Dedication sponsored by Lady Liberty League
Dedication faciliated by Rev. Selena Fox
GATHERING IN
Playing of recorded music from the CD album, "Sacred Cave Ritual" featuring spiritual chanting by a chorus of several hundred members of the Pagan Spirit Gathering Community.
SACRED DRUMMING
by WinterSky & Aryel Greencraft, High Priestess & High Priest of the Ancient Cauldron Coven of Sacramento, California.
WELCOME
by Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister of Circle Sanctuary and Executive Director of the Lady Liberty League, headquartered near Barneveld, Wisconsin.
DIVINE ATTUNEMENT
Rev. Selena Fox invites all to connect with the Divine according to personal tradition, and rings a sacred bell. Divine Attunement Invocation by Selena Fox
VETERANS SALUTE
Pagan Veterans and Chaplain William Chrystal, in full military uniform, do an honoring salute to Sgt. Patrick Stewart. Call for the Salute by Selena Fox
Chaplain Chrystal, who served as a military chaplain, then speaks about his connections with Sgt. Stewart, his widow Roberta, and their family. Remarks by Chaplain William Chrystal
THANKSGIVING
Rev. Selena Fox facilitates a call and response Litany of Thanksgiving, giving thanks for the Plaque with Pentacle and for the help of those who supported it and helped manifest it.
Roberta Stewart, widow of Sgt. Patrick Stewart speaks her own words of thanksgiving to those who helped. Statements of Thanksgiving
Roberta gives a special thanks to US Senator Harry Reid (D, Nevada) for his help, and a member of Senator Reid's staff reads a statement Senator Reid issued for this occasion. Read The Statement
Roberta gives a special thanks to US Congressman and Nevada Governor-Elect Jim Gibbons (R, Nevada) for his help, and a member of Representative Gibbons staff speaks words of support. Read The Statement
Roberta concludes by giving thanks to the present Nevada Governor, Kenny Guinn; to the Attorney General; to Tim Tetz, Executive Director of the Nevada Veteran Services; and others responsible for ordering and overseeing the production and installation of the plaque. She also thanks family, friends, and others.
BLESSINGS
Rev. Selena Fox introduces the Dedication blessings of Sgt. Stewart's Plaque with Pentacle.
Wiccan Blessing: Rev. Fox blesses the Plaque with ritual tools from the Stewart household, for each of the five Elements -- soil for Earth, incense and feather for Air, lit candle for Fire, chalice of Water, and a crystal and copper spiral wand for Spirit. Wiccan Blessing
Wiccan and Pagan Elders Blessing: Rev. Fox invites Wiccan/Pagan leaders -- priestesses, priests, and elders -- to come forward and to join in the unison reading of Keepers of the Fire, a special Elemental blessing for Sgt. Patrick Stewart this day created by Tia Hu of the Sacred Well Congregation. Read the Blessing
Native American Blessing: Mato Witko, Comanche-Irish, Pipecarrier, Sundancer, and Intertribal Sweatlodge Leader, calls Roberta Stewart to come forward. He has her hold the Sacred Pipe in pipe bag and then does a blessing in the four directions using a winged feather fan and burning sage. Native American Blessing
Jewish Blessing: Paula Johnson, a Wiccan with Jewish heritage, reads a traditional Jewish prayer for the Dead as a blessing on the plaque. Jewish Blessing
Christian Blessing: Chaplain William Chrystal, senior paster of the First Congregational Church of Reno, does a prayer blessing in his Christian tradition. Christian Blessing
Community Blessing: Rev. Selena Fox invites all participants to come forward, touch Sgt. Stewart's plaque with Pentacle, and do their own personal blessings as a new recording of "Symbol" by its creator Celia is played. Roberta and her daughter begin this personal blessing part. The local Sheriff and his Deputy, both in law enforcement officer uniforms, are the last to come forward.
FREEDOM CALLS
Rev. Selena Fox introduces this final part of the Dedication by talking about Sgt. Stewart's love of Freedom and the importance of upholding Freedom. Read the Remarks. She introduces each speaker as they come forward to share brief remarks.
Remarks by Wolf, Pagan veteran and elder from the Reno Pagan Community.
Remarks by Paula Johnson of Florida, Lady Liberty League Media Relations Coordinator and National Interfaith Representative of Covenant of the Goddess. Read the Remarks
Remarks by Rev. Patrick McCollum of California, Lady Liberty League Chaplaincy Relations Coordinator and High Priest of Our Lady of the Wells Church. Read the Remarks
Remarks by Jill Medicine Heart Combs, Lady Liberty League Networker and member of the National Board of CUUPS (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans) and National Board of Pagan Pride Project International. She speaks about her Wiccan veteran husband, Gary Combs (Bear) who has been in a coma, close to death in a VA hospital for more than a year. Read the Remarks
Remarks by Rev. Selena Fox and the reading of statements from grieving loved ones of deceased Wiccan veterans who need to have the Pentacle approved by the VA for inclusion on grave markers so that they can be properly honored:
* Statement by the mother of PFC Stephen P. Snowberger III, 18 year old American solider killed in action in Iraq on May 11, 2006. Read the Statement
* Statement by Karen dePolito, the widow of Jerome Birnbaum, Korean War veteran who died on November 17, 2005. Read the Statement
Concluding statement by Rev. Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State - read by Rev. Selena Fox. Read the Statement
CLOSING CHANT
Rev. Selena Fox concludes the Dedication by inviting all to form a great Circle around the Wall of Heroes on which is Sgt. Patrick Stewart's Plaque with Pentacle. The Circle forms, and all repeatedly chant: "Liberty and Justice for All!!!" Closing
POST-DEDICATION
Following the Service, there are some media interviews. News of the service begins appearing in various media sources that evening. The Dedication is the top story on the early and late evening news broadcasts of the CBS television affiliate in Reno, Nevada.
After the Dedication, many of the participants go to the Lounge of the Silverado a short drive away for a Lady Liberty League-sponsored Reception.