Religion
Calendar
Happening Now
Poetry series
Centenary United Methodist Church's Music and
the Arts Ministry will host "Poetry as Prayer, Prayer
as Poetry: The struggle for faith in the poems of John
Donne and Gerard Manley Hopkins," a discussion by
Anthony 'Tony" Abbott, at 7 p.m. on March 10, 17
and 24 (with 31 as a bad weather date) in Centenary's
Memorial Auditorium, 646 W. Fifth St. Winston
Salem (use the 4 1/2 Street entrance). Abbott, who is
a retired Davidson College English professor, former
department chair, poet, novelist and Pulitzer Prize
nominee, will examine the extraordinary lives of
these two poet priests, Donne as an Anglican and
Hopkins a Roman Catholic, and then examine how
each used poetry, particularly the sonnet, to speak
openly and intimately to God out of their deep spiri
tual needs. Handouts will be available at all lectures.
Abbott will recite poems at the beginning of each
session. Weekly topics include: March 24-Gerard
Manley Hopkins, The Welsh Sonnets and the
'Terrible" Sonnets. The event is free.
Career Fair
Genesis Baptist Church, 2812 East Bessemer
Ave. in Greensboro, will be hosting a two-day Career
Fair on Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20
from 8 ajn. to 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 4 p jn., respective
ly. NC Jobiink and NC Works are partners. Day one
of the event is dedicated to preparation. A series of
seminars, symposiums and breakout sessions will be
conducted, all designed to help people to get started.
Day two is dedicated to job placement.
Representatives from a variety of local employers
will be on hand to meet prospects, conduct on-site
interviews and in many cases make on the spot offers
of employment. Contact careerfair@genesisbap
tistchurch.com or visit the website at genesiscareer
fair.com. For additional information, or to participate
in the Career Fair contact Minister Price at
james vpricesr @ yahoo .com.
" /v
March 20
Job fair
Love Community Development Corp., 3980 N.
Liberty St., will hold a Job Fair on Friday, March 20
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. People who need help creating
or updating a resume are welcome to use the Job Link
and get help Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. Interested people should sign up at the front
desk.
March 21
Gospel Showcase & Soul Food
Saturday, March 21 at 6 p.m., the Worship and
Arts Ministry of Exodus United Baptist Church, 2000
Wilbur Street, near the old Boys and Girls Club on
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., will sponsor a Sylvia's
of Harlem, N.Y., style Sunday Gospel Showcase &
Soul Food event, with $7 specials, They include, one
entr6e, two sides, one drink, extra items and dessert
for additional cost. There will be live entertainment
and great fellowship. Pastor Alvin Carlisle is senior
pastor. For more information contact: Ronee Walker
at 336-422-3259 or Elder Ron Wilds at 336-926
5191.
Millionaires seminar
On Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Genesis Baptist Church, 2812 Bessemer Ave. in
Greensboro, will host a seminar called "Building
Millionaires for a Higher Purpose." It's free and open
to the public. The church is on a mission with a pur
pose to make "2015 a life-changing experience of
growth." The Financial Literacy Ministry is sponsor
ing the program. The three program facilitators and
topics include: Todd Leverette (a young adult entre
preneur): "Entrepreneurship: Turning Your Dream
into Your Job"; Jackie King: "Making Sense of
Investing"; Joe Dudley Jr.: "Discover Your
Entrepreneurial Personality."
Uptown Saturday Night
Goler Memorial A.ME. Zion Church, 630 N.
Patterson Ave., will have Uptown Saturday Night on
Saturday, March 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Donation is $15,
which includes dinner and entertainment. This event
is sponsored by Parent Body Missionaries.
College readiness workshop
The College Connection Ministry at Emmanuel
Baptist Church will host a seminar titled "Straight
Talk: A College Readiness Workshop for High
School Students" on Saturday, March 21, from 12:30
to 4:30 p.m. at the church, 1075 Shalimar Dr. The
topics that will be discussed include: selecting
appropriate high school courses, FAFSA process,
saving money, scholarships, importance of extra cur
riculum activities, essay writing and living as a col
lege students. The facilitators for these session are
Whitney McLaughlin, Karen Harris, Rachel King
and Carolyn Bums-Speller. Pastor Dr. John Mendez
and Jamie Woodyard will facilitate separate sessions
for the male and female participants on importance
social issues. The workshop is open to all high
school students. To register for the workshop or
obtain more information, please email ebccollege
conn@gmail.com.
Starting on March 22
Men's Revival
Life Changing Transformation Church Ministry,
2001 N.E. 25th St. (corner of Ansonia and 25th), will
be having Men's Revival starting Sunday, March 22.
The theme is "From Boys to Men, Man UP!" The
guest speakers are as following:
Sunday, March 22, Bishop Preston Mack from
Jesus Ressurection Power will be speaking at 5 p.m.;
Thursday, March 26, Pastor Johnny Johnson from
United Deliverance Church of Ood will be speak at 7
p.m ; Saturday, March 27, Apostle Edward Allen of
Ambassador Cathedral will be speaking at 7 p.m.
Doors will open early.
i
y See ReMgloa yn >5
I Pastors discuss race at forum
BY ERIN M1ZELLE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
On the night of
Tuesday, March 10, in
a building that perhaps
many Winston-Salem
residents drive by
without ever paying it
much attention, a con
versation was had, and
it was one for all.
Housed at the
Enterprise Center on
Martin Luther King
Drive for all to gather,
this community dia
logue was held to
explore "faith commu
nity pathways" to
ensuring an impartial and thriving city of Winston-Salem
for all those who call it home.
Titled "Community Conversation for the Good of Our
City," the community faith-based dialogue was sponsored
by the Institute for Dismantling Racism (IDR) and was
hosted by a panel of clergy from churches in the Forsyth
County area. Occurrences of racial injustice in Staten
Island and Ferguson, in
particular, were to blame
for the sense of urgency
behind the night's com
munal dialogue.
"When we began to
talk about our communi
ty and what it could be,
the thing that became
very clear is that we
couldn't have what we
wanted ? what we
deserved ? unless the
vast majority of the peo
ple in the community
began to work together.
And the first step to that
is to at least talk to, (then) acnwanz
hear and finally begin to understand one another," said the
Rev. Willard Bass as he opened the night's special event.
'This is IDR's effort to start that conversation," said
Bass, who is director of IDR. The organization has held a
previous discussion session. /
The conversation between the panelist of local pastors
and the people of Winston-Salem addressed three specific
questions, and started a dialogue that will continue for
weeks and months to come:
1. What does a vision of the
future of our city look like in which
all communities flourish?
2. What are the obstacles for
realizing this vision and the options
for overcoming them?
3. How will we negotiate these
obstacles successfully?
"We have to be ashamed of our
selves and we have to take personal
responsibility because there was a
time when we couldn't," said Pastor
Nathan Scovens. "And we hhve to
accept that personal responsibility
to make tilings better tor everyone."
The event was open to the pubic, allowing the conver
sation to be a "collaborative and continuous improvement
project with the help of the community's involvement," as
IDR had publicly hoped it would be. Moderated by jour
nalist and minister Dr. Bryan Williams, IDR made every
attempt to relay the national conversation about racial dis
crimination and injustices to the future of "our" Winston
Salem, or so it
was referred on
this night, time
and time again.
"All of you
that are here (in
attendance) ?
your willingness
to be here ? is a
statement about
the kind of
Winston-Salem
you want to see.
And I commend
you all for tak
ing your time to
be here,"
Williams said,
in opening the
evening's ses
sion. "While religion has been a tool of oppression, giv
ing legitimacy to the systems and institutions an unjust
misuse of power, it has also served as sustenance and
inspiration for those suffering from racism. Tonight, we
seek all forms and traditions that will deepen commitment
to the work that we are all here to do."
Throughout the two-and-a-half hour event, one point
rang clear ? regardless of race ? as each speaker stood
to take the microphone and address all in attendance: In
order for changes to occur
in Winston-Salem and
across the nation, these
issues of social justice,
and the lack there of, must
first be brought to the
forefront of every citi
zen's conversation.
"We will remain vul
nerable to each other,
knowing that racism has
taught us to be deceptive
to self and others and that
we need one another for
accountability and integn- L
ty. But here, our work
begins with empathy for those who have been destroyed
and wounded by the pathology of racism and with seeking
the healing of the systems and institutions so that they
might provide quality of access and equity in the distribu
tion of power and resources," Williams said.
March 10 was the second attempt to do just that.
"Healing takes time. Miracles take time. And what
we are asking for is healing," Scovens softly remarked as
he and the panel beside him
began to close out the
evening's discussion. "It does
not ? and it will not ?hap
pen overnight, but we will not
lose sight of what could be."
A third "Community
Conversation for the Good of
Our City" is already planned
to happen in the near future.
Panelists were Rev. Darryl
Aaron, Pastor, First Baptist
Church; Rev. Steve Angle,
Pastor, Southside Community
Church; Rev. Tembila
covington, cross tne Red Sea Ministry of Rockingham
County; Rev. Nathan Parrish, Pastor, Peace Haven Baptist
Church; Rev. Nathan Scovens, Pastor, Galilee Baptist
Church; Rev. Lisa Schwartz, Pastor, Unitarian
Universalist Fellowship ; Bishop Todd Fulton, Pastor,
Moriah Outreach Center of Kernersville; and Rev. Chuck
Spong, Senior Pastor, WS First.
Photos by Erin Minclk
Panelists give their opening remarks.
Scovens
Attendee Jay Harris gives his opinion.
St. Peter's presents program to help strengthen families
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
St. Peter's Church and World
Outreach Center launched a six
month program to strengthen families
in the Winston-Salem and surround
ing communities.
The Strong Family Movement
kicked off on March 1 with Bishop
Dale C. Bronner, founder/senior pas
tor of Word of Faith Family Worship
Cathedral near Atlanta.
Bishop Bronner delivered a
dynamic message that challenged
families to reframe their thinking and
reach God's best for their lives.
The Strong Family Movement
continues. St. Peter's will hold infor
mational sessions on relevant family
topics on the third Wednesday of each
month and fun family outings on the
fourth Wednesday of each month
from March through August. The cur
rent itinerary is as follows:
?March 18, topic: "We Are
Family"
? March 25, topic: "Family, Food
and Fun Night"
? April 15, topic: "Balancing Life
And Family Part 1"
? April 22, topic: "Balancing Life
And Family Part 2"
? May 20, topic: "Healthy Sex
Education For The Family Part 1"
? May 27, topic: "Healthy Sex
Education For The Family Part 2"
? June 17, topic: "Effective
Parenting At Every Age Part 1"
? June 24, topic: "Effective
Parenting At Every Age Part 2"
? July 15, topic: "The Wealthy
Family Part 1"
? July 22, topic: "The Wealthy
Family Part 2"
? July 26, topic: "Fatherless
Generation, Motherless Generation"
? Aug. 2, topic: "Strong Family
Movement Culmination & Family
Fun Day"
Learn more about The Strong
Family Movement by visiting
www.SPWOC.com/TheMovement.
Dr. James C. and Joyce Hash Sr.
are senior pastors of St. Peter's
Church and World Outreach Center
(www.spwoc.com). Services are held
each Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
Lesson Scripture: John 20:19-23
By the end of this lesson, we
should:
? Understand the significance of
Jesus' appearances
? Recognize the calm that Jesus
brings
? Deepen our commitment to Him
Background: The women report
ed, "The tomb is empty!" The disci
ples ran to see. Mary Magdalene
talked with the Risen Lord and
reported that conversation to the 10
(Thomas was absent). They didn't
understand as their fear, grief, chaos
and doubts mounted. They were con
fused at the Last Supper and now
words couldn't express their feelings.
Jesus' teachings over the last three
years were running through their
minds as they attempted to make
sense of everything. There was no
earthly kingdom as they envisioned.
They made spectacles of themselves
parading around with Jesus. Not only
were the Pharisees out to get them for
making a mockery of the Law but the
Romans couldn't be far behind! At
this point, they were replaying the
events that took place among them
selves, but no resolution came.
Lesson: On the evening of
Resurrection Day, Jesus visits the hid
ing disciples behind locked doors. He
greets them in the usual manner,
"Peace be with you" (Hebrew
"shalom"). I'm sure they were star
<
tied and probably more afraid than
ever. They recognize Him as He
shows them His hands (wrists) and
His side. The Gospel of Luke records
I in 24:36-49 that He ate fish with
them. Jesus' appearance proves that
His body was not stolen and that He
is alive! This is visible proof that
Jesus is not a ghost. While they do
not fully understand, their burden
has been lifted! The 10 are now calm
and encouraged because Jesus is with
them. Verse 21 reminds them of their
ministry. What Jesus says really isn't
new to them. You see, God sent His
Son into a dying world (sinful) to
redeem humanity back to Him.
Sometimes we forget the real mis
sion. The miracles were the signs of
His authenticity and authority.
Through the highs and lows of
Christ's earthly life. He endures it all
to fulfill His mission to save! He
depended on His Father to complete
that mission. Therefore Jesus sends
Se^Peppers on B5
Mildred'^
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Sunday
School Lesson
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