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http://www.thepost.mindspring.com CI)e CFiarlotte ^ostt 11A RELIGION THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1997 • First Baptist Church-West begins 8 a.m. services. See Church News page 12A Sunday School LESSON Devotional reading: Heb rews 1:6-14. • Lesson scripture: Hebrews i:l-3:6. The first five lessons of this quarter, drawn from 1 and 2 Umothy and Titus, dealt with the topic “Guidance for Ministry.” Ifada/s lesson begins a new unit titled “The Greatness of Christ.” The four lessons in this unit are based upon the book of Hebrews. : While most of the epistles of the New Tfestament begin by identify ing the writer, Hebrews is quite different In fact, it begins more like a tract than a letter. The writer is not identified. This has led to abimdant speculation as to the author’s identity; among the most frequent suggestions are Paul, ApoUos, and Barnabas. On the other hand, the destination of the hook seems certain; it was directed to Jewish, or Hebrew, Christians. Exactly where these believers lived is vet another mys tery. Some schools suggest Palestine, while others beheve the book was destined for Alexandria (in Egypt) or Roe. These questions concerning the book’s authorship and destination should not be allowed to detract from its great value to us. Hebrews is both a theological treatise and a guidebook for prac tical Christian Uving. Christians today can find valuable instruc tions and encouragement from both of these emphases. A fundamental proposition of Christianity is that God has spo ken to man. That revelation has come at sundry, or various, times. Since the writer was addressing Hebrew Christians who were femiliar with the Old Tfestament, they would immediately call to mind how God spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden, how He called Abram from Cr of the Chaldees, and how He thundered forth His commandments on Mount Sinai. 'They would also remember how He spoke to kings, such as David and Solomon, and to prophets. 'The writer focuses particularly on the prophets, per haps because of their role in preparing for the coming of God’s Son into the world. The phrase in diverse manners highlights the many different ways in which God spoke to man. Sometimes He spoke through dreams, visions, signs, or mira cles. Expressions found in the prophets, such as “Thus saith the Lord,” The word of the Lord came unto me,” and “Hear the word of the Lord,” indicate that God communicated more directly to these specially chosen spokes men. Frequently the Bible divides the history of time. The Old Tfestament era is considered the “former days,” or, as in Hebrews 1:1, “time past.” The New Tfestament era, beginning with Christ’s first coming and ending with His return, is viewed as the last dajrs. For other uses of this phrase and similar terminology in the New Tfestament, see Acts 2:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Pater 1:20; and 1 John 2:18. While we do not know when Jesus will return, we know that h will return and we know that when He does come back. He will judge the nations (Matthew 25:31-33). We need to pay special attention to God’s message for the last days, just as the Hebrew Christians did. 'This message is found only in his Son. Jesus has been appointed heir of all things. We are not to think of this inheritance as one in which the father must die before the son can receive it. This expression indicates the close relationship of the divine Son to the heavenly Father. One aspect of this kinship is the Son’s partic ipation in the creation of all things. This doctrine is stated, not only in this verse, but in other New Tfestament passages as well All things win one day come under the dominion of Jesus, and then of the Father, when Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 15 (25-28). PHOTOS/SUE ANN JOHNSON Above, Arsherres Jenkins, 6, holds her little sister, Taryn, 4, during a break between songs. Perfect blend Kids find fun and music in new Charlotte Choir Choir director Tlshia Coriey works with a group of choir members after rehearsal. From left, bottom row: Arsherres Jenkins and Taryn Jenkins. Middle row: Meredith Spears, Avodon McCaskill, Willie Ervin, Tywon Crockett Top row: Crystal Garvin, Sheba Jennings and Randall Ervin.The choir rehearses 6 p.m. Mondays at Garr Memorial Church. The group Is open to children of all ages. By Jeri Young THE CHARLOTTE POST lywon Crockett loves to sing. He also loves the music of Charlotte gospel artist the Rev. John P. Kee. So when TVwon, 8, found out that Kee was creat ing a children’s choir, he had to join. “I have a lot of tapes of him,” Tywon says. “I really like to lis ten to him.” Tywon and his cousins Randall and Willie Ervin are among the 50 children age 5-15 who make up the Youth for Christ Mass Choir, sponsored by Kee and New Life Productions Inc. Each Monday night, children gather at Garr Memorial Church off Independence Boulevard for rehearsals. There’s no fidgeting or talking during the hour-long rehearsals. TTie work is hard, the children say. But it’s worth it. “It’s exciting,” says April Howie, 13. “And it will help me build up my singing voice. And maybe well get to travel.” Howie, an eighth grader at Northwest School of the Arts, has already won several vocal compe titions, but thinks working with Kee and the choir will start her in the right direction. “I heard about it on the radio,” says April’s mom, Lula Howie. “It was a good opportunity to get her on a good choir. It’s also a moti vator to get her to sing better. She really Ukes John P. Kee. It seems Uke it’s going to be a chal lenge.” Challenging it is. Members receive copies of songs and are taught harmonies, soprano, alto and tenor by choir director 'Tishia Corley. The music is up tempo, which Corley and the Rev. Ivan Powell, who heads the choir, say keeps the kids focused. “Keeping their attention is the hardest part,” Corley says. “Once they get it, they don’t for get.” Powell, who’s from Connecticut, has worked with children’s choirs before, but this is extra special, he says. His own children are also members of the group. “We didn’t have harmony like this back in Connecticut,” Powell says with a laugh. “These kids are really good. It’s special. I love it. When my daughter is at home, I hear her singing all the time.” So does T/won’sn mom, Jo- Anne Crockett. She heard about the choir from a friend and knew the choir would be perfect for Tywon. “My son just had to join,” Crockett says. “He’s been com ing for about three months. He never gets bored and he loves the music.” Tywon, who hopes to sing lead vocals soon, agrees. “It’s a nice thing to come out every Monday night,” Tywon says. “You don’t have to be in the house all the time. And you get to sing.” Torched Mississippi churches rebuild By Ray Harrist THE ASSOCIATED PRESS KOSSUTH, Miss. - Billy DUlworth leaned his large frame forward onto a metal folding chair and took a reassuring glimpse of the new structure that houses Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church. “You can bum our building but you can’t kill our church,” said the 61-year-old DUlworth. A year ago, he stood with other members of the tiny congrega tion, fighting back tears as thick, choking smoke curled heaven ward from the gutted remains of what had been their ancestral place of worship. “The church is a baptized group of believers, that’s what the church is,” he said. The night of June 17, 1996, fire spread rapidly through Central Grove Missionary Baptist Church near Kossuth. A few county roads away and 17 minutes later, flames engulfed the Mount Pleasant Church. Both were destroyed. Within days, federal and state investigators had determined the obvious - that the churches had been torched. Tlie fires came during a period when churches around the coun try, particularly black congrega tions in the South - like Moimt Pleasant and Central Grove - were being targeted by arson ists. Since Jan. 1, 1995, there have been more than 400 arson fires nationwide involving churches. ‘You can burn our building but you can’t kill our church” - Billy DUlworth including more than a dozen in Mississippi. No arrests have been made m the Kossuth fires, but Craig Valentik, assistant special agent in charge of the federal Alcohol, Tbbacco and Firearms office in Birmingham, Ala., said a “very, very active investigation contin ues.” TTie absence of an arrest has fueled rumors among Kossuth’s 225 residents. Some see a nation al conspiracy by white sepa ratists. Others believe the church es were torched by local youths anxious to get in on the pubhcity that followed chinch fires in other areas of the country. On this humid day, Dillworth, an Alcom County deputy sheriff for the past six years, and his 77- year-old uncle, Eli Dillworth, were taking advantage of the air conditioning inside the igloo- styled portable building that has served as the church’s temporary home. About 50 yards away, pre cisely where the old church stood, a new, larger building is nearing completion. Both men have been almost daily visitors to the site, anxious to take guests on a tour of the new building, with its high-ceil ing sanctuary that can hold dou ble the current 130-person mem bership. Four miles away at Central Grove, a large red-brick building with stained glass windows and wine-colored carpet is nearly fin ished, a somce of pride for life time church member Robert Garrett. “I think this whole thing has been a test that has brou^t us together,” said Garrett as he manipulated a remote control to adjust the lighting and ceiling fans in the auditorium capable of seating some 300 people. They (the arsonist) thought this would start some racist stuff in this community,” said Garrett, 47. “It didn’t. We nrayed to God and kept going.”
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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