My Thoughts on the Regionalization Plan

I was on an online forum where someone asked if the plans for regionalization “only affects Africa.” I thought I should share my response here.

“No, regionalization would affect everything. Right now, there is some level of Contextualization allowed for central conferences outside the US, but NONE is allowed within the US. Regionalization would allow all areas of the world to have Contextualization over agreed-upon general areas. This would be a peaceful and unifying resolution to our current crisis, because the African church, for example, would not be pulled into voting on matters that only affect the US. It makes sense. Then the US delegates could find a way forward with something like the ‘one church plan.’

“Frankly, in my opinion the WCA has used manipulation tactics to use African delegates for their votes in a way that resembles colonialism, and it’s now become evident by the WCA’s own schismatic actions. They never intended the ‘traditional plan’ passed in 2019 for unity. It is now evident that their agenda was to force their opponents to leave, and if they could not do so, then to rise up and leave themselves. We know it’s true because that’s exactly what they did. The ‘traditional plan’ that the WCA pushed was not devised for unity but for schism.

“My sense from the African church is that they by and large voted for the traditional plan with the understanding that it would bring unity, not division. The truth has now made itself evident. Many African pastors I know of are in favor of regionalization, so they will no longer be pulled into conflicts that do not concern them.

“I mean no offense, but that’s the way I see it.”

For official information on the regionalization plan, click here.

Podcast on "Praying on the Incarnation"

Have a listen to my Advent devotion for the “Pray Together” podcast from the NAL Conference.

It’s on the legend of St. Nicholas (e.g. “Santa Claus”) striking Arius the heretic, on Athanasius, and on five ways of praying through the mystery of the incarnation!

You can listen here.

Article in Al.Com

Here is an article by Greg Garrison that appeared in Al.Com, the Anniston Star, and other publications on November 30, 2023.

United Methodist split: changing signs reflect upheaval

The Rev. Carol Gullatt, pastor of the Abundant Grace church plant for United Methodists in Albertville, accepts a United Methodist cross and flame logo sign from the Rev. Steve West. The sign formerly belonged to Morningstar Methodist Church, which disaffiliated from the United Methodist denomination. (Photo courtesy of Steve West)

More than half of the United Methodist churches across Alabama have disaffiliated from the denomination, and the signs are becoming obvious – churches are literally changing their signs, reflecting the upheaval that’s happened.

It started in many cases with a swoosh of black paint covering up the “United,” leaving behind “Methodist Church.” Some have since ordered new signs. The signs represent decades of pent-up infighting over theology, bureaucracy and human sexuality that finally brought the split to a climax this year with churches facing an end of the year deadline to seize an opportunity to leave and take their property with them.

It’s happening across America, as more than 7,200 congregations voted to leave, about 24 percent of the congregations in the denomination. It’s more obvious in the South. In the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, 348 churches left. In South Alabama and the Florida panhandle, 248 churches left and 45 filed a lawsuit saying they were prevented from leaving by the end of the year. Both North Alabama and the Alabama-West Florida Conference previously had more than 600 churches each.

Many towns across Alabama now have two Methodist churches instead of one. Many of those that left had to get rid of their old signs featuring the United Methodist cross and flame logos. “The cross and flame logo is a trademark of the United Methodist Church,” said the Rev. Steve West, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville. West was the founding pastor from 1995-2004 of Morningstar Methodist Church in Chelsea, which left the denomination this year.

“I didn’t meddle in their decision,” West said. “I was personally sad.”

When the church got rid of its red and black metal cross and flame signs, it offered them to West, whose church remained in the denomination. I took them up on it,” West said.

Gift of a cross and flame

He gave one metal cross and flame logo to a new church start called Abundant Grace in Albertville, where people from several congregations who wanted to remain United Methodist started a new fellowship after the Albertville First Methodist Church disaffiliated.

“We don’t have it up yet,” said the Rev. Carol Gullatt, pastor of Abundant Grace. “We’re meeting at the Chamber of Commerce right now.”

That group of about 20 people also has a Wednesday night Bible study at an Albertville bakery, Gullatt said. “It’s been going slow, but it’s been a wonderful time of having meaningful conversations that help us name our values,” she said.

So far, there’s no building to put the cross and flame logo on, but there could be one day. “We haven’t done our mission church application, but we are functioning as a United Methodist church,” Gullatt said.

West gave another cross and flame logo to Pell City First United Methodist Church, where the dynamics of the split were as dramatic as anywhere. The 800-member church, with nearly 300 attending a church meeting a year ago, voted 65 percent to leave the denomination, but fell three votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to disaffiliate.

“That added to the turmoil of the whole process,” said the Rev. Rachel Gonia, who remains as senior pastor of Pell City First United Methodist. “People knew it was a majority that wanted to disaffiliate. There were rumors in town that something nefarious happened. Some people didn’t understand that it required a two-thirds majority.”

About 200 people left and began a new congregation, called New Life, with the Rev. Wes Savage, the former associate minister at Pell City First, as pastor. That group, which has not yet affiliated with another denomination, has already bought property on U.S. 231 with plans for a future church, Gonia said.

The disaffiliation vote not only split the church, it split up some couples on Sunday mornings. “We have some wives in this church, but the husbands in that church,” Gonia said.

The Rev. Steve West presents a cross and flame logo to the Rev. Rachel Gonia, pastor of Pell City First United Methodist Church. The cross and flame formerly belonged to Morningstar Methodist in Chelsea, which has disaffiliated from the denomination. (Photo courtesy of Steve West)

Pell City First previously had two services on Sunday mornings, a traditional and contemporary. It now alternates between those two worship styles on Sunday mornings and just has one service to bring everyone together.

“That’s been well-received,” Gonia said. “It’s kept our congregation as one body. Before, people didn’t know each other as well. Now, they’re all together.”

LGBTQ activists in the denomination have been pushing for greater inclusion since 1972, when the General Conference adopted a phrase in the Book of Discipline taking the stance that the church “does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.”

While the “presenting issue” of the disaffiliations has been over whether the United Methodist Church will lift its ban on same-sex marriage and ordination of openly gay clergy, it also involves complex theological and church bureaucracy issues.

“There were lots of other reasons people left,” Gonia said. “For many of the people who voted to stay, it was not so much about that issue.”

Many conservatives decided the denomination had become too liberal, so it was better to leave. Others had gripes with the way pastoral appointments are controlled by the bishop’s office, some wanted to have clear ownership of the church property, some wanted to keep their pastors, Gonia said.

“We’re just focused now on being welcoming, and being able to disagree,” she said.

New sign in Trussville

In Trussville, there’s a brand new sign out in front of Trussville First Methodist Church, replacing the one where the “United” was painted over for awhile. The new sign cost several thousand dollars and overall, the church spent more than $100,000 to make its transition to a new denomination, with much of that going to pay off its obligations to the North Alabama Conference to buy the property and pay off annual dues called apportionments, plus paying for pensions for previous pastors.

“What we didn’t take into consideration is how many things have a cross and flame on it,” said the Rev. Steve Strange, pastor of First Methodist Trussville, which is now affiliated with the Global Methodist Church, a new conservative-leaning denomination. “We changed the back awning, all the lettering on all the buses. We had to file for a new tax exemption, re-write bylaws and re-file those. We also had to change out our hymnals. We did go to a hymnal that returns to our roots.”

More than 3,800 churches have affiliated with the Global Methodist Church since it launched last year, including most but not all of the churches that disaffiliated in Alabama, Strange said. Many have remained independent or joined the Free Methodist Church or the Foundry network of churches.

The new sign at Trussville First features the words, “A Global Congregation,” to indicate its new affiliation, but that part of the sign is an easily removable piece, just in case. “I think we’ll stay Global,” Strange said. “You just never know down the road.”

Even road signs that say, “United Methodist Church two miles ahead,” had to be changed, Strange said.

Church linens that line the altar and robes worn by clergy had to be given away to United Methodist clergy and churches, he said. “Half of ours had cross and flame on them,” Strange said.

Strange said that 83 people left the congregation after the disaffiliation vote. They took on the name All Saints’ United Methodist and moved east on U.S. 11, with services at an Episcopal church, Church of the Holy Cross, led by the Rev. David Teel, former associate at Trussville First.

But Trussville First Methodist has also attracted new members from other congregations that didn’t disaffiliate and wanted to be part of the Global Methodist Church, so attendance has remained at about 300, Strange said.

“We’re probably 50 members less out of 400,” said Strange, who was previously pastor at Riverchase United Methodist Church for nine years. Riverchase fell seven votes short of disaffiliation in its vote, so some who wanted to leave now attend Trussville, he said.

We’ve picked people up from Riverchase, and Asbury, Huffman, Trinity, a lot of churches that didn’t vote,” Strange said.

Calm after storm?

At First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville, which avoided a disaffiliation vote, a calm has settled in, West said. Several families left anyway and started a new church that meets at the Hampton Inn in Jacksonville on Sunday evenings.

“The people who remained are having a fresh start and finding renewal, because the decision’s over,” West said. “A lot of churches are experiencing renewal and a refreshing openness. It’s painful, but then you move forward, and there’s renewal and refreshment.”

The signs now point to the future.

“I have a lot of hope,” West said. “These can become times of refreshing when you get back to basics. We’ll move forward.”

First Methodist Church of Trussville, now associated with the Global Methodist Church, has a new sign. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com)

Review of My Book in Academic Journal

I’m incredibly honored that an academic journal based in London, Wesley and Methodist Studies, carried a solid review of my new book by Adam Ployd, formerly Vice Principal of Wesley House in Cambridge, UK and now Dean of the Davenport College at Yale.

Here is a copy.

Jesus in the Morning

This might be a record.

I got nineteen minutes (count them, 19!) of their undivided attention at chapel for Kids 1st Academy today. And the best part is I got to answer the question one of them asked me last week after chapel, “who is Jesus?”

We learned the song “Jesus in the Morning,” so I just had to post my favorite picture of Jesus for all time (unless I’m mistaken it originated from Sally Allocca’s mother). We learned the Bible verse “For God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son.”

I got to introduce some people to Jesus today. What can be better than that?

A Word of Grace for Those Committed to the UMC

Here is a word of grace for those of us committed to staying in the UMC and responding to continued attacks. At the end of Philippians chapter 1, Paul says:

“Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that … I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well—since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”

Immediately preceding this, Paul talked at length about his journey letting go of other preachers that were actively opposing him in such a way as to “increase his suffering” while in prison. Imagine other preachers literally preaching against him. 

Immediately after these verses, he goes into the beautiful hymn on regarding others as better than ourselves, taking the mind of Christ, who in humility emptied himself and took the form of a servant.

May we, too, live our lives in a way that reflects the gospel. May we stand firm in one spirit, striving side by side in unity. May we know that when we meet opposition we are suffering for Christ,  who prayed fervently for unity in his church. May we empty ourselves and be servants of God, knowing Christianity is a WAY to be lived, not just an institution to be protected or propagated.

Take heart, my friends. “All will be well and all manner of things shall be well.”

Memorial for the Grissom High School Class of 1983

These were my remarks at the brief memorial service I was honored to lead for our 40th high school reunion on September 30, 2023. We met in the entrance lobby of the new Grissom High School after getting a tour from the new principal. We gathered around a small table with a cloth, a candle, and a bell.

Since we all need little reminders, my name is Steve West, and I am of course part of the class of ‘83.

We graduated from Grissom in the year 1983. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was #1 in the charts, and Motorola released the first mobile phone. Mario Brothers were unleashed by Nintendo, and the final episode of M.A.S.H. was watched by 125 million viewers.

It was a long time ago, and like you, I had a lot of things on my mind. But the last thing I could have imagined back then was being asked to say a few words to remember our lost classmates 40 years later. I’m deeply honored.

 

We stand here and light this candle to remember them. I count 39 of them, and as strange as it seems, that averages about 1 per year. We light a candle because they are like “shining stars that burned out too soon.”

I can remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing, when I first heard of the death of someone from our class I knew pretty well. I was doing summer camp registration, and a friend bounded up to me to tell me of the death of Todd Walker, lost in an accident at the Space Center. Todd sat by me in Mrs. Ward’s home room every year. He was always fun, always sharp witted, played sax in the band, and went to church with some of my friends.

If I asked you, you might remember the first time you heard about the death of someone you knew.

But I can’t say I knew everyone on this list. I went through the media presentation some of you graciously put together, some had obituaries attached. Some I was acquainted with, others were less familiar. But all of them were important … to somebody. 

So what do we say about them today?

I think of a quote from Scottish poet Thomas Campbell, which my mother found in my grandmother’s journal. “To live in the hearts of those we left behind is not to die.” 

Today we honor their memory, because they live on in us. We are grateful.

I’d like us to be honest about a couple of things. When there are between five and six hundred in your class, we just can’t know everybody. Whether you went to Whitesburg or Mountain Gap, or like me moved to Huntsville to go to high school, we just don’t have the bandwidth.

You may have regrets that you didn’t know some of them better. Or you might have regrets about the interactions you do remember with some of them. I want you to know it’s natural to feel that way.

But we are now experienced enough to know people aren’t perfect, and wise enough to let go of the expectation that we should be. Kelly Caldwell Kazek posted some delightful “Reasons You Really Should Go to Your 40th Reunion.” I thought the most insightful one was “We’ve all had ups and downs since high school. We measure success in different ways. The important thing to know is these are some of your oldest friends.”

Do you know what helps me when I have regrets about someone I have lost? Whatever we may believe about the afterlife, I’m sure of one thing. If they are looking down on us now, they are doing so with perfect love and understanding eyes. We were teenagers back then, and none of us were particularly wise. We can put the past behind us knowing that the people we honor today have a more complete perspective.

Returning to the idea that they are like “shining stars that burned out too soon,” we know that some stars twinkle brightly, some are in interesting patterns that we assign meaning to, others are dim or slightly red. We may know some stars better than we know the others. But together, the stars light the night sky, and that’s what matters. There’s a bigger picture we are a part of.

I have an altar bell from an old church. I’d like to first light the candle, then read the names. Then I’ll ring the bell to call us to one minute of silence. Then I’ll close with a poem. Let us begin.

The candle is lit and these names are read:

• Carl Behr
• Chris Hallum
• Jim Pemberton
• Neil Stanley
• John Burgoyne
• Allisen Brooks Cox
• Kerry Edwin Vaughn
• Forrest Splinter Spann
• Chris Atkins
• Christian Sloan
• Tim Leduc
• Stacy Abeyta Tucker
• Eric Pickett
• Lisa Holloway Roop
• Pat Ferrell
• Del Hilbert
• Craig Hoke
• Michael Sean Gregg
• Jennifer Kirkpatrick Habblett Goodridge
• Tim Byrne
• Mark Lunsford
• Donny Featherston
• Peter Operacz
• Burt Cogburn
• David Scott Forgie
• Peter Sapp
• Phyllis Pope
• Anne Deletang
• Todd Walker
• Michelle Ballard
• Gregory Scott Canter
• James "Jim" Wise
• Stephen Francis Horan
• Scott Terrell
• Sharon Guinn
• Mark Magnant
• Desiree “Dee” McGlone Tumas
• Steven C Smith
• Mary Terrance “Terri” Newsome

I rang the bell and invited us to take a minute of silence. Then this poem was read:

“So many things have happened
Since they were called away.
So many things to share with them
Had they been left to stay.
And now on this reunion day,
Memories do come our way.
Though absent, they are ever near,
Still missed, remembered, always dear.”

As time permitted, I asked people if they’d like to say a brief sentence or two about someone we remembered.

On the phrase “Love the sinner, hate the sin”

I have grown to detest this phrase.

It carries the pretense of being loving, with the undergirding reality that we assume we are “holier than thou.” I imagine it sounds so different to the one being judged than the one doing the judging. Yes, it’s judgment … because we are attempting to identify what another person’s sin is.

Not only that, let’s be honest. Folks who use this phrase are almost always talking about one thing. Nobody uses it when we talk about people’s addiction, or lying, or cheating on their taxes.

Here’s the thing. The only things the Lord “hates,” according to scripture, are “haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” Look it up.

I wonder if people who presume to righteously hate other people’s sin realize that it may be their own sin the Lord truly hates.

Our calling is to love God and neighbor, my friends.

Presentation on Staying in the UMC

I have been a spokesperson for staying UMC in this season when some have been discerning whether to secede from our denomination or remain in the main body. Each presentation has been tailored to a local situation.

Now that I have finished the last speaking engagement on my calendar, I feel compelled to share my most recent presentation with you here.

I’m passionate about the future of the UMC and believe we have great days ahead, pulling together and focusing on making disciples of Christ after this schism. I stand firmly against the wealth of misinformation that has been spread by separatists, and this presentation includes some of my  “Methodist mythbusting.”

If all you’ve heard is a separatist presentation, you have not opened yourself to a complete picture. Factual information from your pastor, conference, and bishop isn’t the “other side” but the common ground from which multiple sides should be considered.

I hope this offers a clear, compelling alternative to the separatist point of view. Some highlights are:

• The distinction between traditional “compatibalists” and “incompatibalists”
• Essential Wesleyan spirituality
• Addressing MYTHS such as the ideas that UMC beliefs are going to dramatically change, extreme examples represent the whole,  we are all going to take a “hard left,” and that leaving is a “good business deal.”
• A vision for being a traditional church in a diverse denomination
• Choosing unity over conformity and uniformity

Feel free to share it.

Balancing Resources (latest version)

There is plenty of biased and misleading information available on the internet to promote the separatist narrative for leaving the UMC. I offer these balancing resources.

Is the United Methodist Church Really …? – Mythbusting by “Ask the UMC” from United Methodist Communications (parts 1-11 so far)

"Proud to Be UMC"

Bishop Bickerton’s “Mid-State of the UMC” Address

Council of Bishop’s Narrative for the Continuing UMC

Celebrate the UMC Event in Montgomery - Featuring Tom Berlin

Sermon by John Robbins of Pulaski Heights UMC on Staying in the UMC

Adam Hamilton Responds to Maligning and Misleading Videos of Rob Renfroe

Bishops Push Back Against Recruitment Tactics of WCA

African Bishops Condemn the WCA and refuse to go into the GMC

What We Believe – The United Methodist Church

United Methodist Social Principles

“Should I Stay or Should I Go” series by United Methodist Communications

Stay UMC - Grassroots coalition of North Alabama United Methodists

“Why I’m Not Leaving the United Methodist Church” -Letter by Steve West that went viral after first Clear Branch event promoting leaving the UMC

“Open Letter to Chris Ritter” - Letter by Steve West that went viral in response to biased sideby-side comparison distributed by the WCA

“We Believe!” - Steve Harper dispels myths about future beliefs

“That We May Be One” – Texas Conference

“Abide” - South Georgia Conference

United Methodist News Service

“United Methodist Insight”

"Beginning Again" - Guide for Remaining United Methodist 

Letter Responding to my Stay UMC Presentation

This is a letter I was honored to receive after a recent presentation. I share it with you (edited to remove identifying information) because it beautifully and succinctly states, from a layperson’s point of view, why the vast majority of traditional United Methodists feel compelled to stay UMC.

—

Dr. West, 

I hope this isn't an imposition.  I was in the audience at {my local UMC}on Wednesday night. I wanted to speak to you after, not least to ask how you're enjoying "Strange New Worlds," but you had a number of folks waiting and we knew you had a long drive home ahead of you. 

First, I want to thank you.  It's obvious that this is a subject you're passionate about, and I truly appreciate you giving of your time.   I also have something that I simply can't get my head around.  My brilliant wife and I have talked about the matter extensively. I've spoken with {our pastor} at length, done a lot of reading, and watched what feels like hours of video (including more than one iteration of Rev. Stafford's informational session).  We have a 10-year-old son, and as I helped him with his Reading Fair project on Sherlock Holmes this past school year, we talked about the idea of "Qui bene?" that Holmes comes back to when he's stuck on a problem.  Believe it or not, that's what is really confusing to me about the present situation.  It may be that I'm not sophisticated enough or just not well-versed enough in the complexities of the thing, but I'm having a really hard time understanding how the traditionalists benefit from this.  I understand that they want a church that more closely reflects their social ideology, and that may be the answer, but I don't understand why the UMC has to be shattered to accomplish that.    

Beyond that, I find the GMC's references to Paul and Barnabas as a touchstone somewhat disingenuous.  Those two parted ways over a personal disagreement as far as I can tell, not any theological divide. It also bugs me that the whole premise of Rev. Stafford's presentation appears to be internally inconsistent, first stating that declaring Jesus as Savior is all that is required for salvation, regardless of doctrine or rules (emphasis mine), and then lamenting breaches of the Book of Discipline in nearly the next breath.  His appeal to probability, saying that because there are more and more "liberal" pastors being ordained in the UMC that even if you're a predominantly "traditional" UMC congregation, you're probably going to get a liberal pastor that doesn't align with your views, strikes me as a shabby trick more appropriate to Harold Hill.  Those, however, are my own gripes and not likely to have much of an impact on anyone else.

Sir, I know you're incredibly busy, and I understand completely if you're not able to respond.  Part of writing this was just to sort out what's been banging around in my head on this for a long while.  I'm going to vote to stay, if it comes to a vote at {my church}.  Like you, I'm sure, people I love and respect are on the other side.  If our church disaffiliates, I have no doubt we'll be able to find another church home.  What it comes down to for me, really, is that I can't see myself being part of a church that says to anyone, "You can attend worship here.  You can sit in the pew if you want. But you can't fully be part of this church because of who you are."  It seems to me it's the same as saying, "Jesus does not want you here."

Thank you, sir, again, for your time and your passion and for letting me get all this out.  I'm not sure if any of it makes sense.  If I can be of any help to you, please don't hesitate to ask.

Very Respectfully,

{name}

Addressing the Misinformation about our Core Doctrines

I've had several thoughtful and positive comments on my sermon on Trinity Sunday, so I thought I'd share a portion of it here. It's important!

I'm excited about being part of God's church because of who God is and what God is doing in us. No church is perfect. Last time I checked, it's full of people. And no denomination is perfect. All of them are struggling, but the church is the gift that God gave us, a gift of not only witness for God but for the "with-ness" of God.

And as we talk about the Trinity, I think it's important to address some misinformation that you will find out there in the world. Some opponents of the United Methodist Church say that the UMC is going to somehow abandon core doctrines like the authority of the Bible, or the resurrection, or the virgin birth, or the lordship of Christ, or the Trinity. You name it, I've heard it. Nothing could be further from the truth, and I'm going to tell you a couple of reasons why.

First of all, one method of rhetoric is to take outlying examples - something somebody said, somewhere, in a 12.5 million person denomination - and then you exaggerate it, take it out of context, wrap it into a narrative of the infidelity of the whole, and use it as justification for leaving.

It's a method of rhetoric. But it's an untruth, because second, our core doctrines of the United Methodist Church can not be changed. They're part of something called the Articles of Religion. They are in a constitutional section of our Discipline and were written by Wesley's very own hand, as he adapted them from the Church of England. It would take a 3/4 vote of all lay and clergy members of all annual conferences everywhere, throughout the entire world, to change those core constitutional doctrines.

And the very first one reads like this:

Article I — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

You can not be more clear, and that's "A Number One."

In Memory of Harry Sims Protecting the Freedom Riders

I had a moving experience this past Saturday. I attended the Freedom Riders Anniversary Event on Gurney Avenue in Anniston, coordinated by a friend and parishioner named Pete Conroy. There was a book signing and presentation by Charles Person, one of two living original Freedom Riders who came through town in 1961 to protest continued segregation in Alabama, after it was outlawed by the Supreme Court.

At the time their "mixed riding" was met with hostility from mobs of Ku Klux Klansmen, Person was 18 years old. I had heard the basic story, of course, but I mentioned on Sunday that I didn't realize it happened on Mother's Day.

Afterwards, one of our church members told me that a parishioner of our church, Harry Sims, was on that bus. In his blessed memory, and in honor of all those who are part of the fiber of our great church, I decided to learn more about what Harry did.

At the time of the Freedom Riders, Harry was a plainclothes state trooper who was on the Greyhound bus. He was on duty, not only keeping an eye on things with his partner (who was recording the whole thing), but ended up protecting the Riders from violence.

You probably know some of the main story. Two buses left Atlanta, bound for Birmingham, and the Greyhound stopped for a rest stop in Anniston. As soon as they left Atlanta, "beefy" Klansmen on the bus started taunting Person and the other black and white Freedom Riders. Harry and his partner were sitting in the back. Once stopped on Gurney Avenue in Anniston, out of nowhere, the Freedom Riders were met by a Ku Klux Klan mob who blocked the bus, slashed the tires, broke the windows, and beat it with baseball bats.

Once the bus was able to pull out, just a few miles out of town the bus had to stop on the side of the road. Having been chased by cars driven by the same angry mob, the infamous scene was set.

Harry and his partner blocked the doors to keep the mob from attacking the Riders. One of the KKK threw a fire bomb through a broken window, and the Riders had to get out to escape further injury from smoke inhalation. Harry drew his weapon to protect them from the mob, which then began to disperse. When the ambulance arrived, the driver refused to take the black Freedom Riders to the hospital, and the white Riders insisted that they would not leave their black friends behind.

After some stern words from Harry's partner, the driver relented and they ended up all going. Harry and his partner accompanied them to the Anniston Memorial Hospital, where there was continued agitation. After the hospital administrator told them to evacuate because of threats of burning down the building, Harry and his partner could not provide transportation or an escort. So Fred Shuttlesworth, Civil Rights leader, ended up sending cars for them from Birmingham.

I wish I had met Harry Sims and heard his version. Those were difficult times. But he was there for all that, and he protected them, and in his own way, he stood for what was right. I tip my hat to Harry Sims. For more information on the Freedom Riders, the incident near Anniston, and Harry Sims, see the NPR news article on the subject.

Better Recording of "I'll Be On My Way" by Shawn Kirchner

Some have asked to hear the most recent performance of my solo work with the Calhoun County Civic Chorale. It was a professional recording made in the recital hall at Mason Hall at JSU.

This is the spring performance of the Calhoun County Civic Chorale, doing "Ill Be On My Way" by Shawn Kirchner.

It features myself as the baritone soloist. The director is Dr. Eliezer Yansen, Jr. of Jacksonville State University.

YOU MAY VIEW THE PERFORMANCE BY CLICKING HERE.