January 20, 2007

Trial of Pastor Bradley Schmeling – day one

Ok, I was wrong. The room is not labeled at all. None of the five rooms devoted to this trial are. The rooms are down a long corridor off the main lobby of the hotel, turn right and down a corridor that is a cul-de-sac. There is no walk-by traffic. Our room for Defense witnesses is called the Morningside Room, if you look over the lintel. However, beside the door, where the empty label does not say who is meeting here, the room is announced as the Mornings de Room, giving a slightly upscale cant to our efforts.

The hotel information boards list those holding meetings in the hotel. There's the Georgia Dugout Club 2007 Clinic, a meeting of baseball coaches from around the state – a large gathering of very controlled, buzz-cut men looking like they would be a bit less uncomfortable if they had their clipboards with them. Then there's the American Orthodontic Society, a very smiley group. They are just around the corner from The Five Nameless Rooms – handy should anything get out of hand and reparative work be necessary. And The Meth Epidemic, for those longer breaks. There's Rehabing for Profit and something called Universal Sportline. And my personal favorite, a group called Wealth Beyond Reason Weekend is meeting here. But, for the general populace there is no explanation for the large number of clerical collars walking around, leading to the speculation that the hotel has an inordinate number of chaplains on staff.

The Hearing Room itself was as tidily arranged as I told you it would be. I glanced in before anything got started. Spectacularly missing was any religious symbol. More than slightly jarring that. More than slightly jarring…

Everyone from both sides began to gather in the corridor and the Hearing Room, exchanging pleasantries as if they were meeting to consider the color of the new carpet or the budget trade-outs for the two years beyond the current fiscal year.

We gathered downstairs for prayers at the start of the day in the Georgia Room. The Georgia Room has been set up by the RIC Team for the defense team and witnesses as a worshipful space, a quiet space apart for the purposes that one creates such spaces. There are devotional materials there, stoles from The Stoles Project, a decorated altar, the listing of those gathered in prayer by the hours at St John's and elsewhere around North America and the world and a circle of chairs. Appropriate soothing music. And chaplains, Pastors Megan Jones and Beth Birkholz, to help in whatever way they can.

What did I see? Not much. Well, it's a closed trial. There are door wardens. On the public side of the door, the side of that closed door that all Lutherans are on except for 20, there's Mrs. Carlmark, a wonderfully delightful church lady, doing her needlepoint and being as kindly and helpful as she can to all who encounter her. I liked her instantly.

But, it's a closed trial. I saw The Rev Lowell Almen, Secretary of the ELCA, go in, and hours later come out. I saw Bishop Herbert Chilstrom, the first Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, go in and later come out. The Hearing Committee took breaks, had lunch, stopped around 4:00 pm. They will begin again in the morning.

The Defense Team seemed very upbeat to the eye, walked confidently, showed no signs of concern or fatigue. Pastor Bradley appeared to be centered and calm, both at prayer in the morning and throughout the day.

Weavers have been at work at St John's, taking all the prayer strips that have come in from all parts of North America and even overseas, combining them with those received at the worship services last night and tonight. They are creating a prayer weave that is going to be presented to the Hearing Committee tomorrow, mid-day. More on that at the time.

Tonight at St John's we had Prayers at the Cross, a time for quiet reflective intercessory prayer. The church was lit only by candle, the music sublime, simple, and moving, and prayers based on the no anger, bitterness, hate, wrangling text in Ephesians. Readings from Martin Luther King. It was a uplifting and calming. Afterwards there was fellowship and an opportunity to add prayer strips to the weave that is being presented to the Hearing Committee tomorrow.

My prayer was that the Spirit help the Hearing Committee to be a Listening Committee…

I hope this communication finds you all well, Spirit-filled, and full of grace.

Blessings be upon us and all who meet us, in the name of the God who created us and the Savior who sustains us…

Phil Soucy
Director Communications LC/NA
communications@lcna.org