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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Inaugural Worship Service Moves to the Convention Center
All Kentuckians invited; ample space opens service to the public
FRANKFORT, Ky.– For the first time in many years, the traditional Inaugural Worship Service will be open to the public. This year’s service will be held at the Frankfort Convention Center at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 13, kicking off a day of free, public events.
“The worship service was never intended to be an exclusive event, but they were held in local churches that simply could not accommodate an open door invitation,” said Bob Stewart, inauguration executive director. “The move to the Frankfort Convention Center will allow us to accommodate anyone who wants to begin the celebratory day with a time of solemn thanksgiving.”
Traditionally only members of the designated host church’s congregation were invited to attend the service. On some rare occasions, a few seats were available to the public on a very limited, first-come basis.
Plenty of free parking is available near the Convention Center for visitors.
Scheduled speakers include state Rep. Kelly Flood of Lexington, who is an ordained Unitarian minister, Dr. F. Bruce Williams of Bates Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville and Rabbi Stanley R. Miles of Temple Shalom in Louisville. Miles is married to Lieutenant Governor-elect Jerry Abramson’s sister, Sheilah.
The Rev. Bill McDonald will again deliver the inauguration message, as he did for the inaugural worship service in 2007. Before retiring in 2008, McDonald was Governor Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear’s pastor at Crestwood Christian Church in Lexington. The invocation will be delivered by The Most Rev. William Medley, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Owensboro. Dr. David Blondell will offer the benediction.
Music will be provided by Dr. Bob Blair, organist for First Christian Church in Frankfort, and the Kentucky State University Concert Choir under the direction of Dr. Carl Smith. Colmon Elridge, executive assistant to Gov. Beshear, will sing “The Lord’s Prayer.”
The theme of the inauguration is “Kentucky Tomorrow.” he Beshears and Abramsons encourage Kentuckians to consider Dec. 13 as a day of service.
Guests planning to attend the Inaugural Worship Service are asked to bring a new toy for the Kentucky National Guard’s Operation Military Cheer, a program that helps Kentucky military service members who may need assistance during the holiday season.
Operation Military Cheer was created by the Kentucky National Guard’s Family Programs Staff in 2005 to provide food, clothing and toys to military families during the holiday season. Military families who need such assistance may apply and be approved for the program.
The upcoming Governor’s inauguration and celebration will cost significantly less than prior inaugurals, but will still offer many free events suitable for Kentucky families, according to Stewart. Event organizers will partner with many Kentucky vendors, use existing resources and reutilize and recycle when possible to create a more conservative event than in years past.
For more information about Operation Military Cheer, email Cindy Culver at Cindy.culver@us.army.mil or Linda Jones at Linda.jones15@us.army.mil, or call 1-800-372-7601.
Updates, additional information and designated parking areas will be posted on the inauguration website at http://governor.ky.gov/inauguration as it becomes available.
The Inaugural Worship Service will be broadcast live on the KET network.
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