the kingdom of God and what unites us."
Skaggs, a 13-time Grammy-winning legend, will provide entertainment at the Ball which is co-chaired by his wife. Sharon White-Skaggs said that while she and her husband did not support Obama in the campaign, they now support the success of his presidency for the benefit of the country.
Besides individual moments of prayer and preaching, the duo led a rousing and emotion-filled rendition of "Amazing Grace" that brought people of different races and politics to the church podium in embraces and joined arms.
You can see video of the event of WSMV Channel 4 at 5 and 10 p.m. and FOX NEWS at 9 p.m.
"This is about 'ye olde bones'," said the Rev. Fuzz. "But now the white bone must be connected to black bone, and the black bone connected to Hispanic bone, and the Hispanic connected to Asian bone. We must finally be one body. God is in favor of this. He is not just against things."
A big emphasis of the Ball will be patriotism, in addition to Obama's campaign theme of "these are not the red states, or the blue states, but the United States of America". Forty-four service men and women and their spouses or dates are being invited from Ft. Campbell to the ball and overnight stay -- free of charge. Churches are being asked to contribute $400 each to sponsor couples on the front line in the war on terror.
The ballroom at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel holds 1,100 people. Tickets are $100 each, with proceeds after Ball expenses going to 21 local charities.
To buy tickets online, go to www.volunteernashville.com. Your tickets will be available at the door on the night of the Ball.
To buy tickets offline, contact the Rev. Jackie Baugh at (615) 569-3010. You can write a check and pick up tickets from her or she will bring the tickets to you. Make your check out to "The New Hope Foundation".
The Ball ultimately is just the beginning when it comes to the use of this coalition across race and politics for the greater good. It represents the creation of a new national and local model of unity and a call to action.
Look to this blog for more updates.
(Photo by Tim Chavez)
No comments:
Post a Comment