V
GABBING
ABOUT TOWN
BY ANNIE H. THORPE
f'K» Kr*M. *.K ■ .iO.y
Merry Chrlitmu end good tldingi
to each and every one of our dear
readers and friends. We trust that
everyone will feel the spirit of love
and sincerity that this Christmas
brings.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday greetings are extended to
Master Steve Terrell of Quarry
Street, who will be celebrating his
seventh birthday on Dec. 29. May you
live long and sweet and you may be
around to celebrate many, many
more. Please have a happy birthday.
SYMPATHY IS EXTENDED
Our love and heartfelt sympathy
are extended at this time to the fami
ly of Willie Haywood, who passed
away on Saturday, Dec. 17. May you
find the comfort that you will need in
knowing that earth has no sorrows
that heaven cannot heal.
ENTERTAINS MISSIONARY
CIRCLE
Ma. Pattie B. Brown of Fuquay Spr
ing! entertained the Pauline Mis
sionary Cirde of Rush Metropolitan
AME Zion Church on Monday. Doc.
12, at her son's home in Mini City.
Quite a few of the members were pre
sent. Annie H. Thorpe, president of
the parent body of the Missionary
Society, was the instructor for the '
day. After a very impressive meeting
the hostess served a meal of baked
chicken, dressing, potato salad,
sausage balls, hot rolls, punch, ice
cream, and cake. Everyone express
ed their thanks for the meal.
NOTE:
We will be looking forward to your
guests and dinner parties during the
holidays and please have a Merry
Christmas.
•••.• BRO. JAMES THOMAS’
GOSPEL
WORLD
Services will be held at Ebenezer
Holiness Church Sunday at 11 a.m.
Overseer W.R. Turner is in charge.
Elder Hall will be the speaker Sun
day at 11 a.m. at the Lily of the Valley
Church.
Evangelist Clorenda Bass will be
the speaker Sunday at Mt. Olive
Holiness Church, Bloodworth Street.
Rev. Celia H. Thompson is pastor.
First Freewill Baptist Church of
Holly Springs will have its Christmas
play Friday at 7:30 p.m. After the
play will be a fashion show.
Morning worship services will be
held Sunday at 7 a.m. at Greenfield
Baptist Church in Creedmoor.
Bible study will be held Friday at
7:30 p.m. Sabbath School will be held
Saturday at 10 a m; and worship ser
vice at noon at Weeping Willow
Miracle Church, 429 Solar Drive,
Raleigh.
Tarry services will be held each
Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. A Christmas
program will be presented Thursday
at 8 p.m. at Christ Holiness
Evangelist Temple, 218 E. Cabarrus
St. Sunday School will open Sunday at
10 a.m. with worship service at 11:15
a m. at the same location.
Have a merry. Merry Christmas.
LOOK & LIVE
BY REV. JAS A. HEMBY
THE EXCITEMENT OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas season often brings about a strange magic in the air and the
excitement and joy to millions of men, women, boys and girls. Christmas is a
human way we have of telling the Lord how much we love Him, and what He
means to us.
Think of the love of Jesus. He was born when
Caesar Augustus was the acknowledged ruler of the
world. And the birth of Jesus was so tremendous that
men stopped counting the years according to the old
custom, and began all over again with year one.
Jesus’ birth was the watershed of history. All the
time before that great event is called “B.C.”—before
Christ; and after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judea the calendar was changed to “AD.," called
“anno domini,” meaning “in the year of our lord.”
Humanity did not do that for Caesar, Napoleon,
Harold, none of them, they did it only for Jesus REV. HEMBY
Christ. And this baby was born of peasant parents in a little, out-of-the-way
town halfway around the world from here. The parents had no money or
social standinjg. Yet 2,000 years later that little baby gives excitement, joy
and anticipation to millions of individuals who are fascinated with good
tidings of great joy. This season of excitement and love can exist in you. Jesus
said, “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven,” Matthew 18:3. Get the true spirit of
Christmas within you and let Christmas happen in you. Look to Him who is
able to keep you from falling. Look to Jesus now and live.
College Honors Easley
With Doctoral Degree
Rev. William W. Easley, Jr., pastor
of St. Joseph’s AME Church of
Durham, was awarded an honorary
doctor of divinity degree from
Monrovia College of Monrovia,
Liberia during the month of
November.
Dr. Louise C. York is president of
Monrovia College, the oldest in
Africa. The degree was presented to
the Rev. Easley by Bishop Vernon
Randolph Byrd on Nov. 6. This degree
is the second received by Rev. Easley
Methodist* Aid
In Earthquake
Relief Program
NEW YORK, N.Y.—Clouting,
blankets, and medicine are being pro
vided by the United Methodist Com
mittee on Relief for people sufferii
in earthquake-devastated Armen
where at least 50,o«» r”--* ’ “
more were injure*
B fcu uuiuis.-m
of 520,000. Norma Kehrlberg, director
of the relief agency, said, “We’ll be
supporting the Church World Service
National Council of Churches effort,’’
to be carried out through the Arme
nian Protestant and Orthodox chur
-s_
cnes.
Church World Service has issued a
91 million a
denominations.
cor
.-v
from Monrovia college. 1 ne tirst was
an honorary doctor of laws presented
to Rev. Easley in June of 1984 through
Bishop James Haskell Mayo.
Both Bishop Mayo and Bishop Byrd
had served in the 14th Episcopal
District of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, which comprises
the West African nations of Liberia^
Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Bishop Vernon Randolph Byrd is
presently serving the 16th Episcopal
District which includes the Caribbean
nations of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica,
Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados and the
Dominican Republic. Bishop James
Haskell Mayo is currently assigned to
the lOih Episcopal District of the
AME Church, which is the state of
Texas.
To Share
BY BISHOP MILDRED RUFFIN
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
“For unto you is bom this day, in
the City of David, a Savior, which is
Christ the Lord.” Luke 2tll.
Thank You. God. Every Christmas
is but another rainbow flashing the
promise. God, I know you are with us
May our hearts be attuned to the
angelic chorus. Glory to God. Thank
You, God, this is your k>ve_to the
world that Your Son Jesus is born.
May we not see Jesus just in a stable.
May He be born in each heart on this
great day and every day. May we be
so moved to walk iri Your will each
^In Your sweet name, amen.
< v A/
v*
I*LKAMANT HIM, I'NITKI)
CHl'KCII OK CHRIST
IU*v. D.L. McCoy Is pastor. Sunday
School begun ut 9:45 a.m. Morning
worship began at II u.m.
"Jesus Is the Keusun lor (he
Season” was the lesson for the morn
ing. taken from Isuiah 9:8. "For unto
us o child Is born, unto us u child is
given, and the government ahull lx*
upon his shoulders; and his name
shall Iw culled wonderful, counselor,
the mighty God. the everlasting
l.'lher. the prince of peace." and 7:14.
"Therefore the Lord Himself shull
give a sign: Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and liear a son. and shall
call his name Immanuel.”
These verses are magnificent pro
phesies of the divine human nature of
the coining Messiah. He would be
bom a child, like every other human
being, but he would also be given as a
son at Ihe same lime The giver is
(list Himself.
If Jc: us is ihe reason for the
season, let's exalt Him. Let’s praise
His holy and righleous name. Chris
tians, we need to slop putting up door
posters and wall posters of false idols.
Now we know Santa Claus is more
lifted up than Jesus. He has all Ihe
Paths To Living:
Neither East
Nor West Rules
BY KAMAL RAFI
NEITHER EAST NOR WEST
The religion of Al-Islam has again
taken a sharp upswing in the hearts
and minds of people living and ex
isting on all points of the globe. For
many years the superbly balanced
religion of Al-Islam had taken a back
seat to the two great super powers
that have been dominating world af
fairs.
These two great world powers, the
Soviet Union and the United States,
have actually split the entire globe of
nations into two camps, East and
West. Both these so-called super
powers have historically exploited
and manipulated the nations of the
world for their goods and raw
materials. These nations that have
followed the influence of the East
(USSR) and West (USA) have all but
become bankrupt, both materially
and morally.
Praise and thanks are for Allah the
excellently balanced religion of Al
Islam has resurfaced to the world
scene. Granted that Al-Islam is the
fastest-growing influence (religion)
on the world scene, because of its all
comprehensive and far-reaching
principles it clearly affects every
aspect of life. This religion (Al
Islam) addresses world economics,
politics, and education. Every day
more and more people are readily
realizing that there is a proven alter
native to the choice between the two
so-called world power camps, which
is not stationed East or West.
AU points of Africa and Asia have
been misused and frequently abused
by the game-playing superpower na
tions. However, the trend has chang
ed. These same nations are exiting
from the game-playing activity of the
East and West and are aligning
themselves with the dignified posi
tions of the Muslim nations. Al-Islam,
with emphasis on equality of man and
the oneness of humanity, profers a
foundation for cooperation for the'
great diversity of tribal groups of
Africa. This tribal diversity in past
African history has been used to keep
its people subdued and conquered.
These same Islamic principles are
tailored lb the needs of the Asian peo
ple who And it commonplace to be
among Indonesians, Thais, Arabs,
Iranians; Pakistanis, Malays,
BangUUeshis, and Filipinos during
daily routine and interchange.
The powers of so-called super
status had declared Al-Islam as being
nil1 and incompatible with
technological and industrial develop
ment, whereas the fact of history
lucidly depicts that after Prophet
Muhammad the Muslims led the
world in scientific and intellectual
discoveries and gave more than a
spark of light to the European period
of Enlightenment. Much credence
should be given to the Muslim nations
from the European nations for its pre
sent awareness in the sciences,
technology, education, etc.
The agelessness of the Quran (Book
of the Believers) is today being felt by
the world in the banking arena. While
the same nations haVe stated that the
Quran's stand against Interest on
loans has barricaded the Muslims
economically from the world* they
are now witnessing a nourishing
Islamtt' banking system. Instead of
deriving Us income from interest on
loans, the Islamic banks become
partners in the ventures, sharing both
risks and rewards of the persons bor
rowing the loan.
Frbm aB appearances, more and
more surprises are in store for the
doubters as to the religion of Al
Islam. the Quranic injunctions that
Al-Islam will become the dominant
way of life and verifies to all that true
Dower is' neither East nor West, but
belief in the Oneness of Allah, is
Truth.
characteristics of Jesus Chrsit. He
knows when you're good, he knows
when you're bud. and he knows when
you're sIcepinK und awake.
Only Jesus Christ fits that
category. Well, some of you might
Miy. "What shull I loll my children'.'
It s only fun.” Tell (hem thelrulh. We
are responsible for our children
knowing the truth. God said no liar
shall enter Ills kingdom. Let it he
• —— ■
known, and shown that Jesus is the
reason for the season. Let’s lift Him
up. Maybe Iasi year you didn’t know,
but l his year you do, so when we know
I letter, we tin better. God will blees us
for lellinn the truth. Stand up for
Jesus, Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
(Sod bless you.
/VNNOl'NCKMKM'H
Women’s prayer service la held
every Saturday at H u.m._MejV»
WORLD OF GOSPEL-Fhre-tlme Grammy winner, Shirley Caesar ol Durham,
continues to produce top-selling gospel albums, and her concerts are usually held
belore capacity audiences. She clearly has reason to be recognized as the “first
lady of gospel music.”
Area Obituaries
WILLIE HAYWOOD
mute Haywood, oi u Edgecombe
MS. ALEASE PRENT SPURLOCK
Funeral services for Ms. Alease
Prent Spurlock of Richmond, Va.,
formerly of Raleigh, who died Dec.
11, were held Dec. 15 at St. Peter’s
Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.
Burial followed in the church
cemetery. <
Surviving are a husband, Leroy
Spurlock.
Arrangements were by Haywood
Funeral Home.
ELLIS E. RAGLAND
Funeral services for Ellis E.
Ragland, 58, of 2915 Poole Road, who
died Dec. 13, were held Dec. 17 at Oak
Grove Baptist Church, Oxford. Burial
followed in the church cemetery.
Surviving are a wife, Ms. Jeanne
Ragland; daughter, Ms. Carolyn
Williams of Raleigh; father, Alphon
zo Ragland of New Jersey ; and a
grandchild.
Arrangements were by Lea
Funeral Home.
RUFUS RAINES
Funeral services for Rufus Raines,
of 216 Idlewild Avenue, who died Dec.
12, were held Dec. 17 at First Baptist
Church, Wilmington Street. Burial
followed "at Mount Zion Baptist
Church Cemetery, Apex.
Arrangements were by Haywood
Funeral Home.
ANTHONY JAMES JOHNSON
Funeral services for Anthony
James Johnson, infant son of Dillard
and Charlie Mae Johnson, Jr., of 7300
Dalton Drive, who died Dec. 10, were
held Dec. 17 at Lea Funeral Home.
Burial followed in Montlawn
Memorial Park.
Arrangements were by Lea
Funeral Home.
WIIELER BLYTHER
Funeral services for Wheler
Blyther, 67, of 2604 Bedford Avenue,
who died Dec. 17, were held Dec. 21 at
the Church of God of Prophesy.
Burial followed in Carolina Biblical
Gardens.
Surviving are a wife, Gertrude B.
Blyther; daughters, Ms. Rena
Blyther of Raleigh, Ms. Christine
Cooper of Wendell; brothers, Charles
Blyther of Raleigh, Louis Blyther of
Winston-Salem, and five grand
children.
Arrangements were by Haywood
Funeral Home.
MS. ALMETA M. MONTAGUE
Funeral services for Ms. Almeta M.
Montague, 80, of 1806 Pender St., who
died Dec. 17, were held Dec. 21 at
Haywood Funeral Home. Burial
foliowed ’ in Justice Memorial
Cemetery, Hwy. 56.
Surviving are daughters, Ms.
Rochelle Mangum and Ms. Geraldine
Montague, both of Raleigh; aons, Ed
ward Montague of Newark, N.J.,
Wesley
seven
•mu Owen ■ great*
were by Haywood
Terrace, died Dec. 18. Arrangements
were by Lea Funeral Home.
MS. YOLANDA JOHNSON
Infant Yolanda Johnson, of 600
Newcomb Avenue, died Dec. 16. Ar
rangements were by Lightner
Funeral Home.
JAMES WATSON
James Andrew Watson, 68, of 309
Freeman St., died Dec. 18. Funeral
services will be held Dec. 22 at Lee’s
Crossroads Baptist Church. Burial
follows in Carolina Biblical Gardens.
Arrangements were by Lightner
Funeral Home.
THEODORE PEPPERS
Theodore Peppers, of 613
Grantland Drive, died Dec. 15.
Surviving are a wife, Ms. Geraldine
Peppers; daughters, Ms. Doris Pep
pers of Washington, Ms. Glenda D.
Pepper and Ms. Karen Peppers, both
of Raleigh, Ms. Paula Williams and
Ms. Bonitta Williams, both of Green
ville; sons, Ruben Peppers and
Wayne Peppers, both of Raleigh,
Raymond Peppers of Fort Knox, Ky.,
Ronald Peppers of Winston-Salem;
mother, Ms. Swannie High of
Raleigh; brother, George Peppers of
Raleigh; and 11 grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Lea
Funeral Home.
LOUIS TROUBLEF1ELD
Louis Troublefield, 52, of 504 Robin
Hood Drive, died Dec. 15; Ar
rangements were by Lea Funeral
Home.
Surviving are a wife, Ms. Marjorie
J. Troublefield; daughter, Ms. Nicky
Troublefield of Raleigh; step
daughters, Ms. Kelsey Richardson of
the home, Ms. Shelia S. Blue of
Baltimore, Ms. Sherry Woods of
Dudley; stepsons, Staff Sgt. Sherman
Sapp of France, Kelly Richardson of
the home; mother, Ms. Eva Mae
Troublefield of New York; sisters,
Ms. Louise Bentford and Ms. Eva
Mae Troublefield, both of New York,
Ms. Lillie Troublefield of
Washington, Ms. Barbara
^Troublefield of Raleigh; brothers,
Cadealius Troublefield of Troy and
Marshal Troublefield of Raleigh; and
four grandchildren.
HERBERT HARRINGTON. JR.
Funeral services for Herbert Harr
ington, Jr„ 60, of 1009 E. Lane St„
who died Dec. 12, were held Dec. 17 at
Lea Funeral Home. Burial followed
in Sunset Cemetery, Smithfield.
Arrangements were by Lea
Funeral Home.
ROBERT WINFIELD. JR.
Funeral services for Robert Win
field. Jr., of 551 Dacian Road, who
died Dec 13, were held Dec. 18 at Lea
Funeral Home. Burial followed in
Justice Cemetery. ,
Surviving are a mother, Ms. Jessie
Winfield of Raleigh; sisters, Ma.
Delores Jones and Ms. Mildred
Banks, both of Raleigh; brothers, Ed
die Banks, Percy Banks, Alvin Banks
and James Winfield, all of Raleigh
Arrangements were b\ Lea
Funeral Home.
prayer aervice ia held at 7:30 a.m. at -r
the home of Rev. McCoy. ?
Prayer aervice la hold every ‘1
Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. i
Bible atudy takes place every .:
Thursday at 7:30 p.m. i:
Watch Night aervice will be held at |
the church New Year’s Eve night. *
The youth will alao sponsor a play %
New Year's Eve beginning at 7:10 *
p.m. t
God bless you and Merry
Christmas from Pleasant Hill United \
Church of Christ.
FIRST CHURCH OF GOD * £
Services opened at 6 a.m. with M* !
Payger M. White In charge of the $
praise service. The Sunday School |
opened at 0:30 a.m. with Marvin ;;
Sanders in charge. The subject of the
lesson was “God's Promlsf L
Fulfilled,” taken front Luke 3:7. % j
Morning worship service began A \
ll a m., with Isaac White in charge of f
the service. The Senior Choir
rendered the music, with Ms. Cherjtf j
Caldwell at the organ and Ms. Anne
Lotts at the piano. Responsive
reading was taken from Psalm!
103:1-18, titled “Bless the Lord, O My
Soul.” Prayer was offered by Carl
Johnson. i
Rev. James W. Lewis took his ser
mon from Luke 2:1-20 on the subject,
“Jesus Christ, the Good News Now >
and Forever.” Announcements were
given by Barbara Stewart.
The invitation was called and the
prayer room was opened for souls to "
be prayed for. The offering for the 'f,
morning was lifted, and church was
dismissed for the morning. j "t
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A council meeting will be held Mon
day from 7-9 p.m.
Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., midweek
prayer and Bible study are held. |
Thursday at 7 p.m., choir rehearsal
will be held.
Saturday at noon, Brownie Troop
No. 340 and Junior Troop No. 489
meet. j’
Members on the sick and shut-in
list are Ms. Pansy Brown, Ms. Irilla
Boose, Ms. Dezonia Conyers, Ms.
Georgia Wililams, Ms. Ruth Banks,
Sylvester Brown, Dorsey Butler,
Tessie Bell, and Luther Perry.
Remember to pray for the sick and
suffering everywhere., Prayer is the
key to heaven and faith unlocks the
door. The invitation was called and
the prayer room was opened for souls
to be prayed for. The offering for the
morning was lifted and church was '■
dismissed for the morning.
Church reporter is Ms. Bettie Jean
Perry. j
Campaign Aida
Community’s
Poverty Groups
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Two hua
dred twenty community-based self
help projects throughout the nation
have been approved for grants total
ing $6.9 million from the National
Campaign for Human Development, ■
according to Archbishop John L. May
of St. Louis, president of the National
Conference of Catholic Bishops and ;
the CHD national chairman.
In a statement related to the an- '
nouncement of the 1968 CHD grants,
Archbishop May said, “Despite
statistics that point to a healthy ,
economy, more than 32 million
Americans live below the poverty
level. However, because of CHD,poor
people now have hope and a sense
that they can effect change and im
prove their lives through
neighborhood and community
organizations which they themselves 5
control." ;
Since it was established by the U.S.
Catholic Bishops in 1970, CHD has
provided financial support to self
help projects organized and mangpd! -
by groups of low-income persona.'
More than 2,900 such projects have
received approximately $119 million
in funding from CHD since its foun->
ding.
“The Campaign for Human
Development is a powerful means to
build solidarity in this country," Ar-}
chbishop May said. “It has enaMsd
millions of poor Americans of all
races, creeds, geographic regions
and backgrounds to work together Am,
long-range solutions to poverty in the
areas of social and economic develop*^
ment, housing, health, legal aid,'
education and communications." 5
CHD funding for self-help projects*
comes from an annual collection hold ?
in Catholic parishes throughout the
country on the Sunday . before
Thanksgiving. This year’s collection
was on Nov. 20 in most dioceses. •)
Seventy-five percent of the funds
collected are forwarded to the CHD!
office here for allocation at the ne
tional level. The remaining 29 percent
is retained by the dioceses to support
local self-help Initiatives. <;
In addition to funding self-help pro
jects. the CHD serves as a resource
for information on domestic poverty,
including the development of justici|
education materials for parishes amp
schools, as well as training
workshops for diocesan and parish*
iwrsonnel in order to build solidarity
l*tween groups of people.
V v : * V
• - U i ft