Cljarlotte ^osit
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1996
12A
RELIGION
Mount Carmel helps dedicate Habitat home
By Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Habitat For Humanity of
Charlotte dedicated the first
home sponsored by a black
church last week.
Mount Carmel Baptist
Church on Tuckaseegee !^ad,
sponsored the construction of
Jerry and Brenda Melton's
home at 1700 N. Allen St. in
the Belmont community.
Church leaders said building
the home is in keeping with
community activism.
"I hope it will inspire other
Sunday school
lesson
Things are
not always as
they seem
There is a Chinese parable
about an old man who lived
with his son in a tiny cottage.
One night the old man’s horse
- the only horse he had - wan
dered away, and his neighbors
all came to say how sorry they
were about his misfortune.
“How do you know this is ill
fortune?” he replied.
A week later the horse came
home, bringing with him a
whole herd of wild horses. The
neighbors then congratulated
him on his good fortune.
The man’s son began to ride
the new horses. One day he
was thrown from a horse, and
the fall left him with a crip
pled leg. Right on cue, the
neighbors approached the old
man to express their regrets
over his bad luck.
A few days later a Chinese
warlord came by and con
scripted all able-bodied men
for a bloody war, but the old
man’s son, being crippled, was
passed over in the draft. Once
more the neighbors came by to
congratulate the old man on
his good luck, and once more
he replied, “How do you know
this is good luck?”
'The story ends there, though
it could have gone on forever.
The point of the parable is
that things are not always as
they seem. In the long run,
some immediate circum
stance, good or bad, may ulti
mately lead to a most unex
pected outcome.
Today’s text was written to
people who were convinced
that their immediate circum
stances was the worst of for
tunes. The message of the
prophet, however, enabled
them to see that their tempo
rary suffering would lead to a
glorious future. Unlike the
Chinese parable, however ,
which pictured a life driven by
fate, this prophetic message
declared that Israel’s negative
circumstance would be turned
into something good by the
power of a sovereign God.
Laborers who work diligent
ly with few or no visible
results have to be admired.
Egyptians who first labored to
build the pyramids did not
live long enough to see the
project completed. Though
they observed progress year-
to-year, they could imagine
what the finished structures
would look like.
Assembly line workers usu
ally see only a small part of
the product they work on.
Soldiers risk limbs and life in
battle, as they advance into
enemy territory or stand off
enemy attacks, even though
they do not know how things
are going in the larger war
effort. Teachers, social work
ers, and other “people per
sons” often work with little
visible proof of their effective
ness. All of these folk are
motivated by some degree of
faith that they are making a
contribution in the advance-
See SUNDAY page 13A
leaders to emerge from the
African American community
to do positive things for other
families and community mem
bers," said Sam Caldwell, the
project's leader and member of
the Habitat Board of
Directors.
Other black churches are
doing that. Friendship Baptist
Church, also one of the first
black congregations to fully
sponsor a Habitat home, has
begun construction on their
Adopt-A-Home project in the
Lakewood community.
Mount Carmel, which has a
congregation of 800, has been
active in Habitat before, said
Elizabeth Ross Dargan, the
church's treasurer and
trustee. But the church want
ed to go a step further and
sponsor a home.
"For many years we've con
tributed financially to
Habitat, but we decided to go
further," she said. "The mem
bers got very excited about
being able to help more com
pletely."
In addition to Habitat spon
sorship, Mount Carmel,
described by Dargan as an
"outreach" church, is involved
in several activities.
Beneficiaries of the church's
outreach include organiza
tions such as Crisis
Assistance, Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Urban League,
Afro-American Cultural
Center and Foundation For
The Carolines. The church
also contributes to' several
churches and a scholarship
fund.
For more information on
Habitat For Humanity, call
376-2054.
PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS III
Mount Carmel Chruch member Bernice Caldwell presents photo
album to Brenda and Jerry Melton during home dedication.
Number of
black Catholics
growing
By Jaidi'ea E, EichaMs
THE CHARLOTTE PWT
Pt«)Ta5/JAMr3 CROWN
Nationwide, about 5 percent of all Roman Catholics are black.
Barbara Dupree, 47, to been a Catholic all of her life,
“That’s all I know,” she said, adding that she agrees with the
religion's fundamental piiadples. ^ '
“I’m against abortion because I know what we believejn,”
said. ' ’ "'i
The denomination diftbrs from other because it to a
hierarchic structure of bishops and priests. The pope is the head
of the Roman Catholic Church, and he dictates the doctrines for
others to folio w according to tho word of God.
Dupree’s 28-year-old daughter reeontly married a man who is
not Cattoic.
“It didn’t bother mo that he wasn't Catholic.” said Dupree, who
goes to Mass every ww;k at St. Jude Catholic Church in Sumter.
S.C. “I Just wanted her t» be marriedin the Catholic faith.”
Edward Grinage is a Roman Catbolie, to doesn’t ^ee with all
of the relipon*s teachings. -
“1 feel, as a Catholic, the time has amae far us to sot aside
where a man goes to another man to confess .all of bis sins. I
think that that should be loft up to himself and his Lord.”
Grinage, 44, bolieves that pooRie ahauld be able to make chato
in their lives. - - -
Not only does rhe Roman Catholic Church advocate verbally
confessing one's .-tins to a priest, but it also does not beliovo in
abortions or using omicontmceptivos. ' . '
Crinagp, who atlimd.^ Our Lady of Consalatron Church in
Charlotte, believes the decision to have an abortion is ultimately
the woman's and not the Roman Catholic church'^.
"All life on this earth i.s i,acred.’’he said- "Jf it's a life and death
■-ituatton then I’m all for it. But, if you find yourself tpregnantl
See CATHOLICS page t2A
PHOTOS/ JAMES BROWN
A day of
atonement
By Rev. Chester Debnam
SPECIAL TO THE POST
With the assistance of Curtis
Sinclair and another friend, I
have searched the Scriptures
on the matters of atonement
and about atonement.
Chapter 23 talks about a day
of atonement. In both of these
chapters, we see that as part
of the atonement process, ani
mal sacrifice was required in
order to have the children of
Israel’s sins covered.
■God displeased with ani
mal sacrifices
In the prophet Micah’s day,
he prophesied that God was
not pleased with the blood
sacrifices of animals. He said
these words: 'Wherewith shall
I come before him with burnt
offerings, with calves of a year
old? Will the Lord be pleased
with thousands of rams, or
with ten thousands of rivers of
oil? Shall I give my firstborn
for my transgression, the fruit
of my body for the sin of my
soul?” (Micah 6:6-7)?
Jesus became the sin
offering
God sent His only begotten
son, who became the sin offer
ing for man, one time and for
ever. It is written: 'Wherefore
in all things it behooved him
to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high
priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people”
(Hebrews 5:17). It is also writ
ten: “For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son,
Much more. Being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life”
(Romans 5:10).
Animals' blood covered
Under the Levitical law, ani
mal sacrifices used for “atone
ment," which in this case
means “covering;” here, the
Hebrew word for “atonement”
is kippurim. When Jesus died
for our sins, we received
“atonement,” which in this
instance means” reconcilia
tion;” and here the Greek
word for “atonement” is to
God is by accepting Jesus as
his Lord and Savior.
I testify, “Neither is there
salvation in any other: for we
must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Issues rooted in sin
See SIN page 13A
Eye on Gospel
GospeFs big night: The icy
rain that ushered in the bliz-
' zard of ‘96 couldn’t keep a
near-capacity crowd away
from the gospel music indus
try "s biggest night, the 11th
annual Stellar Awards on Jan.
John. P. Kee, nicknamed the
“prince of gospel," was
crowned the night's big win
ner with a grand total of five
awards, including album of
the year (.contemporary) and
producer of the year. It was a
near-clean sweep with Kee
having triumphed in five of
the six categories in which he
received nominations.
It waa also a big night for
Dottle Peoples, who was easfly
the “people's choice.” Peoples
pocketed four awards, includ
ing traditional female vocalist,
.song of the year and album of
the year (traditional).
Newcomer William Becton
was named new artist of the
year for his debut album
“Broken," which was also the
top urban gospel pick.
Citing outstanding achieve-
ment.s by African Americans
in gospel music, the two-hour
program, which serves as an
annual tribute to the memory
of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
will air in national syndica
tion Jan. 18 through Pefa. 18.
The brainehild of executive
producer Don Jackson, the
program is distributed by his
Chicago-based Central City-
Productions. “Living Single”
■Star Kim Fields-Freeman.
comedian Jonathan Slocumb
and actor James Avery
(“Fresh Prince of Bel Air”)
shared co-hosting duties for
the show, which featured live
performances from Kirk
Franklin and the Family.
Shirley Caesar. Fred
Hammond, Yolanda Adams,
the Mighty Clouds of Joy and
CeCe Winans. Presenters
included Angela Bassett.
Jasmine Guy, Larenz Tate,
“Sister Sister” stars Tia and
Tamara Mo wry and “The
Parent Hood's” Suzanne
Douglas. Special honorees
included the Rev. Milton
Brunson, who was not on
hand to pick up the Pioneer
Award, and the Fairfield
Four, who won the coveted
James Cleveland Award for
their contributions to the
quartet sound A complete list
of winners is as follow's:
Contemporary female vocal
ist: Yolanda Adams, “More
Than A Melody;" traditional
female vocalist: DoUie Peoples
“On Time God;" contemporary
male vocalist. John P. Kee
“Shew Up;” traditional m.ile
vocalist: Rev. James Moore
“Live At Jackson State;”
Contemporary group or due;
Anointed, “The Call;"
Traditional group or duo;
Canton Spirituals “Live In
Memphis 11;” traditional choir:
Dottic Peoples & Peoples
Choice Chorale;
Contemporary choir: New Life
Contemporary Choir; instru
mental performance: Ben
Tankard, “Play Me In Your
Key.” urban gospel: William
Becton. “Broken:” music video:
New Life Generation Choir,
“Show Up:" new artist;
William Becton; album of the
year (traditional): "On Time
God,” Dottie Peoples &
Peoples Choice Chorale; song
of the year: “On Time God,”
Dottie Peoples & Peoples
Choice Chorale.
This week's scrip hire: “I'io
not he misled: Bad company
corrupts pood character" I
Corinthians