Will You Say a Prayer For Northampton County?

Pastor Eric Schwartz

When Ron Angle was Council President, clergymen from all over Northampton County were asked to give a little invocation before each meeting. After they were done, they would say something about their Church and congregation. Not only were we exposed to a diversity of religious beliefs, but we managed to learn things about our community. It was a nice experience, one that has been practiced in Bethlehem for years. That experience ended with Angle's tenure as President. Instead of hearing different religious attitudes, we were stuck with a canned banal prayer, offered by whomever was President. Things got even worse when Glenn Geissinger was elected. A clergyman, he became the automatic preacher at every meeting. Though he certainly meant well, I hate the idea of a Council member leading everyone in prayer, which creates the impression that he and he alone speaks for God. I also resented hearing from only one denomination. So I stopped participating in April. Though I was the only one who refused to participate in what I considered a charade, several people approached me to say they agreed with me.

That changed last night.

Council has resurrected, so to speak, the practice of inviting clergymen from different churches to lead everyone in prayer.

Pastor Eric Schwartz of Gate Community Church led the invocation.. This church is located in Bethlehem's Banana Factory. "We don't want to just bless the community," Rev. Schwartz stated. "We want to be a blessing to the community." He noted the church volunteers every month to help the men's shelter at Victory House, and recently participated in a backpack drive to provide school supplies to children through New Bethany Ministries.

"We like our food, enjoy our families and love our God," said Pastor Schwartz.

After the meeting, Glenn Geissinger told me Council will be reaching out to different denominations for Council prayers, so he's probably saved my immortal soul.

Maybe one of them will take me.

Don't Tell Me to Bow My Head

When Ron Angle was Northampton County Council President, he persuaded Council Clerk Frank Flisser to invite clergymen from all over Northampton County to give a little invocation before each meeting. After they were done, they were asked to say something about their Church and congregation. The one who got to me the most was Rabbi Isaac Yagod, who worships at Bethlehem's Beth Avraham. Instead of praying, he spoke about justice, calling that principle the foundation of the Ten Commandments. He asked each Council member to find a way to be just. Instead of a boring, mind-numbing experience in which everyone pretends to be holier than thou, I found the Rabbi's comments insightful. So I appreciate the value of a brief prayer before a public meeting, which happens in Bethlehem, too. But the way Northampton County Council does it is ridiculous. Moreover, it has now become a violation of the First Amendment.

After Ron Angle was shipped off to the shit fields of Upper Mount Bethel, then Council President John Cusick took over the prayer himself, and would read some banal statement he did not mean to people who did not listen before every meeting. Now it's Glenn Geissinger's turn. My problem with that is that he at least was a Bishop in his own denomination. So allowing him to lead the prayer before every meeting, as Peg Ferraro has done, really favors his religion to the exclusion of others. It also creates the impression that anyone who differs with Geissinger is taking on God.

Before the last meeting, Geissinger started things off with, "Bow your head!"

Say what?

You're not the boss of me.

I don't mind if some preacher from a real church tells me to do that, but no member of Council has the constitutional authority to tell anyone they must participate in what he considers a prayer.

Since Peg Ferraro is apparently too lazy to line up clerics to give real invocations before each meeting, the prayers should stop. This has crossed the line.

I refuse to participate in this nonsense one instant more.

A Little Pre-Game Prayer

Hope you don't mind, but like all grandfathers, I'd like to do a little bragging about my grandson.

Very much unlike me, he's a sports nut who has been playing in one form of organized basketball or another since he's been five. It's the sport he loves above all others, and he plays year round, from hot summer days to icy weekends.

He juggles hoops with baseball and football. Thankfully for him, we're not biologically related. I'm still learning how to dribble.

At this time of the year, he plays on two or three different teams, so he gets around. And let me tell you, there are some very gifted young athletes in the Lehigh Valley. I've seen ten and eleven year-olds from Allentown who could probably hang with some high school teams.

This year, one of the teams Dat (that's my grandson's name) is playing for is the Notre Dame Hoops, where he goes to school. It's a CYO production, coached by Emil Giordano. (Giordano is also a Northampton County judge in his spare time). Dat loves it because he's finally playing with his own classmates. Kids like Grant Hershman, grandson of none other than the Allentown Watchdog, Lou.

Last Saturday, they faced a very good team from Saucon Valley. The game itself was exciting and fun to watch, but what stunned me was what happened before the game. In five years of watching Dat play three different sports, I had never seen it.

Coach Giordano matter-of-factly called the boys together, chewing gum like the jock he is, and suddenly suggested they recite a little prayer. They all dropped to their knees, crossed themselves, and recited the Hail Mary or something. While they did this, Dat looked into the crowd for his mom, and gave her a big smile.

That's an image I'll always remember.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm all for separation of church and state, and understand the problems that arise when a public school forces kids to pray. The Supreme Court has spoken. On the other hand, I think these little things help ground the kids, and teach that some things are a little more important than a basketball game.

Northampton County Will Publicly Fund Religious Halfway House

"If you haven't been to a service at Shiloh, everyone should go."

Council member Peg Ferraro, at last night's meeting, was talking about Easton's Shiloh Baptist Church. This large church offers a wide array of community services, and also happens to be the base for Easton's black vote.

Last night, Shiloh's Andrea McKewen Henderson told council members about a self-supporting halfway house they propose for Canal Street. The idea is to send released prisoners there for a "spiritually based recovery."

Newly appointed council member Joe Capozzolo voting against the idea, but other council members agreed to contribute the final $50 thousand to an estimated $295 thousand renovation for this supposed "self-supporting" project. The Northampton County Bulldog, Ron Angle, actually hugged one of the Baptist ministers who made this presentation.

Hallelujah! Praise Jeebus!

But since when does public money fund "spiritually based" programs? No mention was made of any secular alternatives. Doesn't this tear down the wall separating the state from religion?