r The Chronicle
FORUM
The Power of Prayer
Ernie
Pitt
This & That
Last month, I wrote this
column on the reappointment
of my pastor Donald Jenkins.
He had been reassigned to
Lake Norman and promoted
to district superintendent.
Great, you might think.
However, Pastor Jenkins did
n't want the job and most of
the members of St. Paul
United Methodist Church did
n't want him to lea\e.
During the tumultuous
weeks that followed, the con
gregation prayed that the
bishop, who makes the
appointments, would recon
sider his decision. We were
told that the bishop never
changes his mind. Naturally,
we felt somewhat disenfran
chised since all of the UMC
indicators pointed to tremen
dous success at St. Paul.
Things such as increased
membership when most UMC
are declining; paying all
appertionments on time and in
Submitted rrK ill
Supporters of Rev. Jenkins gather outside the churh.
full; outreach programs; and
bringing many souls to Christ
characterized the last decade
at the church under Jenkins'
leadership.
We really felt that Pastor
Jenkins and the St. Paul con
gregation had set examples
for how a Methodist church
could turn all the negatives
around. We felt that the most
important issue facing not
only us but the body of the
UMC was bringing souls to
Christ. Our membership
reflects steady growth and
greater commitment from
congregants.
So, we prayed that God
would not harden the hearts of
those responsible for making
the decision. I am pleased to
report that last Sunday shortly
after the 11 a.m. service, we
were notified that Pastor
Jenkins would not be moved.
Oh, what a mighty God we
serve was the chant heard
throughout the sanctuary.
This change was not con
sidered a victory b.y the con
gregation, merely God's
answer to our prayers. It is
also a testament to the faith
that the, bishop has in Pastor
Jenkins. I believe the bishop
saw first hand the fervent
faith that our pastor has
instilled in his flock. It also
demonstrates the spiritual
maturity of both St. Paul and
the body of the UMC. The
celebration was not one of
victory, rather it was one of
hope in the sense that we
believe that during the UMC
conference that is going on as
you read this piece, change
will overcome inertia and all
of the churches of the United
Methodist faith will benefit
from the St. Paul Experience.
Prater really does changes
things. Amen? Amen!
Ernie Pitt is the publisher
of The Chronicle. Reach him
at, erpitt@wschronicle .Com .
The Drop-Out Crisis
Marc
Morial
Guest
Columnist
"Invest in the human soul.
Who knows " it might be a dia
mond in the rough."
- Mary McLeod Bethune
I participated in a confer
ence organized by General
tolin Powell in Washington,
D.C. earlier this month and
learned that every 26 seconds,
one American high school stu
dent drops out of school -
that's over 3,000 youth per
day; nearly 10,000 youth each
month; or 1.1 million young
people a yeaf. And unfortu
nately, the crisis has hit
minority communities partic
ularly hard.
Today, in the nation's 50
largest cities, only 52 percent
of public high school students
graduate, compared with a
national average of 70 per
cent. Even more startling is
the disparity in graduation
rates between many urban
areas and their more affluent
suburbs. In New York, the
graduation rate is 47.4 percent
for the city and 82.9 percent
for the suburbs. In
Philadelphia, the split is 49.2
vs. 82.4 percent and in Los
Angeles, it is 57.1 vs. 77.9
percent.
The fact is almost half of
African- American and Latino
teens do not graduate on time.
High school drop-outs are
more likely to be unemployed,
live in poverty and wind up in
prison. Because the financial
implications of dropping out
of high school are directly
related to a person's level of
education, the financial stabil
ity of black families, black
communities and the nation at
large are impacted by the
African American high school
drop out rate.
Effects of high school
drop out rates on the global
economy are just as devastat
ing. At a time when Asian
giants like China and India
are winning the competition
for technology and jobs,
America simply can't afford
to leave millions of largely
black and brown young dia
monds laaguishing in the
rough. We are literally throw
ing away our future. Also, it is
estimated that if the gradua
tion rates for minority and
White students actually
reached parity by 2020, the
potential increase in income
across the nation would add
more than $310 billion to the
U.S. economy.
The current drop out rate
is a crisis, more vital to our
future than the war in Iraq or
the current economic reces
sion. It's time we treated it as
such. We have both a national
and a moral obligation to
make sure that all of our chil
dren get the education they
need to succeed. I'm not talk
ing about throwing money at
the problem - I'm talking
about investing in human cap
ital. I'm talking about making
certain that all black children
have access to a quality edu
cation. And, research has
shown that the achievement
gap between white and minor
ity students is due in large
part to inequities in income
and funding. We must provide
adequate resources, not only
for public education, but for
health programs and mentor
ing and after-school programs
so our children are given
every opportunity to graduate,
go on to college and make a
good living.
The great American educa
tor, Mary McLeod Bethune
once said she would never rest
while "there is a single
[African American! hoy or
girl without a chance to prove
his worth." And. in 1954.
when the Supreme Court
ended school segregation in
the landmark Brown v Board
of Education case, there was
the exuberant hope that a
quality education would at
last be the guarantee for every
child in America.
But 54 years after Brown,
we seem to be falling further
behind. It's time we
American citizens, the Bush
Administration, local and
state governments and all
presidential candidates - do
something about it.
Marc Morial is President
and CEO of the National
Urban League.
Dr.Tawana Johnson
Spinal Wellness and Rehab Center
AUTO INJURIES, WORK INJURIES
BACICAND neck pain/ spinal decompression
HEADACHE AND MIGRAINE PAIN / MASSAGE THERAPY
Phone # (336)
917-0050
MOST INSURANCE
ACCEPTEO
FREE CONSULTATIONS m
897 Peters Creek Pkwy
Suite 101
Rep. Larry Womble
NC House of Representatives
71st District
Te! (336)^84-9373
Fax (336) 784-1626
E-Mail: LWistm? aol.com
Home Address
1 2^4 Salem Lake Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27107
Sharon S. Dobbins, ChFC "
336-631-9905
PLANNING TO RETIRE SOON?
Conaratulations!
Retirement is a big step.
Choosing payout or distribution option can be
difficult and scary.
GET THE FINANCIAL GUIDANCE YOU DESERVE
FROM A KNOWLEDGEABLE PROFESSIONAL
rianninK ~ Investment*. ~ Insurance
.
Branch Office: 500 W 4" Street, Suite 201-C = PO Box 21204, Winston Salem, NC 27120
Securities and Advisory services offered through Great American
Advisors " Inc Member FINRA, SIPC and Registered Investment
Advisor GAA is not affiliated with Dobbins & Company Financial.
Securities involve risks including possible loss of principal.
S. Wayne Patterson
Attorney At Law and Certified A?K Mediator
?Immigration ?Social Security 'Civil Rights
?REOC Claims ?\on-Profit/5<)lc(3)
?Employment Discrimination
235 Pcachtrec St. 8 West Third Street
Suite 4(H) Suite 220
Atlanta. CIA 30303 ' Winsion-Salem. NC 27101
" 1-877-SWP-4LAW
or WvaNumtvr
( 336) 714 X85V
Donald K. Buic
BANKRUPTCY
Legal Help For Your Debt Problems
DONALD R. BUtE,
Attorney At Law
www.donaldrbuie.com
I hi' I. an rtft'ice ?>f
l><>iiiil(t tt. Iliiie is a
I idiralh designated
Debt Relief \geno
under Title 11 Inited
Stales Code Section
528ml. We help pe?>
ple file for bankruptcy
relief under the
hiinkrupte) c<*le.
773-1398
S \V. 3rd St., Ste. IIW
* Frit' Initial Consultation
ir Stop Repossession & Fnm'losiitv
Jessie Draft & Associates LLC
Jessie Draft/Broker
CRS. GRI. REALTOR
RNJDRAFT@MSN.COM .
3750 Beeson Dairy Rd
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
(336) 403-1254 Business
(336) 748-0871 Fax
MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PRODUCER
Louise, E. Harris
Attorney at Law
? Debt Relief under the
U.S. Bankruptcy Code
? Consumer Problems
? Traffic Tickets & DWI
? Divorce
? Wills & Probate
17 Years Of Experience
Winston Toucr
Suite 2223. 301 N. Main Street
Winston- Salem. NC 27101
Call 24 Honrs
(336) 761-0222
The Chronicle,
the Choice for
African-American Newt, is located at
(17 N. Liberty Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336-722-8624
Fax - 336-723-9173
news@wschronicle.com
www.wschronicle.com
The Chronicle was established by
Ernest Pitt and
Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974, and is
published every Thursday by
Winston-Salem Chronicle
Publishing Co., Inc.
The Chronicle is a proud member of :
National Newspapers Publishers
Association ?
North Carolina Press Association ?
North Carolina Black Publishers
Association ? Inland Press Association
.The
c?v>"
cV,W
Home Delivery Subscription Order
o YES. Please send me The Chronicle
-0_
o 2 years $40.95
o 1 year: $30.72
o 6 months: $20,48
tty
0 VISA
O Mastercard
0 American Express
Phone
0 Check enclosed
Zip
O Please bill me!
AOWurn Number
Expiration D*f
Send to: The Chronicle. P.O. Box 1636. Winston - Salem. NC _ 27 102
Business Office 713-t42l, ex t IH Paulette Moodf
Business Office 72S-M42I, ext III And?ea Mojes
THE PQVFRTY I INF.
it's holding tutcjk flu 6 r hilrfren in JBftencM.
I if? cm the *n thr poverty Iff* it *r> dttM't Burt nr..*ry
13 iviflMeft IHNi^n ?n Aiwhr.a are slrnautitUr nw-r* rtyht now It rttwrr i t !
fttvtt ?o ?>? fhis way Toflrttwr, we Wn du to nvtCh Wi y <>*i hHp?
[ Gnjojww^invrrfyirt?<i.or0 .#*1 ??? t mvofvoit