University of Virginia Library

Services For Nixon
Planned In Chapel
By Different Groups

A "Nixon Sunday," combining
five political sermons with a nonsectarian
"service of intercession
for the new administration," will be
held Sunday if the University administration
grants permission for
use of the chapel.

Named "a service of intercession
for the new administration," the
service will combine services "on
behalf of the new President to God,
and for the students to the new
President," according to a spokesman
for the sponsoring groups, the
Virginia Interfaith Action Council
and the United Ministries.

Included in the activities will be
a patriotic hymn at the beginning, a
litany by the Presbyterian ordinal,
and five-minute sermons by the
Young Republicans, Young Democrats,
Human Relations Council,
Students for a Democratic Society,
and the V.I.A.C.

The speeches, which deal with
each group's hopes and expectations
for the new administration,
will be followed by a prayer for Mr.
Nixon, and the singing of "This
Land Is Your Land."

The V.I.A.C. noted one problem
in planning the service, however -
they have not permission
to use the chapel on Sunday. According
to the group's spokesman,
they have been unable to reach Paul
Saunier, director of University Relations
and the man through whom
the group must clear its request.

"The last time we planned a
program," he said, "the administration
turned us down. That was for
Vietnam Sunday. The reason they
gave is that of the separation of
church and state, that they can't
condone a religious service in the
.

"What we hope they will realize
this time," he continued, "is that
the group sponsoring the service is
representative of every religion and
denomination, since that is its
membership basis; the service will
also include non-religious parts, so
we feel that the administration
should grant us the permission to
use the ."

The service, administration permitted,
is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Sunday.