I went to a central city church to cover a talk Wednesday night by the Rev. Al Sharpton, the noted civil rights leader from New York City.
My editor was under the impression Sharpton was going to talk about politics. But on Wednesday night, he was there to preach the Gospel. His politicking was to take place on Thursday, he told me afterward, and he came to Toledo a day earlier because he was invited to preach at the Worship Center in Toledo's Old West End neighborhood.
You always hear about Sharpton's civil rights activities but he is an amazing preacher. The 54-year-old Baptist minister spoke about how God uses unlikely people to do his work, including Moses and Abraham. Rather than pick the perfect "big shots," he picks the less likely people because that way they know it was God's power and not human ability.
At times, Sharpton was shouting and dancing and the organist, Chris Byrd, was accenting each sermon line with a burst from the keyboards. The crowd was shouting and waving their hands and dancing around at times.
It was a powerful service and the music that preceded the sermon really rocked the house. What made it even more interesting was that the church is the former First Unitarian Church of Toledo, which could not be more different in style and substance than the church that has moved into its former building.
Here's the article I wrote.
* * *
A funny side note: I asked the local church leaders for a few minutes with Al Sharpton after the service, feeling that I had to get something political for the article. They told me the preacher needed to change his clothes and then afterward he would meet with the media. (I had seen a TV crew earlier but I think they were gone by then.)
I pressed them because I was on a tight deadline, and Sharpton graciously agreed to talk right away after the service. I was invited back into the pastor's office, where I interviewed him through an open door to the closet, sight unseen, while he was changing his clothes.
It was a bit awkward but at least he was willing to accommodate me. And when he was finished he came out and we spoke for a few minutes eye to eye.
In my 30-plus years in journalism, that was the first time I've ever interviewed someone through a closet door.
* * *
I had been looking forward to seeing Gore Vidal speak last night in the Authors! Authors! lecture series in Toledo. But it was canceled due to an unexplained injury to Vidal, who is 83 years old now. He is a great writer and quite controversial at times, and I'm sure his talk would have been entertaining.
I hope he's OK and that he reschedules his Toledo talk.
UPDATE: Gore fell at his home; no Toledo visit has been rescheduled.
* * *
Sylvania, Ohio
Oct. 17, 2008