Local clergy get chance to motivate lawmakers
SPRINGFIELD - Mired in deficits and political bitterness, there may be perhaps no group more in need of some divine intervention than the Illinois General Assembly, and, on occasion, a religious figure from the suburbs gets an opportunity to motivate lawmakers.
Every session day at the Illinois Capitol begins with a prayer in the Illinois House and state Senate, often led by a visiting pastor, priest or rabbi.
"For me, it's always a great honor to be able to offer words," said Elmhurst College Chaplain H. Scott Matheney, who gave the opening prayer earlier this year.
In his case, a delegation from the college was in Springfield to talk to lawmakers and officials.
"I guess the word got out that I was coming down," Matheney said. "They're always scrambling, probably trying to find people to do this."
He said he found it somewhat humorous that, as a Protestant, he gave the prayer on St. Patrick's Day.
Matheney said he went into the event with a prepared speech intended to tell a tale and put the call of government into perspective. But like many at the Capitol, Matheney quickly learned the art of compromise. As he stepped to the dais to open the session, he said the final advice he received was "be inclusive" and "keep it to 30 seconds."
"I would have enjoyed being able to be more full about what I prepared, but that's just the way life is," Matheney said.
"Did it help people? Did it help the Assembly? Did they feel they had a moment to pause before they took off? I would hope. Did they have a sense of something that is much larger than our work, makes them better servants of the state? I would hope," Matheney said of the challenges facing such a prayer.
"I also have no grandiose sense that people hang on my words and that the world turns around because of what I say. Sometimes it turns a little. One has to have a degree of, not humility, but perspective. We offer what we can and trust it and let it go," he said.
Even church leaders, however, can find themselves at the mercy of the General Assembly's often unpredictable schedule.
The Rev. Keith Perry from King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin was scheduled to give an opening prayer in April and drove down to Springfield the night before to be ready for the start of session the next day.
But that night lawmakers went late and canceled the next day's session.
"I learned the reality that you never know what they're going to do," Perry said. "Not for sure anyway.
"We spent the night and toured the Capitol the next day - and then came home," he said.
The opening prayers are often delivered, as in Matheney's case, by a pastor or religious official visiting the Capitol with a group. In other cases, such as Perry's, a local lawmaker will send out invitations to see if any local church or synagogue leaders are interested. Those who give the prayer get a $50 check.
Other suburban area clergy asked to give opening prayers this past year included the Rev. Scott Poling of Harvest Baptist Church in Oswego, the Rev. Keith Harrison of City of Lights Baptist Church in Aurora, the Rev. Rick Thiemke of New Life Church in Yorkville, Father David Engbarth of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Aurora, the Rev. David Bitner of Des Plaines-based Lutheran Social Services, the Rev. Andy Christiansen of First Church of God in Aurora, the Rev. David Hemphill of Valley Baptist Church in Oswego and the Rev. Dan Haas of the Aurora Community Church.