Beech Tree News Network

The inauguration of the president of the United States is history in the making. The next Inauguration Day will be January 21. The inauguration occurs in the year following the presidential election.

Our next Presidential Inauguration involves festivities such as the Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony, Inaugural Address, Inaugural Parade and numerous inaugural balls and galas honoring the elected President of the United States. The theme for the 2013 inauguration is “Faith in America’s Future.”

The 2013 inauguration schedule includes the following events:
•    Saturday, January 19 - National Day of Service. Americans across the country are asked to organize and participate in service projects in their communities.
•    Sunday, January 20 - The President will participate in a small private swearing-in ceremony.
•    Monday, January 21 – Swearing-in Ceremony, Inaugural Parade, and official Inaugural Balls. (The oath of office is usually administered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Following the oath of office, the President gives his inaugural address, setting out his vision for America and goals for the nation. The inaugural celebration includes parades, speeches, and balls.)
•    Tuesday, January 22 – The Inaugural National Prayer Service at 10:30 a.m. is a service of prayer, readings and musical performances.

The 2013 inaugural events are expected to draw large crowds to the Washington, DC area.  Getting around the region throughout the four-day weekend will be challenging. Some have estimated that the 2009 Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama drew 1.8 million people, a record-breaking number for any event in the nation’s capital
(http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/Presidential-Inauguration-2013-Wa...).

In addition to the public, the attendees at the ceremony may include Congressional members, Supreme Court justices, military officers, former presidents, living Medal of Honor recipients, and other dignitaries. The outgoing president customarily attends the inauguration, barring those cases where succession was due to death. However, four exceptions have occurred: (a) John Adams did not attend Jefferson's inauguration; (b) John Quincy Adams did not attend Jackson's inauguration; (c) Andrew Johnson did not attend Grant's inauguration; and (d) Woodrow Wilson did not attend Harding's inauguration (but did ride to the Capitol with him). Gerald Ford had no inauguration, but rather a swearing-in ceremony. Richard Nixon left Washington, D.C. before his resignation took effect and did not attend the ceremony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_Day).

Finally, the new terms of office for the president and vice-president will begin at noon in Washington DC. Let us pray that over the next four years our President and Vice-President will be guided by God and that their leadership will be wise and principled.