[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5991]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      WELCOMING THE GUEST CHAPLAIN

  Mr. COWAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise this morning to join 
Senator Warren in honoring our guest Chaplain from Boston, Rev. John 
Edgerton, and I thank him for his words this morning.
  In the wake of the recent tragedies in Massachusetts, I am glad to 
welcome a representative of Boston's spiritual community to deliver our 
invocation today. Reverend Edgerton's church, the Old South Church, is 
located on Boylston Street, not more than 100 yards past the finish 
line of the great Boston Marathon.
  Since the first marathon 117 years ago, the Old South Church has been 
known as the Church of the Finish Line. Every year, the Sunday before 
Patriots' Day, the Old South Church holds a service to bless those 
running the marathon the very next morning. The service this year 
included the theme music from ``Chariots of Fire'' and the Olympics as 
well as a prayer for the athletes. Marathoners from around the 
Commonwealth, Nation, and world congregate at the Old South Church 
seeking community, faith, and strength for the upcoming race.
  Last Monday explosions rocked the finish line at Boylston Street and 
brought chaos to the front door of the Old South Church. For over a 
week the church's doors remained closed, as did much of the 
neighborhood, as investigators scoured the block for evidence. But 
today, as we pray here for those lives lost and those still recovering, 
Old South Church will open its doors once again and pray for our city, 
our Commonwealth, and our citizens.
  As we do in times of hardship and heartbreak, we rely on the guidance 
of community leaders such as Reverend Edgerton and take comfort in 
their words. It is through their guidance and wisdom that we find the 
strength to rebound from tragedy and to find hope to move forward.
  In churches all across Massachusetts this week, from the Back Bay to 
Dorchester and from Medford to Stoneham, bells will toll in their 
steeples and worshippers of all faiths will gather to remember the 
lives of Officer Sean Collier, Lingzi Lu, Krystle Campbell, and Martin 
Richard, and to pray for the scores who were injured.
  Again next year, we look forward to the Sunday before Marathon Monday 
when runners will again gather at the Old South Church to receive their 
blessings before the running of the 118th Boston Marathon. We will 
always remember, and we will recover. We are thankful to have leaders 
such as Reverend Edgerton to guide us as we do.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.

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