Page 44 - MLD Book

continued to flourish, and that also became an object of jealousy. Polk was in constant contact with the Bishop , who refused to believe that one of his clergy could in any way be at fault. Finally on April 10, Polk arranged for the two of us to have a session with the Bishop (Gulick). I remember the wardens didn’t even want us to go over there in the same car, so they drove me over to the Cathedral separately and waited until it was over. Since Polk had been bellyaching for a while to the Bishop, and the standard “clergy are always right and have to be protected” was in full force. It was not a meeting where I felt I had been heard. In the Diocesan eyes, Calvary was sort of a priest killer, and that reputation still dogs us to this day. Pity. Will Cary would claim later that he saved my job, but in realty, he stood by and did nothing, just like in 2012 ten years later!
A congregational survey was sent out, and the results were not flattering to Polk, so then he got a consultant to arbitrate a congregational meeting. It started out with him blaming Margaret for everything, but as the meeting went on, person after person stood up and said all the ways that Polk had personally failed them, and it soon became clear that it was not a Polk against Margaret, but rather Polk against his own failings! And from that meeting on, the writing on the wall pointing to resignation was evident. I was off the hook, not that I should have been hanging on the hook all that time anyway!!!! And so it came to the last Sunday in May. All month, people had been wondering when he would announce his resignation, but finally on May 26 at the 8 am service, he told us that it was his last Sunday. I left the service to let Julia and her harp in and to call Melvin, and then returned. Polk out loud said from the altar Margaret, did you call somebody to tell them? And at the gradual spot at the 9:15 service, he again said loudly, Margaret, don’t you tell anyone. I have a copy of that sermon (if that’s what you want to call it!) in the 2002 pile – interesting reading. Questionable decisions have been made, levels of trust have deteriorated...the outcome (of the search process) may not be as either the parish or the new rector intended or hoped. What initially looked like Michelangelo’s painting of the LAST SUPPER begins to resemble an amateurish sketching of a fraternity food fight. All churches have conflicts. Some are capable of resolution. Some are so foundational as to be irretrievable. This may – or may not- be one of those times. Greet each other with a holy kiss and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
A holy kiss indeed? The spectacle that morning of Polk leaving is indelibly etched in my mind. As Polk descended the north entry steps for the last time, Bill Mootz extended his hand to wish him well. Polk slapped it away and said something to the effect that no, he didn’t wish him well and he knew Bill was delighted that he was leaving! And that, thank God, was to this day the last time I saw Polk Culpepper. He walked away with an ultra generous severance package totaling over $130,000, I might add.
Just to underline the lay of the land at this moment, I quote an assessment of him from Mary Jane Beale, a very active and astute member of Calvary. That creamed broccoli sermon was thesilliestthingIeverheard. (Note–anothertimehesaidhemetJesuseatingcerealonthe beach!) IthinkIwillstartsittinginthelastpewandsewingduringthesermonsoIwon’tfeel the time has been completely wasted. Sandy and I have no idea what is happening. We are appalled. It’s hard to swallow the water after watching Polk run his hand through his hair before handling it, so I will take communion with the infirm from now on. And I may bring a blanket – it’s freezing where we sit.
So now here we go again with the search process. Whitney O’Bannon was elected as chair of this new search committee, with Mary Redden as secretary, plus the inevitable Will Cary,