[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 71 (Thursday, June 4, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5583-S5584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE GUEST CHAPLAIN'S PRAYER

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, it was about four months ago that I called 
the Senate's distinguished chaplain and suggested that he might 
consider inviting Rev. Shirley Caesar of Raleigh, North Carolina, to 
serve as the U.S. Senate's guest chaplain on some mutually convenient 
occasion.
  I recall Dr. Ogilvie's response--a friendly suggestion that I tell 
him about Pastor Caesar. I replied that I would do better than that--
and I did, by sending Dr. Ogilvie a copy of a lengthy article published 
by the Washington Post on February 22.
  In a moment, Mr. President, I shall ask unanimous consent that 
portions of that article be printed in the Record at the conclusion of 
my remarks.
  But before I do that, let me summarize the fascinating Christian 
witness of Rev. Shirley Caesar, pastor of Mount Calvary Word of Faith 
Church in my hometown of Raleigh, N.C.
  The Washington Post described Pastor Caesar this way:

       On weekdays, (Pastor) Caesar, with a record number of nine 
     gospel Grammys--hits the road to share her voice with those 
     who come to hear her music and witness her presence as a 
     legendary performer on stages across America. But on Sundays 
     she returns to a plain maple pulpit in a simple whitewashed 
     church--comes home, not far from where she was born, to her 
     husband of 15 years, Bishop Harold Ivory Williams, and 
     preaches, ministers to everyday problems, and hears the 
     refrains.

  Mr. President, I have selected several paragraphs from the Washington 
Post story of February 22, 1998, and shortly ask unanimous consent that 
this information be published in the Record at the conclusion of my 
remarks.
  But before I make that formal request, let me extend my personal 
welcome to the Senate's remarkable guest chaplain for this day. I am 
proud of her and at the first opportunity, Dot Helms and I intend to 
worship one Sunday morning with Reverend Caesar.
  Now, Mr. President, I make the formal unanimous consent request that 
I mentioned a minute or so ago.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

         Excerpts of Washington Post Article About Rev. Caesar

       Small in stature and verging on 60, she is almost dwarfed 
     by the pulpit. So she moves out, microphone in hand, her 
     stylish pumps gleaming signals that the spirit is lifting 
     this room of 400 people who pray, jump to their feet and 
     sweat with their pastor.
       She embraces a niece who has survived a bout with drugs.
       ``The things she used to do, she don't do no more,'' Caesar 
     says. Sounds like the beginnings of a song to lift up. A 
     black handkerchief wipes her brow.
       ``I want to be ready,'' she says. ``I don't want Him to 
     come here and find me getting ready,'' she says. She is ready 
     to rise.
       She says of her calling, ``I don't want it to be said, I 
     wonder where Shirley Caesar is, I wonder if she is still 
     singing. I am. I believe that singing and preaching go 
     together like ham and eggs. So I just praise God that I am 
     still here.''
       Meanwhile, for 40 years, first with the famous Caravans, 
     then as a solo performer, Caesar has been one of the most 
     energetic and popular performers in the music

[[Page S5584]]

     business. In the gospel world, she is the bridge between 
     pioneers like Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward; she rode the 
     tidal wave of Edwin Hawkins and James Cleveland and now 
     shares a national spotlight with the Young Turks of gospel, 
     Vickie Winans and Kirk Franklin.
       Like Ella Fitzgerald, she puts her stamp on songs, and they 
     never sound the same again--from works by such gospel masters 
     as Thomas A. Dorsey to religious verses by Bob Dylan. She 
     performs songs, many of which she writes, that are highly 
     personal--they reveal complicated lives lived by people who 
     may not have money, love or opportunity but who do have 
     faith.
       In many of her songs, Caesar starts with a vignette of 
     crisis, sometimes with just the piano or organ in back of 
     her.
       ``Have you ever walked the floor/all night long/wondering 
     how you were going to pay your bills?'' she sings at the 
     beginning of the wonderful ``You're Next in Line for a 
     Miracle.''
       She repeats the lyrics, her raw voice demanding emotional 
     response.
       ``Get ready for your miracle/Move to the front of the line/
     Today is your day . . . get ready, get ready, you are next in 
     line for a miracle--a miracle!''
       The orchestration expands and the choir sings the refrain 
     above Caesar's ``Hallelujahs.'' On Wednesday, ``A Miracle in 
     Harlem,'' nominated for best traditional soul gospel album, 
     might win her a 10th Grammy. (She has also been nominated 
     more times than any other gospel artist.) From the religious 
     music community, she has won 15 Dove Awards and 10 Stellar 
     Awards.
       Not confined to music arenas and churches, Caesar has done 
     four Broadway shows and contributed to the movie soundtracks 
     of ``The Preacher's Wife'' and ``Rosewood.'' In the spring, 
     she's scheduled to make a guest appearance on UPN's ``Good 
     News,'' and her autobiography is scheduled for publication in 
     May. When Dylan was chosen as a Kennedy Center honoree last 
     year, he asked that Caesar sing his ``Gotta Serve Somebody.'' 
     Caesar likes the fact that the salute portion of the night 
     ended as she shouted ``Jesus!''

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