Deleware clergy turn mayoral race into revival meeting

Church & State, Sep 2000

A group of clergy in Wilmington, Del., last month launched a special church-based project to re-elect Mayor James H. Sills.

The group, called Ministers for Sills, announced it would sponsor five "revivals" on consecutive nights to rally support for Sills at local churches. The plan called for ministers to speak on Sills' behalf in each other's pulpits.

Americans United protested the plan, which led some of the participating churches to drop out of the event. The ministers also announced that the churches would be paid rent for use of their facilities. The final night's "revival" was moved from a church to a hotel.

Local clergy insisted they had done nothing wrong. "We're not doing anything that churches haven't done in cities for mayors all across the nation," said the Rev. Lawrence Wright, a member of Ministers for Sills. Wright pointed out that the group held similar rallies for Sills in 1996.

Members of the group blasted Americans United for criticizing the events. One local minister appeared on a cable-access program Aug. 13 and called the opponents of the plan ungodly people doing the work of the devil.

On Aug. 15, Americans United Associate Field Director the Rev. Cedric Harmon traveled to Wilmington for a press conference Rt the Louis L. Redding City-County Building. Harmon reminded religious leaders that federal tax law forbids churches and other non-profit organizations from endorsing or opposing candidates for public office and called for all houses of worship to obey the laws of the land.