Belmont Vesper Service Focuses on Poor

Last night, Belmont University slowed down preparations ahead of tomorrow’s Presidential Debate to hold a community Vesper Service.

University President Bob Fisher says the exercise acknowledges the school’s Baptist heritage. Members of the media and out of town guests were invited to attend, though few, if any, filled the pews at downtown’s Christ Church Cathedral.

Reverend David Beckmann of the hunger organization Bread for the World sermonized the small crowd mostly of Belmont officials. He says he was “scandalized” to not hear the poor mentioned in the first Presidential debate. He invoked divine intervention to make Belmont’s Town Hall-style debate different.

“We pray that the people that get a chance to ask a question, that some of those people will ask questions about poor on behalf of poor and hungry people. And that as the media cover this debate, they will cover this part of the debate, or the lack of this part of the debate.”

Beckmann says the lack of talk about poverty is a reflection of what American voters are talking about – themselves and their own wallets. The answer to Beckmann’s prayer could play out on millions of TV sets and on Belmont’s campus tomorrow night.