Lipscomb alum is guest chaplain in U.S. Senate
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As the nation mourned the recent passing of former President Ronald Reagan, the U.S. Senate was comforted by the words of a Lipscomb University graduate. Prentice Meador Jr. (’60, speech) was guest chaplain in the Senate chamber on June 8, the day before the late president’s body was to arrive in Washington for the funeral. Nominated for the honor by a Presidential Cabinet member he declined to name, Meador opened the Senate session with prayer, noting the nation’s grief for the late president and the observance of D-Day just two days before. “Lord, in this historic week, our nation mourns the death of President Ronald Reagan. Father, we celebrate his patriotism, optimism, and courage. Bless Mrs. Reagan, her family, and our nation with peace from your heart. “Merciful Father, in a world that sometimes drowns out such voices, empower the women and men of this great body to hear again words from our past: integrity, faith, bravery, sacrifice and godliness. At this special time, I pray that each Senator might recommit to the clarity of your truth, the depth of your wisdom and the power of your love,” Meador said, according to the Congressional Record. Meador, a Nashville native, is pulpit minister for Prestoncrest church of Christ, Dallas, a church that “has attracted large audiences of young adults” and has an average age of 28, noted Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) in introducing Meador on the Senate floor. “Dr. Meador has in fact adopted a wonderful philosophy of the modern church. He offers grace to imperfect people. He doesn’t want to save the world and lose our own families. He offers God to people entangled in the web of today’s culture,” Hutchison said, also noting his associations with Lipscomb, Abilene Christian University and Pepperdine University. “It just struck me as I was sitting there,” Meador said, “that I felt proud of Lipscomb, I felt proud of the church, I felt proud of Abilene Christian. I don’t know how many times these universities have been mentioned on the floor of the U.S. Senate. “This was just a wonderful experience,” he said. “I was treated with the greatest hospitality.” Meador was also greeted by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Christopher Bond (R-Mo.), in recognition of his Tennessee roots and former service at the South National church of Christ in Springfield, Mo. Meador is a member of the Board of Trustees at Abilene Christian University and is on the Chancellor’s Council at Pepperdine University. He is an author and has served as managing editor of 21st Century Christian since 1992. He is also a weekly panelist on the “American Religion Town Hall” television program.