Celebration. This was a great man, a moral leader, and a friend. First lady of the church patricia thomas, in this baptist church, inc. You for welcoming us all here to reflect on live and celebration of service of Elijah Cummings. Also to the Cummings Family and to his political family that constituents from maryland congressional seventh district. Thank you for sharing him with our country and the world. [applause] thank you miya. Is you have said so beautifully, you walked by elijah his side on this journey. Thank you for your steadfastne steadfastness. And your resilience and your leadership. [applause] is no consumer incidents, then Elijah Cummings, sharon a name with an Old Testament prophet. His name meant in hebrew, the lord is my god. [applause] and who used the power and the wisdom that god gave him, to uphold the moral law. That all people are subject to and because of all people, are equal. Like the prophet, our elijah, could call down fire from heav heaven. [applause] but he also prayed and he worked for healing. He weathered storms and earthquakes but never lost his faith. Like that Old Testament prophet, hes stood against corrupt leadership of king ahab and queen jessa babe. [applause] [background sounds] he lifted up the next generation of leaders. He even worked a few miracles. And he kept reminding us that live is no dress rehearsal. The American People want to live their lives that went out fear of their leaders and is leaders, we have a responsibility to keep the promises made when running for office and to make the lives of americans better. Is elijah says, while we are all on this earth, that is my message. Our elijah, was a fierce champion for truth and justice and kindness. In every part of his live. [applause] his integrity and character, his cando spirit, made him a guiding live in the congress. He pushed back against the abuse of power. He was unwavering in his defense of our democracy. He had little tolerance for those who will party ahead of country or partisanship about truth. [applause] he could find Common Ground with anyone wheeling to see it with him. And he like to remind all of us, that you cant get so caught up in who you know hiding you forget we do are fighting for. [applause] even his political adversaries recognized that it wasnt really about politics or our elijah. He led from a soul. He often said that our children are a message to a future we will never see. I saw that firsthand when i attended an if it for the elijah cumming, Youth Program in israel. [applause] a Leadership Program for young people in his district. He didnt just put his name on the program and then forget about it, he interviewed every applicant. He was personally invested in their success. He wanted all of us to see our young people is he memorably asked us to do when he gave the eulogy at the funeral for freddie gray. Did you see him. By the time these young people came back from israel to baltimore, and celebrated and studied hebrew and they had seen and been seen. They made lifelong friends. All because Elijah Cummings knew from his own experiences, that it is one thing to learn about the world but also to experience it. With people different from yourselves. Learning from each other and lifting each other up. No, elijah often said his philosophy was simple. Do something. Go out and do something. No matter how daunting a problem seems, no matter how helpless you feel, surely there is something you can do. I think that remains is challenge to each of us. Is he said, even if it seems small, there is usually something you can do if you know looking for it. You can defend the truth. You can defend democracy. You can lift up others. Toward the end of his live, he said i am begging the American People to Pay Attention to what is going on. Because if you want to have it democracy intact for your children, and your childrens children, and generations yet unborn, we have got to guard this moment. This is our watch. Our elijah knew him a because he was a man of faith and a man of the church, that live was fleeting and precious. That is why he worked so hard to make every moment of his live count. When dancing with the angels, the question will be asked he said, in 2019 what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact. Compact paraphrase of occult poem, that elisha recited in his very first speech in the congress. He said that he told himself this poem. Is monday is 20 times a day. I only have a minute, 60 seconds in it, forced upon me i did not choose it but i know that i must use it, give account if i have music, suffer if i lose it, only a tiny little minute. Eternity is in it. Thank you. [applause] Elijah Cummings for your work and your service and the lessons you leave us. God bless you. Compact screaming [applause] im going morning baltimore thank you bishop thomas, for bringing us to your beautiful offices, to pay tribute to our darling precious elijah. Mr. President , mr. President , mr. Vice president , [applause] madame secretary, arch bishop, members of the clergy, distinguished guests, for o