Pag* b Portland/Observer Thursday February 15, 1973 PORTLAND d? OBSERVER^ Oam» S.X—I *• ST. ANOCIW S CATHOtIC CHUtCH The Parson’s Pen Religion in the News Kum The Burden of Black Religion lEditor's note; The Burden Black Religion will he written in two part*. Be •ir e and read next week'« issue to get the conclusion.) Matt 27:32 “And as they came out, the found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, him they «impelled to bear the cross." I am very sure that we will get into an argument about Simon's alleged Black w ss with most of my while friends and some of my Black friends too. Whether or not Simon was physically Black like me is a question on critical, historical and exege- tical study. However, for all practical purposes. S i m o n represented Black humanity. Simon was identified with a despised segment of human ly: He was isolated; he was The AME Z ion Church was organized in 1862 by a s m a l l group of Oregon blacks. The f i r s t (jven no freedom of choice church building was occupied in I8t>9 and was located on 3rd Avenue. A new church was b u ilt in whether or not to bear the 1883, located on S.W. 13th and M ain. P ictured above is the church building located on W illia m s cross; his personhood was Avenue and San Rafael, which was occupied in 1917. not honored; his manhood was not respected; his free dom to decide was not con ceded, for they compelled him to bear the cross. The first Black church in James Cone, in his book home of Phillip Jenkins. Bis Schyler. entitled. Black Theology and Portland »'as the People's hop B. F. Lee admitted this Shiloh Baptist was organ Church which w a s esta group and appointed Rev ized in 1915 to serve the Black Power, has this to say: “God's work of reconcilia blished in 1862. In 1874 it erend S. Freeman of Fasa- growing numbers of Black became the First A.M.E. dena, California, to be pas people in t h e Montavilla lion means that we can only Zion Church and was located tor. The church has had area. It was located at 76th he justified by becoming Back. Reconciliation makes on Third Street between several locations over a per and N.E. Everett. Burnside and Couch. In 1883 iod of time: us all Black. Through this S.W. Sixth St. Philip's Episcopal Mis it moved to Williams Ave Avenue and Stark Street; sion was organized in 1907 radical change, we become N. W. 10th Avenue a n d nue. and became a mission to identified totally with the B la c k The People’s A .M .E . Davis; and in 1915 at North Blacks in 1912, with a white suffering of the Church was located at 126 Larabee and McMillin. minister. Before 1912, Black masses.” Then he goes on to 18th Street in 1894. In 1897 Mt. Olivet Church was the Episcopalians attended Ca darify this for white people: first Black Baptist Church in it moved to 68 Tenth Street. “It is to be expected that thedrals. The mission moved Oregon. It was established Bethel A.M.E. Church was to 242 Russell Street in May many white people will ask: How can I, a white man, established in 1889 by a in 1876 and moved to 85 of 1919. Seventh Street in 1900. In small g r o u p of Portland become Black? My skin is 1907 it moved to First and Christians who met in the white and there is nothing I can do." (Being Black in America is not exclusively a matter of skin color. I "To be Hack means that your heart, your mind, and your body are where the dispossesed are. In this sense, not just Simon, but Jesus also, were Hack." Simon was compelled to be At Vann's no gimmicks are where Jesus was because used. We refuse to insultyour Jesus had decided to he intelligence. We know the buy where Simon was. Jesus had ing public can recognize qual already decided to identify ity. We make certain the fam himself and his kingdom with ilies we serve have a wide Simon. Jesus had already variety to choose fro m . They counted himself among the Black churches organize early Attend church this Sunday select the price category that is best suited to them. Smile - God loves you V A N N ’S MORTUARY 5211 N. Williams Avenue 281-2836 Portland, Oregon Rev. T. N . Noffo Welcomes you to Sunday School Church Service Evening Service 9:45 aan. 11:00 aan. 7:30 pan. 6401 N.E. 10th Avenue by R everend V . Brown A statement, issued by President Nixon that pro claims an end to the Vietnam war that has plagued our nation for almost a decade. During the course of the war the most lethal, devastating, and sophisticated killing ma chines the world has ever known were produced. It is only appropriate that we as Christians should unite our hearts in a spirit of thankfulness and praise for the peace that has come. However in our praise and prayer let us not forget to pray for those whose lives will feel the deep and bitter scars for many years to come. It is also appropriate that we as Christians should pray for our cities that are becom ing hotbeds of vice. Every where are enticements to- sensuaiity and disipation. On every hand are the sights and sounds of evil. The tide of corruption and crime is con tinually swelling. Every day brings the record of violence - murders, robberies, suicides, and crimes unnamable MARANATHA CHURCH 1222 NE Skidmore Church school and Bible class: Sunday morning worship: Sunday Evening worship: Wednesday Evening prayer: Friday Worship Service: Bob Harrison - Pastor 9:15 aan. JO;45 a an. 7:00 pan. 7:00 pan. 7:30 pan. ISl ««!• roensNO oooonvrrn ik H W » Cl— I I » « I« a—i d about price? » » 00 — by A. L. Henderson What u ■sv Manu« oae«N 288-7241 It seems to me that life in the cities is becoming false and artificial. The intense passion for money, the whirl of excitement and pleasure, all are forces that are turning the minds of the great masses of mankind from life's true purpose. Holidays are numer ous, games and horse racing draw thousands, and the whirl of excitement and pleasure attracts them away from the sober duties of life. And in this moment let us not forget to pray for the physical surroundings in the cities that are often a peril to health. The prevalence of our air, impure water, impure food, and the constant liability of contact with disease. Prayer is man's attempt to become consciously aware of the presence of God. Prayer may be “uttered or unex pressed." It may be mingled with intellectually or aesthetic or emotional expressed. Thus out of the experience of pray er comes peace of mind in the midst of sorrow. From prayer comes a sense of sin and challenge to new effort. From it comes a renewal and in tensification of love and grati tude. From it comes new hope and a sense of confidence in a cosmic order. In prayer we strive to become conscious of a Presence that is already part of our very nature. The essence of prayer is a quest for “the beyond that is within." WELCOME TO ST. MARK'S BAPTIST CHURCH 119 N , E . M o rris Sunday Service 9:15/ll:00aan. <fc*spised. rejected, hated, ex pioited, and excluded chil <frvn of his father. His heart was with Simon, because as the Great physician he knew that if he could heal the extreme case, all other rases would automatically be heal «1. The privileged classes are included in the benefits that fall to the dispossessed; hut the dispossessed are not included in the power struc ture of their oppressors. There are no restrictions against lying down in a manger. There is no lock on the stable door. There is no luck on the door of dis possession; but there are numerous locks and bars and balustrades, conventions, cus toms, and convenants of re striction to keep the poor from moving among the rich. Simon was Black due to his identity. Jesus was Black dut‘ to his resolve to be one in heart with the fellow farthest down on the social ladder. The Black church is Simon: Not Simon Peter but Simon of Cyrene. It was compelled into existence. It is a voluntary institution p r o duced under the conditions of involuntary servitude. The Hack church was compelled to be. When in the 18th <entury (175;! I believe* the Bishop of Ixmdon declared that one's conversion and hnptism was entirely an in- ■vr experience and an indi vidual matter, such that it had no effect whatsoever upon one's external status or condition - when he took from Black, slave Christians even the right to hope for freedom hased upon mem bership in Christ he was promulgating t h e prim ary heresy of Western Christ unity and compelling the Black church into existence to combat that heresy. It was forced to be in order to repudiate the heresy that one's relationship to Christ does not alert his relation ship to others especially those who are of the house hold of faith. Conversion is a radical change that affects a man's total life. Things can never be the same as before "If any man be in Christ He is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." And this radical change of relationships this trans valuation of values begins in the Church which generated the change in the first place. That's why Paul said to the Church in Galatia. "Let us do good to all men, but es penally unto them who are of the household of faith." The Black church is pre dirated on the union that exists between the spiritual and the physical, the body and the soul the indi vidual and the communal. To be in Christ is to he free in a free church. Either a Black man is a member of the Black church or he is not fully a m e m b e r of any church. Either I can join the church with my complete self, my history, my self hood, my Black masses, my family, my talents, my ex pressions. my a r t , my strength and my zeal or 1 can only pretend to have joined. If I cannot bring all of this with me when I join your church. I'm not really .ill there. If I face the same restrictions and prejudices in the church as I confront in the world if I am limited (Please rum to p. 8 col. 2) Gospel Choir organizes Sidney Thomas announced the organization of the Al bina Community G o s p e l Choir. The Choir, with membership open to anyone who wishes to sing gospel music, will meet for its first rehearsal on March 3rd at 12:00 noon at the Highland Community Center, 4635 N. E. 9th Avenue. Officers of the choir are: Sidney Thomas, President; George Fitz. Vice President* Bobby Boyd. Choir Director; and Ronnie Right, Assistant Director. The objectives of the choir are to bring about unity through glorifying God in song: to develop a program to involve the youth; and to create respect, pride, and unity and self awareness. Persons who are interested may call Sidney Thomas at 281 5969. M e tho d ist 2859 N .E . RODNEY 287-7998 Sunday School 9:43 aan. Y I’WW Morning Worship 12:00 noon Weekly Services 6:30 pan. 8:00 pan. Bishop J.C. Foster, Pastor lue** 'y 4 Frld*y ALLEN TEMPLE CME CHURCH Corner of 8th and Skxlmoie Sunday School 9:30 aan. Sunday Worship 11:00 a jn . Christian Youth Fellowship 6:00 pan. (Second and Fourth Sundays) Reverend Thomas L . Strsyhand, M inister ^ highlands KJ/ M AV 4635 N. E. 9th Avenue Sunday School 10:00 »an. Morning Service 11:00 aan. Breakfast 9:00 - 10:00 aan. Reverend Samuel Johnson Telephone: Evenings 287-5341 'Come Alive' 'Come to Jesus' Church of Com" A,iv* the Living God P.G. of T. Temple # 3 90 0 NE Ainsworth Portland, Oregon Sunday School 9:45 aan. T .U . 6:00 pan. P ra ye r Service JuntorChurch Morning Service 11:00 aan. Evening Service 7:30 pan. Wednesdays 7:30 pan. Friday 7:30 pan. Pastor Rev. S. Green 111 COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD .o*1 2 0 2 N. E. Skidmore 2 8 1 -5 6 7 8 5828 N.E. 8th A. Loo Henderson, Minister 2 8 8 -5 4 2 9 Ellis Coston, Associate Minister Church School Morning Worship Wed. Noon — The Hour of Power Wed Prayer & Clast M e e tin g Nursery Core Provided 11:00 am 12:00 noon 7:30 pm W e ere making our Neighborhood A Brotherhood' Vancouver Ave. First Baptist Church 3138 N. Vancouver Ave. Phone 282-9496 Sunday School Morning Worship SUNDAY SERVICES: 9:45 Sunday School 11:00 Morning Worship 7:00 Evening Worship 9:45 am 9:00 A.M. 11:00 A.M. Evening Service 7:30 pan. Reverend Edward W ilder St. Paul Church of God in Christ Pastor V. R. Brown You are invited to come and worship with us Hom o- ccco The „\UwMf Olivet baptist Church Rev John H Jackson Minister N f . First ond Schuyler Portland, O r*. Phone 264-1954 Sunday School Morn.og Worship Vesper Dr. O. B. Williams, Pastor "T he church with a heart-felt welcome" aaY " t t t n » r so i v o n / u p a n d d + a n to " r u t 9 am lla m . 3 pm