January 20, 2007

Trial of Pastor Bradley Schmeling – day two

This morning there was bright sunshine, with high clouds making for a glorious sunrise. The temperature rose later in the day to the mid-50s [Fahrenheit].

We gathered in the lower room, the Georgia Room, the RIC chapel, for prayers and readings prior to the start of the second day of the trial. As before, Bradley and his team were composed, centered, and reflective.

The trial opened, and I saw Bishop Herbert Chilstrom leave the Defense witness room and return to the Hearing room, presumably to continue his testimony. The Hearing took a break just prior to 11:00 am, and were back in session by 11:20 am.

At 11:30 am, by pre-arrangement with the organizers of the Hearing, a delegation from St John's and supporters arrived to present the Prayer Weave to the Hearing Committee. Carrying flowers, a banner that said "Praying for Full Inclusion," as well as the Prayer Weave, the group, about 20, walked down the corridor singing "Ubi caritas…" Though this had been pre-arranged, hotel security was summoned. David Hardy, an ELCA facilitator, was in the hallway with a visage that looked like thunder if it had a face. The delegation was motioned into the room of The Five Nameless Rooms that was for the use of the press office of the ELCA, (as well as by us if we had press to speak to, a kind offer by John Brooks, ELCA Director of News). David Hardy continued in and up the corridor saying, very gruffly, that we were "either in that room or out of this corridor… Now… those are the choices." The last time someone spoke at me in that tone and manner was before I shaved regularly.

We were joined inside this room by those from the Defense witnesses room. Once we were gathered, a prayer was offered up. At its completion, we were greeted warmly by retired Pastor Herbert Carlmark, who identified himself as the other ELCA facilitator. He said he had been asked, in the name of the Hearing Committee, to receive us and what we bore. He was gracious, asked questions about the Prayer Weave, how it came about, where the prayer strips had come from. He was surprised to hear that strips had come from as far away as Germany and other locations outside the United States. He asked that some of the prayer strips be read out loud. He asked where the people in the delegation had come from to be here with St John's. He thanked all of us present for being part of the Church. He said that he would convey the Prayer Weave and what he had learned. We left the flowers we had borne individually in a vase of water next to the Prayer Weave.

I saw Bishop Chilstrom come out of the Hearing room and not return. Mary Benis, a member of Pastor Bradley's congregation in Columbus, Ohio, left the Defense witness room and entered the Hearing room. I saw Barbara and Paul Arne, members of St John's Lutheran, separately leave the Defense witness room and enter the Hearing room. Jim Mayer, the member of St John's Lutheran featured in the January 17th Atlanta Journal-Constitution article "Converted Critic" left the Defense witness room and entered the Hearing room.

To remind you, the poverty of the reportage on the Hearing is because it is a closed session. No one who is part of it, who is going to testify before it, or has testified is allowed to speak about what they said or what happened within the room until after the decision of the committee has been promulgated.

Tonight, St John's held a concert full of wonderful music. Don and Emily Saliers performed starting at 8:00 pm. The concert included a wide range of music by Brahms, Duke Ellington, and the Indigo Girls (Emily being one-half of that folk-rock duo.). The assembled audience participated by being the rhythm section (syncopated clapping), by breaking down into sections for singing wonderful rounds, and by singing full-throated harmony on a "Dona Nobis Pacem" they taught us. We witnessed the World Premiere of their sound man, Steve, accompanying on a bongo. (He did very well, thank you very much.) Emily's father, Don, is a professor of theology and worship at Emory University, and a very accomplished musician. The two of them are co-authors of "A Song to Sing, A Life to Live: Reflections on Music as Spiritual Practice." The church was packed with more than 250 people, the parking lot completely full and parked cars extending down the street for at least one and a half football fields. The roof was raised; the Lord was praised; the soul calmed and one's spirit refreshed. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Pastor Bradley spoke at the end, thanking the musicians for their wonderful talents and for sharing them with us. He thanked the assembled audience for coming and reminded them that Sunday Eucharist service was at 10:30 am – and that at St John's Lutheran ALL WERE WELCOME. As he said, "as a matter of fact, if you are looking for a church home, you've found one."

Tomorrow, worship at 10:30 am, the Rev Gladys Moore preaching. The trial continues in the afternoon, and Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm.

See you at church…

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