A surprise award presented at Plenary

I am not accustomed to receiving awards at Plenary, or for that matter anywhere else. Off hand, I cannot remember even the first one. Perhaps I received one and simply forgot. That’s fine with me. I know that the more awards one gets, the more others are motivated by envy and in some fashion motivated to get even.

So in Atlanta for the 34th Plenary I was called to a side table during a break early in the meeting. There I was presented with a GRATITUDE AWARD by the Piedmont Chapter, Chapter Convener Dr. Sandra Delaney, and Mindy Littlejohn, spokesperson. Other members of the Chapter who signed the card were the Rev. Huron Kemp, Dr. Thomas L. Francis, Fr. Dan Hale, David Epps, Fr. Andy Ellis, who calls himself “The Odd Duck!”, the Rev. Dr. Denise Currie-Lowe, the Rev. Mary Glasper, the Rev Authurine Bishop, and the Rev. Carol Hommick. Chaplain Mindy Littlejohn seemed to be the macher for this event.

I felt quite honored by this unexpected award, which was quite professionally and expensively constructed with embossed wood and metal. It looked to me that the Chapter members spent more money than they should have. But I was and am very appreciative - after I recovered from shock. I do not think I need to bother discouraging other Chapters from following suit. Unless my memory fails me (again) this was a first-time event in CPSP for me after more than three decades. I will remember this one. And I will long remember the gracious members of the Piedmont Chapter centered in Fayetteville, Georgia.

I did not display the award at the Plenary, fearing that it would stir up envy, or even get stolen or defaced by one of my detractors. A little paranoia always goes with aging, as I’m told.

I hesitated even to allow this news item to go forward in the Pastoral Report, wondering if it might stir up negativity in the community. But I was so moved by the care and warmth demonstrated by the members of the Piedmont Chapter in person, in addition to the energy they must have put into this effort, that I felt it would be an injustice to keep their care and generosity under cover.

If we all begin caring warmly for each other in the mode of the eleven members of the Piedmont Chapter’s generosity to me, we will become a much stronger community. Let’s all make that happen. We will have no need to make more honorary plaques. We can do it by kindness and respect. But I still like my plaque!