2 MAY 08: SMALL GROUP MEETINGS

None of the TV stations were there. From what I could tell, no local politicians were there. There wasn't even a candidate there, wearing a button about this election year. Has everybody decided the Christian voters are going to stay home this year in protest?

About 50 people gathered at the Phenix City Amphitheater Thursday, for this area's annual "National Day of Prayer" event. Every time I go to this, the turnout seems too small. This is a "Bible Belt" area, after all. But then again, the special day is always on Thursday - and the churchgoers may assume they did their duty on Wednesday night.

The Phenix City Amphitheater used to be THE place to be for a National Day of Prayer event. When Peggy Martin was Mayor, she welcomed the crowd at least once. With Jeff Hardin as Mayor - well, maybe he was stuck in Streetscape traffic.

I tried to recruit some people to join me for prayer Thursday at the Phenix City Amphitheater. A couple of Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door during the morning. They had suits on. They carried Bibles. All they had to do was keep their copies of The Watchtower in their pockets, and they would have fit right in.

(No, the Jehovah's Witnesses did NOT want to join me at the National Day of Prayer. I suppose they were like many people -- too busy "working" to take time to pray.)

When I'm able to attend the National Day of Prayer event, I traditionally walk to it. The Phenix City Amphitheater is about a 20-minute walk from my home. It appears no one else did that - not even bringing out that giant cross on wheels, left over from Easter.

The Phenix City prayer event is organized by the Russell Baptist Association -- and this year, nearly all of the ministers were from Russell County Baptist churches. The Fort Benning chaplain on the program must have been their small attempt at world reconciliation.

But seriously: the National Day of Prayer event was a meaningful half-hour service. Ministers led prayers for our country, government leaders, families, the military, churches - as well as God's strength to live our days. Those extra-strength pain relievers they sell on TV only go so far, you know....

Groups of four people formed "prayer circles" at the end of the service, and we said prayers for various people. The leader asked us to pray for a church leader, and a woman next to me mentioned "Reverend Wright." Was she talking about Jeremiah Wright, who's coming to Columbus next week? I'm not sure - but no one in our group prayed for John McCain to be elected.

I walked to and from the prayer event via Broadway - so I never knew until the evening news came on that Columbus had its own National Day of Prayer event outside the Government Center. It certainly didn't seem to get much publicity, and the crowd shown on TV didn't look that large. Maybe the ministers should have illustrated our freedom, by releasing thousands of butterflies.

Perhaps an evening prayer walk around a Columbus church had a better turnout than the midday services. Or perhaps this is yet another case where local residents are too busy making a living to spend time at special events. If big employers such as Aflac and TSYS weren't mostly closed on Sundays, many local churches might be empty.

BLOG UPDATE: Uh-oh - the Thursday evening news revealed Columbus police officer Brent Rollins is on administrative leave. He's accused of hitting a pedestrian with a police car on Torch Hill Road last October. The fact that this was kept quiet for six months makes the firefighters working with Zachary Allen look like blabbermouths.

If this officer's name seems vaguely familiar, it should. Brent Rollins wrote the long series of "Is Our City Safe" e-mails, which were sent around Columbus before the 2006 city election. Our records show we hadn't heard from him since last summer. Now Rollins may be asking a new question - are our city vehicles safe?

We'll certainly pay close attention to this investigation - and now let's see what else had people talking (or even praying) Thursday:

+ Qualifying week for Democratic and Republican candidates headed to today's final day, with Rep. Calvin Smyre and District Attorney Gray Conger running unopposed. Both officials have been criticized in e-mails to our blog in recent months - yet the critics seemingly can't afford the gas money to drive to Atlanta and file papers themselves.

+ A Fort Benning Third Brigade soldier admitted to the evening news it feels "weird" to be home from Iraq, because she doesn't have to carry a gun every time she travels. If Governor Perdue signs the bill allowing weapons in restaurants, this soldier won't feel so weird anymore.

+ Wynnton Arts Academy drama teacher Melissa Wilks was named Muscogee County's Teacher of the Year. Does this officially make her a drama queen?

+ A nursing supervisor at Phenix City's Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital revealed to WLTZ there are plans to add a fifth floor eventually. You knew Columbus Regional would make some reductions after buying other hospitals -- but cutting off an entire floor and moving it seems like a bit much.

+ Fiesta Columbus opened at South Commons, featuring four days of carnival rides. But did I see it right on TV - one of the rides is called "1001 Nachts"?! Either tape a sign saying "Noches" on that ride, or rename The Greater Columbus Fair "Oktoberfest."

+ Instant Message to the web site which keeps up this blog for us, Blogger: Thank you! Now we can post items in advance, and schedule them to appear at a later date. I might be able to last three full days of vacation, without searching desperately for a public access computer.

To offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation, advertise to our readers or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 717 (+ 24, 3.5%)

The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and Perhaps not even you.

© 2003-08 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.