PRESIDING BISHOP IN ALABAMA TODAY
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is in Alabama today. He will be preaching a revival in Birmingham, at the Birmingham Southern College. RevivAL 2022 will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CDT and will be livestreamed on Youtube. Find it HERE . The event is open to the public and free tickets are available.
The PB, world renowned for his electric preaching style, has generated quite a stir of interest in the Diocese of Alabama. The diocesan office and many parishes have widely publicized today's revival. Not so with the problematical Cathedral Church of the Advent, in Birmingham, just two miles from the College campus. To my knowledge they have completely ignored the PB's visit. I have found no mention at all on the Cathedral website of today's monumental event. Given the hopes of the recent covenant between the bishop and the vestry of the Advent, this is disappointing. It indicates that little if anything has changed in the Advent's indifferent attitude toward the diocese and the Episcopal Church.
Regardless of the Advent's attitude, there is great excitement in Alabama today in anticipation of the great preacher's appearance in Birmingham. If you cannot attend, you can catch it on Youtube livestream.
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AFTER NOTE. The parish banner from the Advent was in the parade of banners at the start of the service, so I assume there were people present from the Cathedral in Birmingham. It was heartening to see that particular banner coming down the aisle.
This "revival" meeting served several purposes, and did it well. It was a chance to display the important ministry programs of the diocese, some unique to this diocese. It helped unify the diocese as well as energizing the attendees. Most of all it was a chance to see the Presiding Bishop at his best, energetically advocating his message that God is love.
When the legal dust settles a bit more in South Carolina, the Diocese of South Carolina would benefit from this sort of event, bringing people together, reminding us of what institutional religion is all about, and energizing people to go out doing God's work in the world. Besides, it would go a long way to counteracting the dark propaganda that the secessionists have promoted about the Episcopal Church for years. The wounds in SC are long and deep. It will take a lot to start the healing, and a "revival" would not be a bad place to start.
PB Michael Curry has always had a soft spot in his heart for lower South Carolina. He did about as much as he could before the schism and after to help. One may recall that he was in that small group of bishops that went to Charleston to visit with Bishop Lawrence before the break, to no avail. After the schism, he visited several times, lifting spirits every time.
Today's event is on Youtube. Find it HERE .
