MiliiliPilil
http://www.thepost.nnindspring.com
12A
W^f)e Cljarlotte ^o£it
RELIGION
THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1997
Season of renewal
Complete listing of local revival services. See
page 13 A.
Sunday
School
LESSON
Salisbury ministers take message of unity to heart
Devotional reading: 1
Corinthians 1:1-10
■ Lesson scripture: Hebrews
10:19-39.
In our earUer lessons from
Hebrews, we have seen the
author’s strong doctrinal empha-
.sis. He was intent upon setting
forth the superiority of Chris
tianity over the Judaism that his
readers had left behind to follow
Jesus. He showed how the high
priesthood of Christ is superior to
the high priesthood rmder the
Mosaic Law. He also showed how
-Christ’s sacrifice of Himself is
superior to all the animal sacri
fices offered under the Law.
The first 18 verses of chapter 10
bring the writer’s argument to a
climax. He concludes his contrast
between the Old Covenant priest
hood and the priesthood of Jesus.
He affirms that the Law was
merely “a shadow of good things
to come.” The sacrifices it pre
scribed could newer fidly take
away sin; only the “one sacrifice of
Jesus could suffice to forgive all
sins. Beginning with verse 19 the
writer turns his focus to exhorta
tions of a more practical and per
sonal nature.
The writer shows his warm,
personal relationship with his
readers by addressing them as
brethren. He then includes him
self with them in his words let us
draw near. This man is not some
distant theologian setting forth
his readers. Instead, he is dealing
with practical spiritual matters
that are as relevant to him as to
them.
The writer first calls his read
ers’ attention to the boldness, or
confidence, that Christians are to
have as they enter into the hoh-
est, that is, the heavenly sanctu
ary. Under the New Covenant,
this is the coun terpart of the Holy
of Hofies in the tabernacle and
later the temple. Here the high
priest could enter only once a
year. Through the blood of Jesus,
Christians are now granted a
privilege that once belonged only
to the high priest. Ours is the
opportunity to “come boldly unto
the throne of grace” and to “sit
together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus.” The restrictions of
the Old Covenant have been
replaced by joyful access to God
through a new and living way.
Through the veil refers to the
veil, or curtain, that separated
the Holy Place from the Holy of
Holies. The high priest had to
pass through this curtain to pre
sent his annual offering of blood
for the people’s sins on the Day of
Atonement. The words his flesh
have created considerable discus
sion among scholars and com
mentators. Some take it to refer
back to the way, indicating that
the way by which Christians
enter the true Holy of Hofies is
through the death of Christ’s
physical body. Others believe that
flesh refers to the veil. They see
the veil, not as a barrier to the
Holy of Hofies, but as a means of
entrance into it. Both views rec
ognize the significEmce of the
rending of the veil in the temple,
and of the rending of Jesus’ body
so that man might “enter...the
holiest.” With either interpreta
tion, the intent of this passage is
clear: Christ is the way to the
Father, a truth that Jesus
Himself clearly taught.
The writer then uses additional
Old Covenant terminology to
challenge his readers toward
faithfulness to Christ. Having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil con
science is a blessing not possible
under the old sacrificial system,
which had no impact upon the
evil within man. Being washed
with pure water calls to mind the
various instances in which water
was prescribed for cleansing
under the Law. Here the refer
ence is most likely to Christian
baptism.
The writer has already encour
aged his readers to hold fast and
to follow closely the truth that
they have received. The same
exhortation is given to them in
this verse. Their stand for the
faith must be without compro
mise, or without wavering.
By Brian Powe
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
SALISBURY - Sunday morn
ings are perhaps the most seg
regated hours in America.
But, two Salisbury ministers
believe now is the time make a
change.
The Revs. Lawrence Lee and
Sonya Ellerbe feel black and
white unity is essential and
must begin in the church.
Recently, Lee, who pastors
predominantly white Salisbury
Christian Center, invited
Ellerbe to preach at his church
during the morning and
evening services.
No big deal, right? Preachers
exchange pulpits all the time.
But, in a city where racial
friction is the norm, Lee invit
ing an Ellerbe, who is black, to
share his pulpit is a pretty big
deal.
Ellerbe, a veteran preacher
and acclaimed musician, said
she had no problem with
preaching to Lee’s congrega
tion.
“I thought it a bit strange,
preparing to preach in front of a
98 percent white congregation,”
she said, “But, I got a good
reception and they were more
than gracious to me. It’s like
they have adopted me into their
fellowship, and they have a
pastor who doesn’t mind me
coming in and utilizing my spir
itual gifts and graces with
them.”
Lee, who started the
Salisbury Christian Center a
year ago, said he has a teaching
ministry that will have to cross
some barriers to reach people of
different races.
“We have to combine all races
and nationalities in worship if
were to serve our Lord the
right way,” Lee said. “We really
don’t serve God at all, if it mat
ters that much about the race
of the person sitting next to you
on Sunday morning.
“The bottom fine is that we
are all equal and we worship
the same God. Color should not
be the defining factor in all of
Kee opens annual convention
PHOTO/SUE ANN JOHNSON
Tuesday’s opening ceremonies for the Victory in Praise Music & Arts Convention brought about 200 emotionai worship
pers to the Sheraton Airport Piaza. Services continue through Saturday.
John R Kee and New Life
Productions will host their
annual Victory and Praise
Music and Arts Festival
through Saturday.
The festival ends Sunday
with worship services at 1
p.m. All services will be held
at the Sheraton Airport
Plaza, 1-85 and the Billy
Graham Parkway. For more
information, call 392-1200.
Thursday
• 9 a.m. Morning worship
• 9:45 a.m. - noon
Workshops
• 1:15 - 3:30 Workshops
• 4 - 6 p.m. Choir rehearsed
7:30 Evening worship ser
vice. Speaker, the Rev. Claude
Alexander of Charlotte.
Friday
• 9 a.m. Morning worship
• 9:45 - noon Workshops
• 1:15 - 3:30 Workshops
• 4 - 6 p.m. Choir rehearsal
• 7:30 p.m. Evening wor
ship. Speaker, the Rev. Brian
Moore, of Charleston, S.C.
Saturday
• 10:30 a.m. Youth Live
Recording.
• 1 p.m. Mass Choir Live
Recording
• 8 p.m. Concert, cost $20.
Groups fight for rights in Congress
By Richard Carelli
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON - Still stinging
from a Supreme Court defeat in
June, a broad-based coalition of
religious groups is seeking a balm
in Congress.
“Religious freedom is too sacred
a right to be left on the floor of the
Supreme Court chambers,” says
J. Brent Walker of the Baptist
Joint Committee, a coalition
member. “Tm confident Congress
will act swiftly to once again pro
tect such freedom.”
Marc Stem of the American
Jewish Congress, another coali
tion member, shares Walker’s
confidence.
“There is a commitment in the
Congress to reassert its authori
ty,” he says.
That authority was weakened
when the nation's highest court
said Congress had unlawfully
enacted the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act. The 1993 law
made it harder for government to
interfere with how Americans
practice their faith.
It had been aimed at overcom
ing a 1990 Supreme Comt mfing
that said laws otherwise neutral
toward religion can be valid even
if they infringe on some people’s
religious beliefs.
The 1993 law required that any
federal, state or local law impos
ing a “substantial burden” on
someone's religious beliefs must
serve a “compelling” government
interest in the least intrusive
way.
That standard would let govern
ment protect health and safety,
but also give religious minorities
far more protection.
For example, the now-invali
dated federal law was invoked by
a group of Jehovah's Witnesses in
California to win their fight
against taking a loyalty oath as a
condition for state employment.
In passing the law. Congress
had relied on a portion of the 14th
Amendment that lets it “enforce
by appropriate legislation” the
See COALITION page 13A
Lyons to take brief sabbatical
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -
Amid calls for his resignation, the
Rev. Henry J. Lyons is taking a
break from preaching and sever
ing business ties with the convict
ed embezzler he hired as the
organization’s public relations
director.
After weeks of battling allega
tion of adultery, Lyons announced
in Bethel Metropolitan Church’s
Sunday bulletin that he plaimed
to “take a moment of rest and
reflection during the month of
August” - a leave from preaching.
Speaking shortly before preach
ing Sunday’s sermon, his wife
Deborah at his side, Lyons also
said he is severing business ties
with Bernice V. Edwards,
although he said the couple has a
strong personal commitment to
her.
“Mrs. Edwards has three chil
dren and Sister Lyons and I have
agreed that if something were to
happen to her we would take
them and raise them,” Lyons said.
“That’s how close we are. There’s
nothing going on. Nothing illicit.
Just family fidends.”
The relationship between Lyons
and Edwards was called into
question July 6 when Deborah
Lyons was charged with setting
fire to a $700,000 Tierra Verde
house owned by her husband and
Edwards. Lyons, married for 25
years, fisted himself as unmar
ried on the property deed.
Sheriff’s deputies say Deborah
Lyons told them she suspected
her husband was having an affair
with Edwards. Nothing could be
further from the truth, she said
Sunday.
“Mrs. Edwards and I have a
close relationship. We are friends.
We go out to dinner and talk on
the phone all the time,” Deborah
Lyons said. “It’s sad that the St.
Petersbmg Times has turned this
into something dirty.”
The pastor did not elaborate on
what he meant by his decision to
sever business ties with Edwards.
In addition to her job with the
National Baptist Convention
USA, Edwards, of Milwaukee,
also holds a position with a
National Baptist Convention
affiliate that markets cemetery
services. In 1995, Lyons entered a
deal with the Loewen Group, Inc,
one of the nation’s largest funeral
services providers to endorse
Loewen as the “death care
See BAPTIST on page 13A
PHOTO/AP
After a month of speculation, Dr.
Henry Lyons announced Sunday
that he would take a break from
the ministry.
this.”
Ellerbe says she the unifying
of churches will not be easy, but
is essential.
“It’s hard adapting to their
style of worship,” the
Jerusalem Baptist Church
assistant minister said.
“Because their culture is differ
ent than ours, but besides that
the Word of God is the same
yesterday, today, and tomor-
See COLORBLIND Page 13A
Flake
chooses
church
By Kathleen Sampey
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK -The Rev. Floyd
Flake told his followers Sunday
that he had chosen them ovor
Congress, saying at an early-
morning church service: “On Oct.
15,1 will bid adieu to the United
States House of Representatives.
Then I'm yours.”
Flake, D-N.Y, in the middle of
his sixth term representing
southeast Queens, is the second
member of Congress from New
York City to leave politics to pur
sue other interests. Susan j
Molinari left her seat from
Staten Island to join CBS News.
“I have never taken a step that
the Lord didn’t bless,” Flake told
an audience of 2,500 at the AUen
African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Jamaica, explaining
that his decision Came after
many months of prayer arid
deliberation. “I wfil work full
time as your pastor here.”
The congregation responded to
his declaration with sustained
and thunderous applause.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, every
candidate for mayor, and other
elected officials were among
those attending services.
Gov. George Pataki can call a
special election 30 to 40 days
after Flake’s seat becomes vacant
on Oct. 15, or he could leave the
seat unfilled until the next round
of Congressional elections in
1998. The Sixth Congressional
District is heavily Democratic
and it is likely that if a
Democratic primaiy were held,
the wiimer would end up in
Congress.
Flake said his main reason for
resigning before his term was up
was directly tied to the opening
of AUen AME’s new $23 million
cathedral.
He said financing of the new
building would convert from a
construction loan to a permanent
mortgage on or near Oct. 1.
“I do not want to take the risk
of being out of here for 12 to 15
months,” Flake said at a press
conference following services,
“and not have the time to buUd
the kind of infrastructure and
foundation necessary for this
congregation to carry that obliga
tion. TTiis is really tied to the
needs of the church.”
Flake met privately with
President Clinton Friday and
said the president expressed
regret at his decision, but “we
both agreed that our relationship
is beyond politics. It’s a friend
ship that wfil continue to grow.”
Flake said he wanted to focus
his energies on nurturing the
church’s growing ministry and
commitment to the economic
revitalization of the predomi
nantly black community where it
is based.
He has been AUen AME’s pas
tor since 1976. When he took on
the additional job of congress
man 10 years later, the combined
roles considerably broadened his
sphere of influence, and his
achievements were cited again
and again by congregants and
city officials alike.
After services, Giuliani told
reporters that Flake’s abUity to
rise above partisan politics mi^t
be his greatest accomplishment.