Brad Hughley, the director of the audition-only group from St. Bartholomew's, received an e-mail inquiry March 20 from Joseph Golden, a professor at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music and a former organist-choirmaster at Trinity. Golden is also the coordinator for the American Guild of Organists Region IV convention June 13-15 in Columbus. In that role, he sought out the St. Bartholomew's choir for one of many events planned that week.

Golden then had a conversation with Yeary, who suggested the choir not perform.

About three years ago, St. Bartholomew's called an openly gay priest as its rector, the Rev. William "Mac" Thigpen. He and his partner moved to Atlanta from Los Angeles.

In the summer of 2003, an openly gay priest in New Hampshire, the Rev. Gene Robinson, was elected and later approved to lead the New Hampshire diocese. Trinity was the most vocal Episcopal parish in Columbus to voice opposition to Robinson's installation that fall.

Trinity's leaders at the time mainly cited biblical texts against homosexuality, as well as church tradition, in opposing Robinson. Trinity also withheld its remaining 2003 annual pledge to the Diocese of Atlanta, whose bishop the Rt. Rev. Neil Alexander voted to approve Robinson's election; and many Trinity members challenged Alexander about his vote in a church forum in September 2003.

Hughley of St. Bartholomew's said he welcomed the invitation from Golden but is angry about what he called a "disinvitation."

"He obviously had confidence we would do a good job musically," Hughley said of Golden, "and to be dismissed for political reasons is unconscionable. I think it's hateful."

Yeary, a retired priest living in Rome, Ga., arrived in Columbus last spring following the retirement of the Rev. Tom Jones. Church members over the past year have lauded Yeary's role as a healer and reconciler in a parish divided on the Robinson issue. Trinity is hoping to have a permanent rector in place by June, possibly before the AGO convention.

"I think the next rector should get in place as smoothly as possible," said Yeary, who said he suggested the choir not appear so that the new priest wouldn't be put in an ideological tough spot.

Hughley doesn't blame Golden for canceling his choir's performance, but he's troubled over what he sees as a heated climate in many Episcopal churches nationwide, over the issue of ordaining non-celibate priests as bishops.

Event scheduled

Golden had no comment about the Morning Prayer service and referred questions to John Lester in CSU's public relations office. The college's Schwob School of Music is hosting the three-day convention.

"The idea of an out-of-town gospel choir performing locally during the American Guild of Organists' regional convention here in June -- the first time Columbus and CSU have ever hosted the convention -- is but one of many activities being discussed for visitors," Lester said in a statement to the Ledger-Enquirer.

"This convention will bring more than 100 of the finest organists in the country to the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts and to five downtown churches that have graciously agreed to lend their space and their instruments to this event. The university and its Schwob School of Music are very excited about the conference and the attention it will bring -- we hope the focus will remain on the music."

The Canterbury Choir from St. Bartholomew's has 30 members, all volunteer singers. In 2003, the choir performed for the Association of Anglican Musicians convention in Atlanta.

The Association of Guild Organists has an anti-discrimination policy that states, in part: "Members do not discriminate against others on the basis of race, national origin, age, religious affiliation, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition (including, but not limited to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)."

In addition to Trinity -- which is hosting AGO convention meetings and forums -- four other churches in downtown Columbus are holding AGO events, as is the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, the Columbus Museum and the Springer Opera House. The other host churches are Holy Family Catholic, St. Luke United Methodist, First Baptist and First Presbyterian. On Thursday, the music school's tentative schedule of the convention still contained the announcement of the Morning Prayer service but did not have St. Bartholomew's name attached.

As for protocol, the leader of an Episcopal church has the right to invite groups or individuals into his or her parish.

Hughley knows and respects the policy, but remains disappointed that his choir won't have a chance to sing at the historic church.

"There's nothing wrong with it legally, but it's ethically abusing," Hughley said. "I could understand if we had someone speaking who might say something radical, but I don't think there's anything objectionable about Morning Prayer."

END