The moment that they had all been waiting for had finally arrived: the RMS Titanic had set sail--and with only one minor hitch in leaving port. The Captain and the board of White Star Lines had, upon finding out that at least one member of the clergy would be aboard, requested that a prayer service be held the first afternoon that the ship was in the ocean. Timo, along with a Lutheran minister and another Catholic priest, had agreed to the prayer service and set to preparations as soon as they were all settled into their cabins. The tenor of the prayer service would be to ask for God's blessing on this ship and all of her crew and passengers. At the urging of the Lutheran minister, the three had demanded that the prayer service be open to all passengers regardless of whether or not they were first class passengers. Reluctantly, the captain agreed and the time was set for right before supper that evening.

The prayer service happened on the first class deck went well, each minister taking his turn in leading the passengers in prayer and song--a smattering of hymns from their respective traditions. The Lutheran minister wore his suit and tie, the diocesan priest wore his Roman collar, Timo wore his habit. Sister Eleanor and the orphan-boy were in the front row of deck chairs set out for the special prayer service.

At the end of the service, Timo stood up from his deck chair and rose his hands to offer the benediction. "Go now wit' the blessin's of God the Almighty: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." At this, he drew the sign of the cross in the air over the crowd and lowered his hands. "You might stay and chat f'r a while. I've been a priest for decades an' I've never known folks to leave church without without chattin' for a good hour."

[[NOTE: As Timo said, please feel free to chat! This is one chance where characters from all three classes and the crew can mingle! Enjoy!]]