The US Supreme Court, whose building sits immediately across the street from the ministry center of

Rob Schenck directly center behind Sonia Sotomayor during Senate hearing.

Faith and Action, is about to change markedly. This week Judge Sonia Sotomayor is expected to be confirmed by the US Senate as the next sitting associate justice on the High Court. The seat she will occupy was vacated after the retirement of Justice David Souter.

“Judge Sotomayor has a very different personality from Justice Souter,” said Rob Schenck, who met the nominee during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Justice Souter was a reserved, almost reclusive, reticent New Englander. Judge Sotomayor is a passionate and outspoken New Yorker to the core. My father was born in Manhattan, my mother’s from Brooklyn and I served my first church in Queens. I know what that means, a very different temperament indeed.”

The Supreme Court forms an important part of the mission focus of Faith and Action. Rev. Schenck expects to be with the presumptive Justice Sotomayor many times in sometimes intimate settings.

“I think we’ll get along nicely,” said Rev. Schenck. “I certainly be pray that’s the case, and that we’ll have many meaningful conversations about important things.”

Faith and Action president Rob Schenck attended today’s opening session of the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for President Obama’s nominee to the US Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor of

The Senate Judiciary Committee recesses after its first day of confirmation proceedings for Sonia Sotomayor.

New York.

Rob was the guest of one of the senators on the Judiciary Committee and stayed for the entirety of today’s procedings.

“There’s nothing that substitutes for being right there where the action is going on,” said Rob, who was present for hearings of both Associate Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts. “Being that close helps me to discern who this nominee really is as well as who the people are that are around her.I was grateful to God and to my host for the opportunity.”

Being present at the hearing also gave Rob the opportunity to meet Judge Sotomayor.

“I told her people on both side are praying for her and for God’s will to be done through this process.”

Rob plans to attend the remaining sessions of the hearing, which are expected to last all week.