New First Family

A Portrait of Change
New York Times
January 21, 2009
Nation’s Many Faces in Extended First Family



By JODI KANTOR
Published: January 21, 2009
The new president was sworn in while surrounded by a clan that redrew the image of the first family.

Yekaterinburg Ice Sculpture Festival

Yesterday was a beautiful day to see the annual Ice Sculpture Festival on the main square. This is one of the best parts about living in Siberia/Urals. I lasted about 2 hours in the cold; it was -7C or 19F. Click on the slide show to see larger versions of the pictures.

Obama Names Disciples of Christ GMP Watkins to lead National Prayer Breakfast!

I'm so proud of Sharon and the Disciples of Christ and take some pride in being part of the search committee that selected her!

U.S. / Politics
Obama Names Minister to Lead Prayer Service

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: January 11, 2009
Barack Obama has selected the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to deliver the sermon at the national prayer service that is held the day after the inauguration.

Ms. Watkins, the first woman ever selected to lead the service, is the president and general minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a small, liberal-leaning Protestant denomination with 3,754 congregations and about 690,000 members in the United States and Canada. Ms. Watkins was elected to the post in 2005, the first woman ever chosen to lead a mainline Protestant denomination.