I attended the forum on Tuesday at the Highlands UMC in Bham. RG LYons and Matt Lacey, the young UMC ministers are on the front row in the opening shot of the ABC 33/40 report
http://www.abc3340.com/story/14994461/immigrationAnd here is UMC official report on the gathering
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/cont ... 33¬oc=1 Lyons is a native of Centre, Alabama, and Lacey is pastor of Woodlawn UMC in Bham the home church of Bull Connor and the great UMC pastor John Rutland. Their story is told in Paul Hemphill's Leaving Birmingham.
The two pretty much ghost wrote Bishop Willimon's statement at his peculiar prophet blog.
Also at the meeting was Joe Godfrey, head of ALCAP for the state, a key leader in the Bama CR who in April 2002 hosted Judge Pressler at Godfrey's then Taylor Rd BC in Montgomery. While Pressler was intown, they had a three person lunch with Judge Roy Moore of Ten Commandment fame. Godfrey was raised at West Rome BC in 60's and 70's; mentored by SBC President Jerry Vines.
At one point Godfrey was on panel with attorney Matthew Penfield of the Maynard Cooper Law firm; one of his associates on that firm is Stephen Black, grandson of SCOTUS legend Hugo Black.
So it was an interesting mix. At one point in conversations among the gathered it was suggested Albert Lee Smith's widow Eunie, and religious right advocate Mickey Kirkland were a force pressuring Scott Beason to move the bill through the Senate.
33/40 says there are more presentations to come, July 18 in Huntsville, and later in Tuscaloosa