Audio
Transcript
Source: DICOBE-00017 – Oscar A – FOUNDERS DAY – 1979-01-15.mp3 File: dicobe-00017-oscar-a-founders-day-1979-01-15.mp3 Duration: 00:49:56
============================================================
I want you to get the right adjustment on these things. Can you hear me back there in the back? How about it, Perk? Okay. Perk, you realize Gene just took up 15 minutes of my time, don't you? Gene said a few years ago he never thought he'd be standing up here. I'll tell you the frank truth, never in my life would I have dreamed of being up here. I've always enjoyed coming to Founders Day, meeting with the friends that I've come to know from the various states and Canadian territories, and this is something that will perhaps go down indelibly in my memory. And I hope that you all will pray for me. I like to think of my friend sitting down here in the front row, a little prayer that he always uses and I always loved it. Dear God, no more, no less, that's all. And with that I'm going to just take a few minutes and give you a little something about myself, how I feel, and what I'm doing about it today. With the grace of God and the beautiful fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have not found it necessary to take a drink today. And I've not taken one since coming through the doors of this beautiful fellowship. Coming Thanksgiving Day this year will be my 14th. So you understand I'm just a ham and egger. I'm just new here.
And I hope that I'll always remain new. Because I understood very early in my fellowship that this was education without graduation. No, I don't know where I was, but it doesn't make much difference. Just interrupt me anytime you want. The one thing I prayed for when I came here, and Gene was so graceful to call and ask me to come and speak, and I want to thank him and the committee for inviting me.
The one thing that I prayed for, and when Tom and I were coming up Interstate 71 and conversing back and forth on our CB radios, I kept saying to myself, I hope and pray that I'll say something to maybe just help one individual and not scare all them people away from that meeting. Because usually when people invite me somewhere to talk, and it's gotten to the point anymore where they don't do it too frequently on the weekends.
Now they'll invite me in the middle of the week, but on weekends they know that I'm not due back to work until 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon. And it just gives me an abundance of time to talk. And I love to talk. I love to talk with people. Not to them, but with them. So I pray that no one leaves with that impression today that I was talking to you. I'd love to talk with you. Sharing and caring. Some of the basics for this beautiful fellowship.
I came into this program bankrupt. Physically, mentally, spiritually, and financially. And last but not least, morally. And oftentimes I would go so far as to say that it's debatable among those who are close to me as to what degree I have improved since I've been here. But I'm content, please believe me, and satisfied that I'm in better shape today and capable of withstanding the things that do occur to me on a daily basis than I've ever been in my life.
[00:05:00]
One of the perhaps first things that I converse with my higher power in the morning about is my sanity. I believe that without my sanity, I would not be here. And I could not remain. And each and every day I ask for just a little more. Because the often thought has always occurred to me that should I ever undertake or consider taking another drink of alcohol in any form, I would be sane at the time, but I would have to go totally off my rocker.
Now I've been that road, and I don't want to return. I'm content here with you. And one of the things that has made me so content here was that when I arrived here, you didn't ask me where I came from. You weren't concerned at all about what I had. Your only question to me was, did I believe that I had a problem with drinking, and if I did, what was I willing to do about it? My sponsors put that question to me, and I remember telling my sponsor, I'm willing to do anything. And of course he was the guy that I had drank with quite a spell, and he was the type of guy that could get soused up so badly that he'd go out in the alley and put his feet out the window of his car and go to sleep, and people would steal his shoes.
And when I saw him sitting in the room with you, I know without a doubt that there was at that moment an immediate ray of hope. Hope that there could be something done for me. I didn't have to go through the existence, not the living, but the existence. In which I was traveling. And today I am so happy, so grateful for him, who is my sponsor, for you, the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, and God as I understand it, for allowing me a reprieve, a second chance.
Let me give you just a few excerpts to let you know that I do feel that I'm qualified to be a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. I'm not qualified to talk to you as a group here at the beautiful 44th for Founders Day, but that I am an alcoholic. On the approach to my 12th birthday, my father passed and I told my mother with perhaps all the sincerity that I was capable of mustering at that time, don't worry mom, I'll be the man of the house.
And as I look back now, I do feel that I was very quite sincere about that. But not until you embraced me did I ever put forth any effort to fulfill any part of that obligation and responsibility. Because I ran into fellows in my neighborhood, guys that I looked up to, the guys that I respected for the various things that they could do, play ball, skate, ride motorcycles, bicycles, whatever, and they, in my opinion, were adults.
And I wanted to be like them immediately, not tomorrow, right now. And I found that in traveling around with them, and they did permit or allow me to go around with them, that they invited in a beverage, and once I took a swallow, I felt so good. It just tingled all the way down. It made me feel handsome, knowledgeable, older. And I was perhaps, even at that time, without even the thoughts of love on my mind, I was a fighter.
I could create disturbances like you wouldn't believe. And I done that until I came to Alcoholics Anonymous.
[00:10:09]
Anyway, I can recall Mother allowing me the privilege of getting the car out of the garage. She had taught me how to drive, and I recall wanting to be the big shot. And I took the key one day and had a key made so that the boys and I could take the car at random. And one night we had a rendezvous, and I shinnied out my rear window of my bedroom and down the drain pipe and met the fellows in the alley, and we opened the garage door and shoved the car down the alley, started it up and drove out on Route 62.
That's northeast of Columbus, to a most wonderful place known as Straits Vineyard. And out there they used to keep the wine in coolers, and we'd go in and get perhaps one or two half-gallons or maybe a gallon and a half of a Hull Concord wine, that good grape. And it would have ice on the side of the jug, and oh, it was just tremendous. And I never felt that anyone could handle an automobile the way I could under the influence.
And one of the big things in that era was for me to drive back to the city and just terrorize the neighborhood. About time for the theater to let out, just make a dive at those that were stepping off of the curb and watch them flee. Well, that came to an abrupt end. Mother went to look for me, and I was gone, and she went to get the car to go searching, and it was gone. And the guy hunched me on the shoulder, and he said, and I didn't want to even hear what he had to say, because I saw her.
She was standing there on the corner trying to flag me down, and at a high rate of speed I was passing by. But I swore to her it would never happen again. I was always sorry. Finally, the government called me to serve, and I had an opportunity to go overseas. And actually, I've been around the world twice. And let me say to you, whether I was east or west of the International Date Line or north or south of the equator, I always sought out the guys who drank.
The fellows who did not drink and I had nothing in common. On the approach to my 21st birthday, I was in Singapore Harbor, and how I ever got back aboard ship, I don't know. But they did get me back aboard, and I got back safely to the States, and I was discharged honorably, surprisingly enough, from the United States Air Force in 1946. And I had an extended tour of duty with the Air Force as a reserve until 1950, when I was called back to active duty. But upon my arrival at home, my mother permitted me to take over the management of our business.
Now, this was a business that was left to her and I by my dad. And they dispensed alcoholic beverages there, and I don't know but what I felt that I couldn't have been placed in a better position than to have the keys to a joint that had big mirrors on the wall that reflected twice the amount of booze that was on the bar. And it was just like walking into heaven. I'd go down there at 6.30 in the morning and unlock the padlock and then put the key in the master lock and unlock that door. One of the first things that I'd do would be to pour me a big hand.
Things that I'd do would be to pour me a big hefty drink and down it and wait for the employees to arrive, and it seemed like they were so awful long in arriving.
[00:15:12]
They weren't due there until seven, but it just seemed like hours and hours before they'd come because I was always in a hurry. I had somewhere to go. Surprisingly enough, it was only two doors east of our business, but it was in another joint where I could saddle up to the stool and sit at the bar and look in their mirrors and admire myself and swap spit with the guy sitting next to me and lies. I remember one time sitting in that other joint, admiring myself, and I had about four wristwatches on.
When you're in those kind of businesses, you know, where you sell booze and stuff, they'll come and they'll pawn you stuff for a drink, you know, and you take advantage of it. And I had three or four watches on, and I was just sitting there looking at those watches in that mirror and admiring myself, thinking how handsome I was and how knowledgeable I was. I didn't care what it was you wanted to talk about. I knew more about it than you did.
The guy said to me, he said, what are you doing with all those watches on your arm? My answer to him was, I just got time on my hands. Now that's the kind of smart aleck I was. I always wanted to be seen. I always wanted to be noticed. Shortly after returning home from the service, while still in some throes of sanity that I could operate that business before Mother put me out of it, I elected to purchase a motorcycle because I was really and truly using the one that a friend of mine had to the extent that he no longer wanted me to ride it.
So I said, well, that's okay, I'll buy my own. Mother helped me to buy this motorcycle, a beautiful bike. And of course, before I moved it off the floor of the showroom, it had to be dressed with everything, and I had everything on it. And I thought to myself, how wonderful. And I took that bike out and parked it right on the sidewalk outside of that place of business in front of them big plate glass windows.
And whenever a crowd would gather, I'd go right out there and point out certain things that you might would miss. I cloned everything but the tires, the seat, and the handle grips. Eighty-five lights or so on it at that time, a radio and what have you. And at that time, that was an awful beautiful machine, if I do say so. I carry a picture of it in my pocket all the time. If you ever want to see it, just ask me, I'll be happy to show it to you.
But it didn't stop there. I found that a lot of times the women wouldn't notice me too much. The guys would look at the bike, they enjoyed it, but the women wouldn't. So, I thought, well now, I'll get me a sidecar. And I did, I bought me a sidecar. Sitting in my garage today, a big Harley Deluxe, big wheel on the back, trunk space and all that stuff, brakes on it and all. And I used to put my big dog in there.
A very big old beautiful St. Bernard. Often times people said that we resembled each other. Quite often when I was under the influence, my eyes would sort of droop like his. My mouth would close and tongue would come out. But I think where the similarity came in so much was that I had a helmet for him just like mine. And his goggles and all were just like the ones that I wore. And often times he was quite pleased to get in there and ride with me.
We'd go up to Cleveland, Benny Mason's or someplace like that where they were holding them out law races or up in Inkster, Michigan or somewhere like that. No, Tony used to love to go with me. In fact, Tony was sort of like a drinking buddy. Now, strangely and oddly enough, that dog didn't like beer. Because beer, the little bubbles would pop up and hit him in the nose and he didn't like that. But I'd give him stuff to drink out of an ashtray.
Now the wine he loved. He and I both. And on the way from the business going home when I'd have him on the leech and Nature would call, he'd stop anywhere.
[00:20:00]
And if fellows were standing up leaning against the pole and that was going to be his pole, he didn't care about those guys. And I didn't either because it always seemed as though when Nature called him, it was time for me. I'm not proud of it. Not proud of it at all. So often you and yours and the little ones would pass by our business on Sunday mornings on your way to church. And the language, the language that I would use with my acquaintances.
Not proud of it at all. But it's what alcohol did to me as an individual. Through my misuse and abuse. I'd go home when I found it. Because there were nights when I couldn't. Days when I couldn't. I'd stumble through the alley looking disgracefully. A lot of times with the dog or without the dog. Nature would call and that's the condition I would be in. And I'd have to duck down through the alleys.
And I might get in your yard or the neighbor's yard. And I'd stumble or fall and I'd clutch the earth and hold on for dear life. Seemingly the world was spinning too fast. The honest truth is that I look back now and I feel that it was perhaps more comfortable for me to lay there than to put forth the effort to get up. And oh how often I used to look at you when you were laying in the gutter. Or laying out in the alley next to our business where we had put a bench for you to sit on to drink the wine.
And you'd throw the glass over and break it and then the next guy coming along would shove. And the fifth guy on the bench would fall off in the glass and I'd say I'd never be like that. There were times when I didn't get home I ended up on the bench. Mother no longer could tolerate the things that I was doing. Prepare a meal and have me to come home and she would find me and the meal on the floor with my face in the plate.
Or either I'd be laying on the couch with a cushion smoldering. She begged and she pleaded, please come home. Bring your friends home. Along with the privilege of being here today, yesterday was another delightful moment of my life. My mom celebrated her 83rd birthday yesterday. And I was sober enough to be there to enjoy it with her. She's no different than the millions of mothers throughout the world who have alcoholic children.
She was always within hope that someday she could point to this thing with some pride and say that's mine. Until I came to you in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous I never allowed her that opportunity. I disgraced her, I shamed her. I misused and abused her. And when I say to you that my amends start there, I think that you understand. Some 12 or 13 years ago my mother underwent an operation where they replaced a notary there, it goes to her heart.
She was in intensive care to the point of death. Desperately in need of blood. The acquaintances on the street, the guys that used to borrow the money from me, the guys who I used to share the drinks with, they were not the ones that stepped forward. It was the people in Alcoholics Anonymous who had heard that I was in the fellowship, in the program and I was doing well and that my mom was desperately in need of blood.
And they came willingly for miles and miles around at their own expense and donated their blood that she could live. Am I grateful enough? I'll never be able to repay you for what you have done for me.
[00:25:05]
My mother's prayers and the prayers of hundreds of others who thought that there was something worthwhile saving is what brought me to Alcoholics Anonymous. I've had motorcycle accidents, automobile accidents, fires. When I was still employed in the business, and mother used to ride me so about drinking and getting drunk, and I was constantly attempting to impress you, which always seemed to me to be too much, which always seemed to me to be too much for her to have because she wasn't ever going anywhere, wasn't going to use it.
But I loved to have a big roll to flash, and I loved to go in those after-hour places, and I could roll out that money and peel off some bills and buy some booze and we'd get drunk. And I'd end up in a big comfortable chair like this, and I'd end up in a big comfortable chair like this chair back here, and the sun would be coming up, and there'd be one or two milling around in there, stumbling over each other, and I'd go to purchase another drink and wouldn't have a dime.
And I used to often wonder who it was that took my money. No one seemed to know, and of course I always suffered from amnesia. I never could remember. But this brings to my mind about thinking. Now I know you ain't supposed to think and drink, but I ain't too sold on thinking yet. But at that time I thought to myself, if I can get me a pistol, it'll help my image, and I know that you won't bother that much.
It'll help my image, and I know that you won't bother that money. I went downtown and searched around, found a gun. It came with a holster. I told him, I said, I'll swap the holster for some of them beautiful handle grips over there with them little red pearls in them. And I wore it right here under my belt, because I always felt that when I pulled that coat back to get some money, you'd see it, and you'd leave me alone.
I lost four of those guns. It's like the old guy said, you never see the forest for the trees. I'm going to tell you this story to show you why that I find it so desperately in need that I pray for sanity. Quite a few years ago when I was still working in the business and stealing her money, I still could not afford some of the luxuries that I saw you with. And they put air conditioning in the automobiles.
And I thought to myself, gee, I sure would love to have that. I didn't and couldn't afford it. But under the influence of alcohol, whether I was drinking that day or not, I was constantly clouded, my frame of mind in a constant turmoil. I'd get in the car and roll up all the windows and ride right downtown on a hot sunny day, 90 degrees in the shade, and you couldn't find any downtown Columbus. And I'd pull up beside you and look at you and just smile.
Because I wanted you to believe that I had air conditioning in that car. And I'd turn the corner as soon as the light would change and wipe this towel I kept on the seat and dab away the perspiration. Insanity. I desperately need to be seen. I could take you through escapade after escapade of drinking. I don't really find that it serves much of a purpose in a group meeting. It's not whether you identify or relate, but you do understand that I'm an alcoholic judged by my own standards of conduct.
And from what I've told you, I'm quite sure that you know that I belong. Thank you. I got here by a judge sending me because he was sympathetic with the cause and I had been
[00:30:04]
before him on numerous occasions because after Mother forced me out of the business, I schemed my way into a law enforcement job with the county in which I resided. And on numerous occasions I had been before this man taking different individuals. And it was downright humiliating for me to be involved in a hit-skip, totally tearing up one automobile, and being brought before this man, with all of you sitting out there in the stands looking, and he said to me, do you think you have a drinking problem? Because I had sort of convinced myself that I didn't have a drinking problem, I could quit any time I wanted to. I realize now that that was not the truth. I could not stop and I certainly couldn't quit. Because now it had become necessary, compulsory, that I have something to drink. Those who I used to share with were turning and hiding, retreating, crossing the street. I was no longer being invited. And I needed, I needed something to drink. I was without employment. Yes, I could still go to the house, Mother would prepare a meal, I'd eat some, ignite something, wake up in bed at night, pillows, blankets, mattresses smoldering. To give you another idea of all the alcoholic things, I thought to myself, I have been here and I have seen the firemen come. I've seen them direct the stream from that hose right on the blaze and put it out. I don't have to go through these smoke-filled rooms at night. I'll buy me a coffee pot or a teapot with a spout and I can keep it under the bed full of water and I can pour it right on the stream. And I did, numerous times. And I'd hear the water when it hit the flame. And it'd make a sizzling sound and I'd crawl right back in bed, roll over on the other side. And pretty soon the dog would be barking. Something would have a hold of the blankets and things and dragging them across the floor, igniting the rug. I'd have to get up and try to get the windows open, get rugs, mattresses, sheets, blankets, pillows out the window. And by this time I kept the garden hose hooked up at the side of the house year-round. The neighbors used to infuriate me because they'd get to talking with each other and they'd wonder what I was barbecuing. I'd threaten to kill them. Then I'd get down the street, get a few drinks and it would be forgotten. This judge sent me here and he said, I want you to go and see what they have to offer. And I came. I was a couple of days late, but I got here. Because he wasn't too hip either. He had some old outdated schedules and he gave me one. And I waited until about twenty-five after eight one night to go to a meeting on that Monday. And I got there and I found the freeway was going through. The following night, on a Tuesday, I did the same thing. I got to the meeting place and the building had been razed. And I went back home. Why, I don't know. I cannot tell you. I feel that I was guided in that direction. For Mother said to me, it doesn't, they don't last too long, do they? And something told me to tell the truth. And I said, Mother, I haven't been. And I explained to her the situation. She said, we'll rectify that in the morning. She got me in touch with our central office.
No gentleman down there pointed his bony finger in my face and told me his railroad story.
[00:35:04]
And I came to my first meeting that Wednesday. So it happened that it was a group in which Mary has since been secretary of it. And I heard a speaker stand in front and talk about the over-consumption of alcohol, the misuse and abuse. And I could identify with that. And I looked around that room at you and you looked so nice. And I didn't understand. I was confused, upset. And that very night, Dwight came to me and he said, we've actually been waiting on you. And I was so glad to see Dwight. I didn't know that he was present in that room. He's my sponsor, the guy that I told you they stole his shoes. Dwight said, sir, you came to us, we didn't come to you. If you're willing to do anything, you're going to have to get busy. And we want to help you. We want to take your hand and sort of guide you through the tunnel, the tunnel that you've been traveling in that's so dark and windy.
We'd like to guide you until you're able to see a little light and be able to stand on your own two feet. And Dwight's got a long, bony finger, too, and he keeps it in my face even to this day. They used to take me to meetings and they'd sandwich me between him and my co-sponsor, Bill. I'd listen to a speaker speak and Dwight hit me right in my ribs and said, you get it. A couple of minutes later, Bill nudged me in my other ribs and he said, give it away. They talked to me about reading the book, going to meetings and not drinking.
And so often I feel that we should reiterate the fact that this is not a program for the curious. It's a program for those of you who feel that you do have a problem with drinking and you want to do something about it. And the only way is to stop drinking. Don't take the first drink. Oh, there's so many jokes and things about the first drink. You've heard them all. I'm not going to tell you about them. But for a long time, I was here. And I wasn't drinking. And I didn't know why. And to show you the type of character that I was, I wanted to take the credit for that. I'd been around this program some two or three months and one day my sponsors didn't show up to take me to the meeting. And I got furious.
Who'd they think they were? Here I was going there helping them. They'd even appointed me the head guy in charge of the kitchen in one of the groups. But all of a sudden I decided that, by golly here it's been three months, I think I'll quit drinking. And I had not had a drink. But I can remember my sponsors letting me out of the car and they would say to me, if you feel like taking the nip, go in there and drink some water. And drink all the water you can hold. Drink it till it's running out of your ears and your nose. And when you feel that you're filled up and you can't drink no more, drink one more glass full. They told me about changing things. Changing my habits. Don't wear the watch on the right wrist, wear it on the left. Don't go this way going home, go the other way. Avoid certain things. How grateful I am for those guys, because they helped. And then for you in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous who allowed me the privilege of reuniting myself with a God as I understand. A God that I can pray to morning,
[00:40:09]
noon or night, anywhere in time. And I ask for a lot of things. And all too often those things are granted. But when they're not, I understand that he knows that I'm not ready for them. Listening. Listening for the answer. Meditating. What a priceless privilege. To be able to drive down the street and not take a moment of my time to honk the horn and say to someone passing by, your door is ajar. Little things like that. And believe me, I'm not always completely satisfied or content at night when I go to bed that I have done everything possible to help my fellow man.
But I realize that I'm not perfect and I never will be. But you've taught me how to look forward to the better side of life and how to work on it one day at a time. Old guy up in Rochester, New York one time said that there were no little shots and no big shots in this fellowship. But one shot and we can all be shot. I'd like for you to think about that. I used to watch you when you came and you'd stay a few weeks and then you'd have a relapse. And I wasn't the only one because others would say to me, well they're just going back out to get some more material for a lead.
But I'd talk about you. I'd go behind your back and I'd say I just can't understand them. An old timer one time said to me, he said, Sonny, to never criticize. Not until you have walked a mile in their shoes. For perhaps you would not have done quite as well. I've never forgotten it. Oftentimes when I get around people like Kay and Frank and John around here, Gene and the other people that I come in contact with, I keep an ear open for little words of wisdom that I can use for myself later on. Because I've come to realize that this is a selfish program. And I'm not here to win any contest or influence anybody. I'm here to save what I sit on and you know what I mean.
My good friend Dean here and Perk back there from Nitro. Those are the type of people that I like to be around. Levi over here. Because they teach me so much. I am the guy who came here who thought he knew it all. And I found out how little I knew. And by following the principles that you've set down, the guidelines that are so simple for me, only complicated when I complicate them. It is so easy for me to repeat. Constant repetition. If I find myself in trouble tomorrow, I'll repeat what I did today. I know there's a lot of you saying, I hope you ain't standing up here talking.
But that's how simple it is for me. It doesn't have to be difficult. And I beg of you don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today. God-given fellowship. What a beautiful program and how beautiful you people are. Not only do I like you, but I love you. A guy up in Newberry, Wisconsin one time told me, so don't you try to tell it off, dummy, because you don't know how and couldn't if you knew. me because you don't know how and couldn't if you knew. The weather is beautiful and you're
[00:45:02]
here to enjoy yourself. And if I haven't helped anyone, you have given me your most priceless asset, your time, in order to help me. I could stand here for another half an hour or so and tell you about the benefits, how wonderful it is to be able to leave my home and call one of my AA pigeons and say, I'm going to Akron to enjoy myself over the weekend. Would you look in on my mom? And his answer to me was, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
6.30 this morning he was by just to kind of check. He wasn't sure what time I was leaving. And she's delighted to have him come. She loves him like he was her own. That's what the fellowship has done to him. I'm so very proud of him. I'm so very proud of all of you for allowing me the opportunity. The man said one time that there were two prime requisites in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. One of them was humility and the other was sincerity. He said the only thing wrong with sincerity is that it takes a lot of proving.
I pray that all your dreams become ambitions and all your ambitions become realities. Thank you and God bless all of you. You know this job I have is a great ego builder. It's a five year job. And when I was working at Goodyear, and I'm retired now, they gave me six months to stay sober. In fact I doubt if they gave me that long. And like I said it's a great ego buster and builder. And I was leading one place and a guy shut off his tape recorder right in the middle of my lead.
That knocked my ego. And I ran into my first wife here about two years ago. And I yelled at her and she came over to me and she said, you're Ray aren't you? And I said no you dumb. My name is Gene, your first husband. Well she shot her second husband. So I'm glad I got rid of her. Or she got rid of me, I don't know which. But Oscar, I want to thank you so much for coming up here and leading this meeting. I've heard Oscar several times.
And it's always a pleasure to hear him. And we have for the speakers here, and I think it's a great thing, says 44th Founders Day, Akron, Ohio 1979. With deep appreciation to Oscar Allen for sharing your experience, strength and hope with us in Akron, Ohio, the birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous. Symbolic of our appreciation, we have reproduced in booklet form the final draft of chapter 5 as it appeared in 1938. This draft was sent out to our then 400 members for their comments and suggestions before this manuscript went to the publisher. And it's in a real beautiful bound booklet. And I would love to have one of these, but I don't think I'll ever get it this way. I'm going to have to buy one. So, Oscar again, I'd like to thank you. I want to give you this with our deepest appreciation. And would you lead us in the Lord's Prayer. And would you all stand and join hands.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.