Mary Baldwin’s chaplain, Patricia Hunt, composed the following prayer and read it at the inauguration of President Pamela Fox.

We are deeply grateful that we are a part of this Mary Baldwin band of seekers
        and creators and thinkers and detectives
                     and musicians and writers and composers and artists
                     and lovers of investigating our shining blue orb spinning through
                     space.

We come to ask your blessing on this same bit of beautiful and holy ground that
        Mary Julia Baldwin (and how many others?) implored you to bless.
Now it is our turn.
It is Pamela Fox's turn.

We do not know what the future holds,
                     but we pray she and we can face it with courage.
May we live neither cringing in fear on the one hand
                     or clinging to shallow optimism on the other
but embracing hope born of a deep and abiding faith in your goodness and good
                     will
                     toward us and all creation.

Give us a vision of our place in your purpose
                     so in seasons when nothing seems to go right
we can have assurance that comes from believing that the world needs our gifts
                     and our labors are not in vain.

In this era when the word accountability seems to be on everyone's lips,
                     don't let our life together become some grim forced march of duty
                     and responsibility.
Give us an attitude of joy.

Even when we don't like each other very much and are tempted to view others as
                     if they were felons in a court where we are the presiding judge,
may we still find each other mysterious and astonishing creatures who bear your
                     imprint.

May there be many, many days when we are simply happy to be here.

Thank you for bringing us Pamela Fox; we are indeed fortunate.

May we go forth with confidence that there are new songs to be sung,
                     fresh discoveries to be made,
                     rich experiences coming our way.

Let your favor be upon us and prosper the work of our hands.

Amen.

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