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http://wvvw.ttiechar)ottepo^.com 8B tS^e Cliarlotte ^odt Anointed Isaiah 61:1-2 Introduced in Isaiah 60, the prophet described the promise of Jehovah to estab lish a glorious Kingdom. He promised to provide light for those who had been in dark ness. People fi:x>m great dis tances would come into the Kingdom because the ^ory of the Lord would be there. God promised the Israelites that the riches of the Gentile nations would become their possessions, and the Gentiles themselves would come unto them, also. As awesome as the description of the glorious Kingdom of Isaiah 60 is, noticeably missing from the description is that of the King of the Kingdom. Subsequently, this is the beginning of the text for today's lesson. The King of the gloiious Kingdom referred to in Isaiah 60 is Christ the Mes siah. In fact, Isaiah 61:1-2 was quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19. One Sabbath day, Jesus entered a synagogue in Nazareth, where He had grown up. After being handed the scroll by the attendant, Jesus read from the Book of Isaiah and quoted this partic ular passage of Scripture. Jesus then closed the book,' and Aith all eyes fastened on Him, he said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your eyes” {Luke 4:21). The second portion of Isaiah 61:2, “and the day of vengeance of our God,” had not yet occurred, and will not until Jesus returns to the earth again. Many marveled at Jesus’s words, but they threw Him out of the syna gogue with the intent to throw Him from a hill to His death wh^ Jesus told them God showed grace to the Gen tiles. How interestii^ it is that, hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Isaiah declared the glorious Kingdom and its King. While Israelites looked forward with great excite ment to that day, when the day arrived, they were no more prepared to receive and acknowledge their King than they were when the prophet foretold of His coming. Although often quoted in the Church, many people overlook the powerful refer ence it also speaks of the Holy Spirit. The “me” on whom the Spirit is resting refers to Jesus. The reason for the rest ing of the Holy Spirit upon Christ was because of God’s anointing. The word “anoint ed” in Hebrew is mashach and refo^ to pouring on oil to set a person apart for a specif ic office. In the Old Testa ment, people were appointed to the offices of king, prophet, and priest. Christ’s appoint ment set Him apart to be a Prophet, the Hi^ Priest, and the King of kings. Isaiah described the pur pose of Christ’s ministry The primary theme of today’s les son is that Christ was to preach good tidings. RELIGION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2005 Life IB Is Christ slowly being being removed from Christmas? PHOTO/WADE NASH Not too many churches have nativity scenes as a part of their Christmas decorations. By Cheris F. Hcxlges cherisJK>dges&ihecharloUeposl/:om There’s something miss ing from many area churches: Nativity scenes to illustrate the meaning of the Christmas season. Riding aroimd Char lotte’s black churches, you’ll see a wreath on the door, but no manger. Some churches, like Pritchard Memorial Baptist on South Boulevard, are host ing a bve nativity scene. TVymaine Gaither of the Church of Philadelphia said people, including Christians have lost the true meaning of Christ mas and that’s why a lot of people don’t feel the Christmas spirit because Christ is missing. “It’s not about a man coming down the chimney it’s about celebrating Jesus’ birthday,” he said. “If you’re not going to church on Christmas day, then you’re celebrating the wrong thing.” In Kentucky, the Rev. Jon Weese of central Ken tucky’s largest church said that, in canceling worship on. Christmas Sunday, its elders “chose to value fam- ibes; people over policy” Officials at Southland Christian Church said they received protests fium hundieds of Chris tians across the nation when word of the closed- on-Christmas decision was reported in the media. In a seimon interrupted by applause and one standing ovation, Weese said: “I was deeply sad dened by the knee-jerk response of the Christian community as a whole to give the benefit of the Please see NATIVITY/7B Churches lost to Katrina create gathering THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss.-The thick ring of trees outside the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church is bowed as if the winds fium Hurricane Katrina were still blowing. But the tiny budd ing still stands, offering a spiritual sanctuary to its members and wor shippers fium three other congr^a- tions. Ever since floodwaters leveled this Gulf Coast dty of 8,000 people, the church has opened its doors to two Baptist communities and another Methodist congregation, each left without a place to worship. On Christ mas, theyTl take that act of fellowship a step further. Congr^ants fix)m all four churches will abandon their separate worship schedule and gather for a joint ser vice, determined to summon some holiday spirit despite a season of loss. ‘Tt is going to be different,” says the Rev. RoseMary Hayes Williams, pas tor at Mt. Zion, “but all the joy will not be taken out of it.” Church has been a refuge in this area still devastated by Katrina, a place where —just this month- authorities found the body of a storm victim. Williams served as a teacher in the community for nearly three decades but says the damage is so pervasive that she sometimes gets lost driving through neighborhoods because buildings that she once used as land marks have been reduced to identical- piles of rubble. T.ike Mt. Zion, the three visiting con gregations—First Missionary Baptist Church, Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church and St. Paul United Methodist Church —were formed more than 100 years ago by fiieed slaves and their children. All can trace their membership back for gen erations of the same family GayneU Jones’ mother has wor shipped at First Missionary for about five decades. Immediately after the hurricane, Jones, who is also a mem ber of the congregation, rushed to the building, climbed atop a mattress and lifted herself through a window to Please see KATRINA’S/7B Wal-Mart greeter debunks Christmas mmor THE ASSOCIATED PRESS GREENWOOD, S.C. - The Rev. Aaron Walker was stunned when he hedrd the rumor the greeter at the Greenwood Wal-Mart had been fired for wishing cus tomers a “Merry Christ mas.” After all, it was his voice that bellows the greeting. And he still has a job. “It’s hard to say what started this rumor. If it were true, Td be the first one to know,” Walker said Monday as he waved to customers coming into the store. The story that a greeter had been fired for saying “Merry Christmas” instead of a less secular greeting had been passed through the Greenwood area in the past few weeks in e-mails, prayer lists and by resi dents in restaurants and convenience stores. How the rumor started, nobody seems to know. But it has been fueled by the recent nationwide media buzz over whether refer ences to Christmas are being taken away fixan the holiday celebrated Dec. 25. Some people got so angry after hearing the story, they threatened to return m^diandise. Walker said. The store has received up to 15 calls a day asking about the rumor, co-man- ager Kevin Roten said. “Nobody has ever been terminated from this store for (saying Merry Christ mas),” said Roten who added the store has Merry Christmas banners above one entrance. Greeters can welcome customers however they wish as long as it isn’t offen sive, Roten said. And if for some reason things ever change. Walker, who started out five years ago in hardware and paint but was offered the greeter’s job because of his personality, said he won’t be at the store any more. “If someone told me that I couldn’t say Merry Christ mas, I would quit today” Walker said. “The will of God is to say Merry Christ mas, and we must keep Christ in Christmas. If (jod is not in it, neither am I.” Cop wins $5.2M in suit Rights were violated after arrest of two ministers THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW HAVEN, Conn.-A federal jury on Monday awarded $5.2 million to a police officer who claimed his ri^ts were violated when he was suspended and trans ferred after he arrested two ministers. New Haven Officer Arpad Tblnay arrested the Revs. Armando Hernandez and Daniel Rodriguez three years ago after a complaint about a loud revival service at the Second Star of Jacob Church, The situation escalated when Hernandez refused to lower the music. Tblnay was suspended for 10 days and transferred to a diffei-ent assignment for seven months, but did not lose his job. He alleged in his lawsuit that Hernandez and Rodriguez were key support ers of Mayor John DeStefano. The arrests caused a political firestorm, and DeStefano later went to the church to apologize, the New Haven Register reported. , An attorney for former Police Chief Melvin Wearing told the jury that Tblnay was suspended because he was insubordinate to Wearing and stormed out of an August 2002 meeting. But Tblnay’s lawyer, Karen Tbrre, said he was suspended because he spoke out about his belief that politics were playing a part in the case. “He’s really happy for his fellow officers because he feels it will help them feel fi^ to enforce the law without fear of the political ties of peo ple who are arrested,” Tbrre said Monday A spokeswoman for the New Haven police depart ment declined comment. New Haven Corporation Counsel Tbm Ude said the city will ask for a new trial. “This is a guy who admitted he was insubordinate and then sued, and the jury’s ver dict is just way out of line with other cases in this state,” Ude said. T think that it just sends tiie wrong mes sage that you can walk out of a meeting with your boss and then recover money for it.” The jury awarded Tblnay $903 for out-of-pocket expenses, $150,000 for injury to his reputation and $5 mil lion in punitive damages. Church News The deadline for church announcements is 5 pm. Fridays. Fax announcements to (704) 342-2160 or e- mail to cheris Jwdgest&thecharlottepostjcom. Ongoing New Outreach/Hoskins C^ommunity is seek ing donations of tuikeys, hams and toys for Christmas Dinners. Donations are being accepted at 3900 Gossett Ave. For more infor mation, call Pastor Brenda Stevenson at (704) 398-1777. These items will be given out Christmas day fiom 12 p.m. 2 p.m. December 25 New High Springs Baptist Church, located at 811 South Dalton St. in Gastonia, will hold its Christmas Day service at 8:30 a m. Sunday School will be held at 7:45 a.m. • University Paik Baptist Church will hold savices at 7 am., 9:30 am, and 11:30 am at 6029 Beatties Ford Road and 8:30 am at The Park South, 13733 Lancaster Highway, Pineville. January 8 Carolina Voices will hold a special audition for singers for “Psalms & Songs of the Ages,” the mipreced^ited concert planned for March 3 and 5, 2006, in collaboration with Discovery Place and The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. This exmeert will feature the worid jaemieres of two choral woiks commissioned by Carolina Voices. Up to 20 persons fium all voice parts will be added to the Festival Singers for this concert. Singer requirements: The ability to read music and blend with an ensemble, as well as a commitment to weeldy rehearsals on Monday ni^ts fium Jan. 9 through Feb. 27. Candidates should sing a prepared piece of music of their choice that shows their vocal quality, range and artistic expression. A piano accompanist will be jnovided. Individual audi tions will take place beginning at 3 p.m. at Tbmple Beth El, Shalom Paric, 5101 Provi dence Road. Call Carolina Voices at (704) 374- 1564 for ^ appointment.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 22, 2005, edition 1
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