We will show the president eulogy, then the entire funeral service. [applause] [applause] president barack obama giving all praise and honor to god. The bible calls us to hope. To persevere and have faith in things not seen. They were still living by faith when they died, scripture tells us. [applause] they did not receive the things promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. Admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. We are here today to remember a man of god who lived by faith. A man who believed in things not seen. A man who believeed there were better days ahead, off in the distance. A man of service who persevered, knowing full well, he would not receive all those things he was promised because he believed his efforts would deliver a better life of those who followed. To jennifer, his beloved wife, juliana, and milana, his beautiful and wonderful daughters, to mother emanuel family and the people of charleston, the people of South Carolina. I cannot claim to have had the good fortune to know reverend pinckney well, but i did have the pleasure of knowing him. And meeting him here in South Carolina back when we were both a little bit young. [laughter] back when i didnt have visible gray hair. [laughter] the first thing i noticed was his graciousness, his smile, his reassuring baritone, his deceptive sense of humor. All qualities that helped him wear so effortlessly a burden of heavy expectations. Friends of his remark this week that when Clementa Pinckney entered a room, it was like the future arrived. That even from a young age, folks knew he was special. Anointed. He was the progeny of the long line of the faithful, a family of preachers who spreads gods words, a family of protestors, who so changed to expand Voting Rights and desegregate the south. Clementa heard their instruction and he did not forsake their teaching. He was in the pulpit by 13. Pastor by 18. Public servant by 23. He did not exhibit any of the cockiness of youth nor youths insecurities. Instead, he set an example worthy of his position, wise beyond his years. In his speech, in his conduct, in his love, faith, and purity. As a senator, he represented the sprawling swath of low country a place that has long been one of the most neglected in america. A place still racked by poverty and inadequate schools. A place where children can still go hungry. And the sick can go without treatments. A place that needed somebody like clementa. [applause] his position in the Minority Party meant the odds of winning more resources for his constituents were often long. His calls for greater equity were too often unheeded. The votes he cast were sometimes lonely. But he never gave up. He stayed true to his convictions. He would not grow discouraged. After a full day at the capitol, he would climb in his car and head to the church to draw sustenance from his family, from his ministry, from the community that loved and needed him. There, he would fortify his faith and imagine what might be. Reverend pinckney embodied a politics that was neither mean nor small. He conducted himself quietly and kindly and diligently. He encouraged progress not by pushing his ideas along, but by seeking out your ideas. Partnering with you to make things happen. He was full of empathy and fellow feeling. Able to walk in somebody elses shoes and see through their eyes. No wonder one of the Senate Colleagues remember senator pinckney as the most gentle of the 46 of us. The best of the 46 of us. Clem was often asked why he chose to be a pastor and a public servant. But the person who asked probably didnt know the history of a. M. E. Church. [applause] as our brothers and sisters in the a. M. E. Church know, we dont make those distinctions. Our calling, clem once said is not just within the walls of the congregation, but the life and community in which our congregation resides. [applause] he embodied the idea that our Christian Faith demands deeds, and not just words. That the sweet hour of prayer actually lasts the whole week long. That to put our faith in action is more than just individual salvation. Its about our collective salvation. That to feed the hunger and clothe the naked and house the homeless is not just a call for isolated charity, but the imperative of a just society. What a good man. Sometimes i think thats the best thing to hope for when youre eulogized. After all, the words and recitations and resumes are read, to just say somebody was a good man. Announcer [applause] you dont have to be of high station to be a good man. Preacher by 13. Pastor by 18. Public servant by 23. What a life Clementa Pinckney lived. What an example he set. What a model for his faith. And then to lose him at 41 slain in his sanctuary with eight wonderful members of his flock. Each at different stages of life but bound together by a common commitment to god. Cynthia hurd, suzy jackson depayne middleton, sanders daniel l. Simmons, Sharonda Coleman singleton and myra thompson. Good people. Decent people. Godfearing people. [applause] people so full of life and so full of kindness, people who ran the race, persevered. People of great faith. To the families of the fallen, the nation shares in your grief. Our pain cuts that much deeper because it happened in a church. The church is and always has been the center of africanamerican life. [applause] a place to call our own in a too often hostile world. A sanctuary from so many hardships. Over the course of centuries black churches served as hush harbors were slaves could worship in safety. Praise houses where they could gather and shout hallelujah. [laughter] rest stops for the weary along the underground railroad. Bunkers for the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement. They have been and continue to be Community Centers where we organize for jobs and justice, places of scholarship and network, places where children are loved and fed and kept out of harms and told they are beautiful and smart and taught that they matter. [applause] that is what happens in church. That is what the black church means. Our beating heart. The place where our dignity as a people is inviolate and there is no better example of this tradition then mother emmanuel. [applause] a church built by blacks seeking liberty, burned to the ground because its founders thought to end slavery only to rise up again, a phoenix from these ashes. [applause] president obama when there were laws banning black church gatherings, services happened anyway in defiance of unjust laws. When there was a Righteous Movement to dismantle jim crow dr. Martin luther king jr. Preached in his pulpit. Marches began from its steps. A sacred place, this church. Not just for blacks, not just for christians, but for every american who cares about the steady expansion of human rights and Human Dignity in this country, a foundations own for liberty and justice for all. [applause] that is what the church meant. [applause] president obama we do not know whether the killer of reverend pickney and eight others knew all of this history. But he surely sensed the meaning of his violent act. It was an act that drew on a long history of bombs, and arson, and shots fired at churches. Not random, but as a means of control. A way to terrorize and oppress. [applause] president obama an act that he imagined would incite fear and recrimination, violence and suspicion. An act that he presumed would deepen divisions that trace back to our nations original sin. Oh, but god works in mysterious ways. [applause] president obama god has different ideas. [applause] president obama he didnt know he was being used by god. [applause] president obama blinded by hatred, the alleged killer could not see the grace surrounding reverend pickney and that bible study group. The light of love that shown as they opened the church doors and invited a stranger to join in their prayer circle. [applause] president obama the alleged killer could never have anticipated the way the families of the fallen would respond when they saw him in court in the midst of unspeakable grief with words of forgiveness. He could not imagine that. [applause] president obama he cannot imagine how the city of charleston under the good and wise leadership of the mayor how the state of South Carolina, how the United States of america would respond not merely with repulsion to his act but with , generosity and more importantly, with a thoughtful introspection and selfexamination that we so rarely see in public life. Blinded by hatred, he failed to comprehend what reverend pickney so well understood. The power of gods grace. [applause] president obama this whole week, i have been reflecting on this idea of grace. [laughter] [applause] president obama the grace of the families who lost loved ones, the grace that reverend pickney would preach about in his sermons, the grace described in one of my favorite hymnals, the one we all know. Amazing grace. [applause] how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now i am found, was blind but now i see. [applause] president obama according to the christian tradition, grace is not earned. Is not merited. Grace is not merited, something we deserve. Rather, grace is the free and benevolent favor of god. [applause] president obama as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. Grace. God has visited grace upon us. For he has allowed us to see where we have been blind. [applause] president obama he has given us the chance where we have been lost to find our best selves. We may not have earned it, this grace, with our complacency and shortsightedness and fear of each other. But we got it all the same. He gave it to us anyway. [applause] president obama he has once more given us grace. But it is up to us now to make the most of it. To receive it with gratitude and to prove ourselves worthy of this gift. For too long, we were blind to the pain that the Confederate Flag stirred into many of our citizens. [applause] president obama it is true, a flag did not cause these murders. But as people from all walks of life, republicans and democrats now acknowledge, including Governor Haley whose recent , eloquence on the subject is worthy of praise. [applause] president obama as we all have two acknowledged to acknowledge the flag is always represented more than just ancestral pride. [applause] president obama for many, blacks and whites, that flag was a reminder of systemic oppression. And racial subjugation. We see that now. Removing the flag from this States Capital would not be an act of Political Correctness not an insult to the valor of confederate soldiers. It would simply be ended knowledge meant that the cause for which they fought the cause of slavery was wrong. [applause] president obama the imposition of jim crow after the civil war, the resistance to civil rights for all people was wrong. It would be one step in an honest accounting of americas history. A modest but meaningful balm so for so many unhealed winds. It would be the expression of the amazing changes that have transformed this state and country for the better. Because of the work of so many people of goodwill, people of all races a striving to form a more perfect union. By taking down that flag, we express gods grace. [applause] president obama i dont think god wants us to stop there. [applause] president obama for too long, we have been blind to be way past injustices continue to shape the present. [applause] president obama perhaps we see that now. Perhaps this tragedy causes us to ask some tough questions about how we can permit so many of our children to languish in poverty or attend dilapidated schools or grow up without prospects for a job or careers. [applause] president obama perhaps it causes us to examine what we are doing to cause some of our children to hate. [applause] president obama perhaps it softens hearts towards those lost young men, tens and thousands caught up in the criminal Justice System and lead us to make sure that system is not infected with bias. And we embrace changes in how we train and equip our police so that the bonds of trust between Law Enforcement and the community they serve makes us all safer and more secure. [applause] president obama maybe we now realize the way racial bias can infect us even when we dont realize it. So that we are guarding against not just racial slurs but also guarding against the ubtle impulse to call johnny back for a Job Interview but not jamal. [applause] [cheering] president obama so that we search our hearts when we consider laws to make it harder for some of our fellow citizens to vote. [applause] president obama by recognizing our common humanity, by treating every child as important regardless of the color of their skin or the station into which they were born or to do what is necessary to make opportunity real for every american. By doing that, we express gods grace. [applause] president obama for too long, we have been blind to the unique mayhem that gun violence afflicts upon this nation. [applause] president obama sporadically, our eyes are open. When eight of our brothers and sisters are cut down in a church basement, 12 in a movie theater, 26 in an elementary school. But i hope we also see the 30 precious lives cut short by gun violence in this country every single day. The countless more whose lives are forever changed, the survivors crippled, the children traumatized and fearful as they walked to school. The husband who will never feel his wifes warm touch. The entire communities whose grief overflows every time they have to watch what happened to them happen to some other place. The vast majority of americans the majority of gun owners, want to do something about this. [applause] president obama we see that now. [applause] president obama and i am convinced by knowledge the pain and loss of others even as we respect the traditions and ways of life that make up this beloved country, by making the moral choice to change, we express gods grace. [applause] president obama we dont earn grace. We are all sinners. We dont deserve it. [applause] president obama but god gives it to us anyway and we choose how to receive it. It is our decision how to honor it. None of us can or should expect a transformation in Race Relations overnight. Every time Something Like this happens, someone says we have to have a conversation about race. We talk a lot about race. [applause] president obama there is no shortcut. We dont need more talk. [applause] president obama none of us should believe that a handful of gun Safety Measures will prevent every tragedy. It will not. People of goodwill will continue to debate the merits of various policies as our democracy requires. It is a big raucous place america is. There are good people on both sides of these debates. Whatever solutions we find will necessarily be incomplete. But it would be a betrayal of everything reverend pickney stood for, i believe, if we allowed ourselves to slip into a comfortable silence again. [applause] president obama once the eulogies have been delivered the t. V. Cameras move on, to go back to business as usual. That is what we so often do. To avoid uncomfortable truths about the prejudice that still infects our society. [applause] president obama to settle for symbolic gestures without following up with the hard work of more lasting change. That is how we lose our way again. It would be a reputation of the forgiveness expressed by those families if we merely slipped into old habits whereby those who disagree with us are not merely wrong but bad. Where we shout instead of listen. Where we barricade ourselves behind preconceived notions or well practiced cynicism. Reverend pickney once said across the south, we have a deep appreciation of history. We have not always had a deep appreciation of each others history. [applause] president obama what is true in the south is true for america. He understood that justice grows out of recognition. Of ourselves in each other. My liberty depends on you being free too. [applause] president obama that history cannot be a sword to justify injustice or a shield against progress. It must be a manual tool avoid how to repeat the mistakes of the past, how to break the cycle. A roadway for a better world. He knew that the path of grace involves an open mind. But more importantly, an open heart. That is what i felt this week. An open heart. That, more than any particular policy or analysis is what is called upon right now, i think. What a friend of mine, the writer marilyn robinson, calls that reservoir of goodness beyond end of another kind that we are able to do each other in the ordinary cause of things. That reservoir of goodness. If we can find that grace, anything is possible. [applause] president obama if we can tap that grace, everything can change. Amazing grace. Amazing grace. Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me i once was lost, but now im found was blind, but now i see. [applause] president obama Clementa Pickney found that grace. Cynthia heard found that grace. Susie jackson found that grace. Ethel lance found that grace. Dapayne middleton found that grace. Rwanda sanders found that grace. Daniel l simmons senior found that grace. Shawonda signalton found that grace. Myra thompson found that grace. The example of their lives. They have now passed it on to us. May we find ourselves worthy of that precious and extraordinary gift. As long as our lives endure. May grace no leave them home. May god continue to shed his grace on the United States of america. [applause] the president also met with family members of the victims of the shootings. Clementa pinckney was the senior pastor. The president delivers the eulogy. This here is the day that the lord has made. Let us rejoice. And be glad in it. Our help come from the lord. Bless us and we shall be blessed. Keep us and we shall be kept by your power. Its gods amazing that we are able to be here at this hour. And for that, god, we say, thank you. If we did not have the lord on our site, where would we be. Strengthen us for this day and for this very hour. The lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He leads me beside the still waters. He leads me in the right path for his namesake. Though i walk to the valley of the shadow of death, you come for me. Service here today at the arena. For what we know, capacity for a normal event is about 5,100. With the added seats on the floor an additional hundred can be there. But thousands of people on the outside were turned away who wanted to be part of this service to pay their respects to Clementa Pinckney. What we heard from congressman clyburn this morning, wolf, in his conversations with the president was that the president was going to deliver a very personal eulogy that he sees coming back to his people not in a racial context but in 2008 during the campaign a really connecting not only with the people of mother emanuel but personally with pastor pinckney. Its amazing when you think about whats going on the stage, john king. Theres this very very powerful moment for the next several hours, this funeral that will be taking place in charleston South Carolina. To this bereaved family, to the bishops, the general officers, the ecumenical bishops with us here today. The clergy and the laity, to all elected officials, we want you to know that we share in your loss. We want to remind ourselves that god is our refuge. I help in the time of trouble. , as we celebrate this home going service. On behalf of the right Reverend Richard franklin noris, the district the african methodist episcopal church, the state of South Carolina, we stand strong. Two mother marianne noris and all the supervisors here, we think god for you. Lets follow this Worship Guide for this home going celebration. We come now to sing as we are called to worship by the senior bishop of the african methodist visible church, we ask that you receive him, john richard bryan. In case there is any confusion in the room, in case you have been confused by the long lines or by the Television Cameras know that what we enter into now is worship. [applause] what we have been through and what we have to go through, i would not be possible without a god. We believe that this god of hoursours is more than able to take us through a time like this time. We invite you to comment worship to come and worship with us this morning put aside his bonnets he and depression and despair. Wherever god is present, there is joy in the house. Lets praise god. Lets worship god. Lets celebrate god. Who brings victory out of seeming defeat. [applause] we will now have a musical selection by the Mother Emmanuel Church choir. You have done so much for me. Turn to somebody and say you have done so much for me. He has done so much for me. He has done so much for me he has done so much for me he has done so much for me to helstart yos. Its all right to clap your hands now. Its all right to lift up your voices. We ought to give god some praise up in here. Stand up and give god some praise. You got a reason to praise his name. Hallelujah. Return to somebody and say, its going to be all right. Before we have reflections from our various Community Partners let me acknowledged the presence of a delegation from the United States congress who is here. If you would stand and let us see you. My goodness, yes. [applause] my my. Members of the General Assembly of the state of South Carolina why dont you stand and let folks see you. [applause] my, my. Well, since of done that, let me see how many clergy we havent house, ministers stand up. [applause] yeah. Now, so i will be ever to go back where i am going, what dont everybody stand up and give the reverend Clementa Pinckney a good round of applause. [applause] yeah yeah, come on. Its all right. You can cheer. [applause] then let me take this opportunity as we clear this for those who come before to have reflection, i would be remiss if god did not technology our friends and partners that we have gone to these past several days with. I want to thank the governor of the state of South Carolina was here. [applause] for helping to bring all the resources of State Government and along with what i call the nations mayor, mayor riley. [applause] then most certainly our u. S. Senator, tim scott, who has helped us in many ways. [applause] now this next person dont need no induction, he is a native South Carolinaian. Our own u. S. Congressman. [applause] yeah, yeah good to. Then, let me take this u. S. Opportunity, hillary clinton. [applause] jennifer our two girls and family, i want you to know that the world has come to you, to South Carolina, for the poison dignity the poise and dignity , you have demonstrated how we handle our grief, but we hold on to our faith. [applause] no weapon formed against us. [applause] its all right, no weapon formed against us, no evil can separate us from the love of god. Now, my brothers and sisters those who have been listed in your worship gods on this day we ask that you come as your name appears and give reflections. Come in the order in which you are listed. Once again, we are in worship and this is no longer the tv arena. We have transformed it into a sanctuary. [applause] let us govern ourselves accordingly. Come. Thank you all. I am honored to be one of those here in the sanctuary of the lord to honor one so very dear and to recognize a family whom we love even though perhaps we have not spoken as much as we would like, we care deeply. In this place where the music that has been so glorious continues to echo in the space my reflections will thereby come in the form of a prayer. Police bow in prayer with me, my friends. But god affirms boldly in the 119th psalm, may your unfailing love be my comfort. Indeed, lord, we are truly covered in our times of need always by your love, by your reminders of grace and mercy, by the reality of your constant present with us, and by your gift of hope for the future. As we gather here in this arena and charleston today with hearts still roost and hurting by the horrific events of wednesday night a week ago, we note that we absolutely must turn to you, that you, dear god, are our source of consolation. Those we have lost are gone from a sadly, but their lives will not have ended in vain overlord, we will not allow that to happen. We will ever strive to remember each of these persons to hold their own loved ones and our hearts, and to mention them in our prayers, and to ask again and again that you will provide the comfort to their family members and friends the comfort that only you can provide you may we, as your servants by your grace move forward and be stronger than ever. The late senator pinckney, loving father inspiring and hardworking member of our state senate