EELIGICN TCEAy
PASTOR’S CONFERENCE-Or. Humphrey addresses the
15th Annual Pastoi's Conference at Shaw Dhrinttv School.
Also pictured art Dr. Andra’ Carr (far left), Dr. Gregory
Headen and Clyde Walton. (Photo by TaNb Sabir-Caloway)
Church Continuing To Maintain
A Self-Sufficiency Tradition
SUFFOLK (AP)—The Church oi
God and Saints of Christ is continuing
its tradition of self-sufficiency and
has hired a Washington, D.C.-based
consultant to help it develop its land
holdings into a $150 million complex
of homes, apartments, offices, stores
and a hotel.
Hammer, Siler, George and
Associates said the church’s plan “is
to preserve the land and buildings
that have served the membership in
Its developing years” and to providt
ior tne stable financial future of the
church and congregation.
The Bellville area church, which
claims affiliate tabernacles across
the country and in Africa, the West
Indies and Canada, refused to release
figures on membership or finances.
Members say the group was founded
by Prophet William S. Crowdy, a San
ta Fe Railroad cook, when he had a
vision in 1896 in which God told him to
form the sect and lead his people to
new land.
Layman Declares War
On Myths, Media Hype
OAKLAND, Calif.—By the time
United Methodist layman Willie
Brown finished talking, most of the
500 black church folks assembled
were on their feet, and the rest were
sitting straighter and prouder, and
shouting, “Amen."
The charismatic speaker of the
assembly of the California State
Legislature, in addressing the 20th
anniversary banquet of Black
Methodists for Church Renewal,
United Methodism’s black caucus,
March 19 declared war on myths and
media hype about crises in black
families and disunity and a lack of
leadership in black communities.
He called on black clergy and
laypeople to continue working for
positive social change through the
black church, which he described as
the birthplace of “every significant
black political and spiritual move
ment,” because often it was “the only
institution they’d let us have for our
own.”
Refuting the “two-parents-two
kids-in-suburbia” archetypical fami
ly as a bogus, unrealistic measure, he
traced the strength of the black ex
tended family back to pre-slavery
America. And black people must con
tinue to extol the theme of communal
living, working and actions, he said.
The San Francisco churchman,
who is national chairperson of the
Jesse Jackson presidential cam
paign, mixed country preacher with
teacher with polished politician as he
recounted how black citizens of the
United States historically have buck
ed the odds in church and society.
From there he moved on to the
growing impact of black citizens in
the nation’s political processes.
Although the Reagan years sent some
gains for blacks into a tailspin, blacks
are “on the threshold of history,”
Brown said.
“In 1984 when Jackson ran he put
two million blacks on the [voter] rolls
who’d never voted before,” Brown
reminded his listeners. In the 1988
congressional elections, although
Jackson’s name was not on the ballot,
blacks and other people of color
claimed their voting power, Brown
said. That and white voter apathy
“turned Washington upside-down,”
be added.
“When the dust cleared, the powet
on the Hill had shifted” and five new
senators had received less than 40
percent of the white vote in their
home states^ Bach won, be said,
because of having 90 percent or mors
of the black vote.
BY RUTH HEINI
The glorious resurrection an-'
nouncement, “He is not here, for He
is risen” (Matthew 16:21-23) was a
miracle for all mankind. A miracle
for all mankind as He gave His life to
atone for the sins of all of the Heaven
ly Father’s children.
“He is not here, bid is risen," notes
Luke who wrote that it was the first
day of the week, very early in the
morning when they came unto the
sepulchre, bringing spices which they
had prepared, to find the stone roiled
away, and they found not file body of
the Lord Jesus.
responsible (or our own dm, lives
and actions. As one tries to place
blame on another, or Satan, he or she
has to realise that salvation from the
grave does not mean that we are not
accountable for our own selves.
Free agency means responsibility.
Both agency and resurrection are for
all, and as we rejoice in both bless
ing, we honor die Father and the
Son. What joy to know that we who
are not pure will be able to follow the
example of the Savior in life and in
death to be mare fit far the kingdom
of our Heavenly Father, and to
become dean and worthy to abide in
His presence when we put our lives in
In some way that is beyond the
tension of men, the Savior
great drops of blood at every
- - to take upon himself our sins,
since we are not capable of paying for
all of our sins. He made it possible for
us to repent of our sins, and be
forgiven to be able to dwell with Him.
He would persuade all men to come
unto Christ, but never force them, for
the free will makes it a matter of
choice.
We thank God for His beloved Son,
whose indescribable suffering as He
gave His life on Calvary on (
of death, and with
ruse inumpnani from cm
Redeemer of all mankind.
Savior, Savior of all, Son of
Author of our i
The black church owned about 1,000
acres in north Suffolk around the turn
of the century, but sold off about half
of its holdings during the Depression.
Members formed a self-sufficient
communal farm, industrial complex
and school in the early 1900s. At one
point, they were farming 850 acres
and 16 acres of oyster beds. The com
mune later dissolved, but the church
flourished.
Church members believe blacks in
America are descended from the lost
tribe of Israel. The church prohibits
divorce and the use of alcohol.
In 1980, the church built a multi
purpose center and world head
quarters called the Temple Beth El.
Later, a 1,500-seat sanctuary was ad
ded. The undeveloped land surroun
ding the complex has been assessed
at 88.5 million by the city.
In 1985, the church used a $1.7
million Housing and Urban Develop
ment grant to build a home for the
elderly and handicapped near the
temple.
Under the proposed land-use plan,
141 acres would be preserved for
church use and would include the old
commune site. Another 27 acres
would be set aside for homes of
church members.
Over the next 20 to 30 years, the
church would develop the remaining
property into 900,000 square feet of of
fice snace. 155.000 sauare feet of
retail space, ISO hotel rooms and 2,100
residential units.
The hotel would cater to visitors to
the church’s four annual interna
tional meetings.
The plan must be approved by the
city planning commission, which
meets April 19.
Racial Problem
Forces Rev. Out
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP)-A
pastor who opposed his
congregation’s decision to bar blacks
from the church preschool has resign
ed at the request of the church’s
deacons.
“It all goes back to the integration
issue. I was like a toy two children
wer* fighting over,’’ The Rev. Ken
neth Newton said about his resig
nation and the split among membra of
Northside Baptist Church.
In an unsigned letter to church
,members dated March 14, the
deacons said they unanimously
recommended that Newton resign
immediately. The letter said the
recommendation was based on “mat
ters of trustworthiness that had a
significant effect on the church.”
wyman Lawson, chairman of the
deacons, would not comment on tne
letter.
Newton, however, said Monday the
mistrust was mutual.
“The last pastor stayed here u
months end said the deacons would
not cooperate with him and loft. I was
able to stay here UU years under
adverse circumstances,” Newton
was offered $10,000 in severance pay.
He accepted the money March 4 and
resigned that day.
Some church members who were
opposed to the deacons’ action sent
out a letter listing Newton’s ac
complishments. They said when
Newton first came to Northside in
1074, the church was 000,000 in debt.
The letter said the debt has base
paid along with renovations to the
church, opening the learning center
Mr children and purchase of 7 J acme
of land and seven houses. The group
also said the church's budget has in
Church Urges Clemency For Six
Heading To S. African Gallows
NEW YORK, N.Y.—Officers of the
United Methodist Mission Board have
cabled South African President P.W.
Botha urging clemency for six blacks
scheduled to be hanged March 18.
The United Methodist Office at the
United Nations received word from
the U.S. State Department’s Africa
Desk that the executions have been
postponed until April 18 to allow the
defense to introduce new evidence.
Bishop James M. Ault of the Pitts
burgh area and Rev. Randolph
Nugent, president and general
secretary, respectively, of the Board
of Global Ministries, acted after
President Reagan made an unusual
personal appeal to South Africa to
grant clemency to the five men and
one woman, known as the
“Sharpeville Six,” convicted of com
plicity in a 1984 mob killing.
The United Methodists said they
were “appalled” that the appeal by
the six was rejected and an execution
date set.1 “We urge you to grant
clemency and to issue a stay of execu
tion immediately... in the name of
Christian justice and righteousness,”
Bishop Ault and Dr. Nugent wrote.
Officers of the World Division of the
Board of Global Ministries sent let
ters of commendation to President
Reagan and Secretary of State
George Shultz, thanking them for
their efforts on behalf of the con
demned South Africans.
“Please continue to urge President
Botha to order a stay of execution,”
pleaded Bishop Roy I. Sano of
Denver, Peggy Billings and Doreen
Tilghman. The three are the presi
dent, deputy general secretary and
Africa secretary of the division,
respectively. '
The SharpeviUe Six are Mojalefa
Sefatsa, 32; Reid Mokoena, 24; Oupa
Diniso, 32; Duma Khumalo, 28; Fran
cis Mokhesi, 30; and Theresa
Ramashmole, 26. Four of the six are
either Anglican or Roman Catholic.
In an earlier communication to top
U.S. officials, World Division officers
noted that the six were found guilty of
the murder of SharpeviUe Deputy
Mayor Khuswayo Dlamini on the
grounds that they had “common pur
pose” with the crowd whose intention
it was to murder him. They were
sentenced to death even though the
South African appeals court said, “It
has not been proved in the case of the
six accused... that their conduct had
contributed causally to the death of
the deceased.”
According to the New York Times,
the United States has appealed to the
South African government through
diplomatic channels and public
statements in a meeting in Geneva
March 14 between Chester . A.
Crocker, assistant secretary ot state
for African Affairs, and South
Africa’s foreign minister, Roelof F.
Botha. Other appeals have come
from Prime Minister Margaret That
cher of Britain, Chancellor Helmut
Kohl of West Germany and Anglican
Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The
United Nations Security Council
unanimously called on Pretoria to'
commute the sentences.
When relatives of two of the six
visited the United States in early
March to enlist support for clemency
pleas, their trip to Washington was
facilitated by Melba Smith, resource
coordinator at the United Methodist
Office at the United Nations, and
Rose Catchings of the World Division.
On Capitol Hill they saw Cheater
Crocker and members of both houses
of Congress.
Several denominational represen
tatives in Washington were among
those urging Reagan to intercede for
the condemned six.
Drugs, Violence Call
Methodists To Action
OAKLAND, Calif.-Mounting drug
related violence and gang activity in
U.S. urban areas have prompted a
call to action by United Methodism’s
20-year-old black caucus.
Nearly 900 black church leaders at
tending the Black Methodists for
Church Renewal 90th anniversary
meeting here March 19-19 asked
regional units to make eradicating
urban violence a budgetary and pro
grammatic priority for the next four
years.
™ —.." .. _
JLY CHAT—Rev. IMm McLaughln, left, director of Women's Concerns
Divinity School chats with Freda Nodi during the Poster's Cantonmeo a*
School (Photo hv Tohh tohlr Cohowoy)
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Him m mu
IT CORMIUU* I. (TAM Mil.
THE WAY TO HEAVEN
Perhaps you have heard the
story of the man who inquired
from a mountaineer the way
to a certain destination. The
mountaineer stuttered and
stammered and finally said:,
"You can't get there from
here.*
Wb may smile at this, but
the result would be even
mom amusing-and sad-wwe
we to ask the average person
on the street the way to
heaven.
What is the way to
heaven? It is interesting to
read in God’s Word what
many think about this. In
Proverbs 14:12 we read:
There is a way that seemeth
right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of
What are some of these
"ways” that "seem right* to
men, leading them to hope for
heaven? Joining a church?
Being baptised? Doing one’s
beat? Keeping the ten com
mandments? Loving one’s
neighbor as himself? These
are a fsw of the ways that
ipen Mow, hoping to gain
eternal life, but they all come
under one headine: “Do
gooff*.
But what do the Scriptures
say about this? In the Gospel
according to John there are
recorded for us, seven “I
ams*, which the Lord Jesus
Christ used in speaking of
Himself. One or these is
found in John 14:6: *1 AM
THE WAY, tk» truth, and Uu,
lift; NO MAN COMETH
UNTO THE FATHER BUT
EY AfE.'This passage has a
double significance, since it
was not only the declaration
of the Lord Jesus Christ, but
at the same time a declara
tion of the divinely inspired
Scriptures.
From this verse we learn
not only that Jesus is the only
way to the Father, but also
that He is-THE TRUTH” to
be believed and trusted in.
Thus we can believe the
Lord Jesus when He claims
to be (As tray to heaven.
But according to this pas
sage He is also "THE LIFE”.
As we place our faith in Hiip,
as the One who died on the
cross for us, we receive eter
nal life. *HE DIED THAT
WE MIGHT LIVES*
Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and
Cincinnati were identified as crisis
areas. The North Carolina jurisdic
tional branch of the caucus was asked
to earmark funds to address youth ,
violence and crime, beginning no
later than September.
An offering was collected to help
the North Central group begin work
in Detroit, described in the resolution
and in recent news stories as “the
most dangerous city in the nation for
youth.” Detroit has the highest
homicide rate in the nation, accor
ding to reports, and during the past
two years 15 of every 100,000 teens
died in drug-, gang- or crime-related
activities.
While specifics of BMCR’s acdtion
plan are still undetermined, some
causes of the sharp rise in youth
related violence were discussed. In
creased drug use and criminal activi
ty were linked to the high unemploy
ment rate among young blacks.
“It is now known that... the higher
the unemployment rate, the higher
the crime rate,” the dMGRrasoliitfoh
said. “Over the pest decade persons
under 21 were responsible for more
than half of all violent and property
crimes in American cities—including
Detroit, which is the home of a large
population of unemployed youth.”
ine caucus votea 10 won wiin
United Methodism’s Board of Church
and Society to develop outreach
ministries for persons with acquired
immune deficiency syndrome and
their families. would be an
audiovisual resource for use by black
and Hispanic congregations for
education and action.
The caucus also agreed to write and
distribute a response to the “Houston
Declaration,” a statement on
homosexuality, Trinitarian i«ng*»»f»
and the role of Scripture, which was
developed by a group of mostly white,
conservative United Methodist
pastors last December.
Shirley Caesar
Gathering Fane
Through Music
Phenomenal is the ooly word which
adequately describes the muifanl
talents of Evangelist Shirley Caesar.
Her phenomenalism is evidenced by
11 Grammy Award nominations, five
Grammies, three gold albums, sfat
Dove Award* thousands of sokUnt
concerts, and her demonstrated abili
ty to continuously release aftnm
after album with astounding success.
Her recordings have consistently re
mained at the top of the gospel
charts.
Horn ana raisea in uunuun, mi.
Caesar’s career began In the South
where she performed as “Baby
Shirley Caesar” and extends to
modern-day performances at such
places as Radio City Music Hall, Con
stitution Hall, and the White House.
Currently, she Is starring In the play,
a Christian musical
She is a model contemporary
woman who is truly doing it all. In ad*
ditioa to being a recording artist and
performer, she is also a pastor and
evangelist, a wife, a businesswoman,
an elected city official (member of
Durham’s City Council), and above
all, a humanitarian. 8ba operates the
Shirley Caesar Outreach Ministries,
Inc., a non-profit organisation which:
provides emergency funds, food,
clothing and shelter for the unfor
privileged and the needy; and a very
viable Christian outreach ministry
of radio ‘
revivals,
revivals, cnisadss and evangelistic
meetings. This ministry is funded by
proceeds from her conceits and an
annual crusade convention held dim
ing the month of July in Durham.
Ms. Caesar has a bachelor of art*
from Shaw University in Raleigh, l_
an honorary degree from
Southeastern University in
giC. ghelsaaf
8haw Divinity 8cbool