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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 1981)
Portland Observer, November 5, 1961 Page 9 Roots in Africa Sunday at Emmanuel Temple O rassrool News. V IF .— F or many (he movement o f Sunday morning is the synchronized process o f going to church. The Black relig ious experience is unique with the discipline, music and spiritualness rippling down to influence all as pects o f A fro -A m erican life . H is torically, the church served as the first institution when there were no blueprints around. I t ’ s to some the sustaining force which gives the 1032 N. Sumner. “ The amp may go in and out because o f interference,” Bishop W eils said one Sunday m orning. “ But 1 re m em b e r," his tone deeper, voice louder and more rhythmic as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, “ when we didn't have a mike at a lll" His statement is met with Amens, Yes Lords, and Thank You, Jesus. This is the call and response o f A fro -A m e ric a n religion. From its Bishop Adolph Wells In his pulpit. power to endure when endurance reaches its tolerance lim it, and is viewed as a time for a personal audi ence with God where the modes and models o f behavior extend beyond the Sunday meeting. Emmanuel Temple is among the many churches located in A lb in a . Il's o f the Pentecostal denomination and the supportive element and unique feature is that among its 230 member congregation are form er drug addicts, women o f the evening and convicts. Due to the discipline and regimentation that a life o f be ing saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost requires, many lives have turned I KO degrees. The catalyst behind the change and devotion (hat one must become committed to is Bishop Adolph A. Wells. “ When you speak o f religion you have Christianity among Bud dhism, Hinduism, Islamism and Ju daism. N aturally, as Christians we believe that Christianity is the only true religion. It grew out o f Judaism becaiwe Jesus Christ was a Rabbi. Out o f the Roman Catholic Church came Protestanism beginning with M a rtin Luther and sprouting out into many different sects. spiritual roots in A frica, the Pente costal church typifies the style and intonation o f our oral history. The music o f the church is the base for every form o f music in A m erica. Em m anuel T em ple has a horn, string and key board section that plays with a spiritual intensity (hat creates good q u ality music. The openness th a t’ s reflected in their worship stops when service is over because to m aintain being 'saved* requires obedience to the Ten Com mandments along with local church rules. “ L o rd , I need some money. I need some greenbacks. M y bills arc over my income. And Lord, I got a little idea. O , how I can fix it. Amen, I just need to have your en dorsem ent." A part o f the sermon o f Bishop W ells. When he reaches this p o in t his vocal approach changes and instead o f giving defin ite statemens, the Bishop begins to explain as a teacher would explain to his students. " ! was on my way to the bathroom and the Lord spoke to me and told me to give. H ere I ’ m praying on my knees and God tells me to give. The voice said give and it shall be given unto you.*’ His voice becomes stronger as the rhythm in his phrases is met with the organ pro vidin g a background sound. Throughout his sermon the congregation responds to every sen tence as if to let each word soak in. I t ’s in the church that the troubles o f the world and o f personal matters are set aside as the frustration, an ger, excitem ent and fear are dis persed. T h ey in terject each other with the spiritualness o f what they believe in. Inside the Temple every one is equal. They praise one another for Lighting o ff the devil o f the day and will provide construc tive criticism when a rule o f beha vior is not adhered to. “ I went to church that night and a young man got up and testified. The Lord touched him and he took out his wallet while he was speaking in other tongues. He made his way to the pulpit where three preachers sat. He hung over all three w ith his money in his hand. He opened up my pocket and pushed the money down into them!” This is the climax o f Wells’ sermon and the congrega tion embraced it and celebrated with handclaps. _ The p o litic a l position o f the church is not in this world because the main goal o f Emmanuel Temple is to prepare its believers for the af te rlife and the second com ing o f C h rist. “ W e are a spiritual entity and our ace is being able to in flu ence people in a spiritual w ay." This position is radically different from other churches where many Black leaders spring from , like M artin L. King and Jessie Jackson. Emmanuel Temple is just a drop in the river o f the Black religious ex perience in America. When we were • forced across the A tla n tic we brought with us a certain spiritual dimension. Dr. DuBois sums this up in The G ift o f Black Folk " In the singular and the fine sense the slave became the master, the bond servant became free and the meek not only inherited the earth but made (hat heritage a thing o f questing youth, o f fru itfu l labor, o f joy and music and free spirit and m inistering hands." — Carefree b California Curls — Shampoo & Set (Thurs. & Fri only) Senior Citizen Discount For Appointm ent Call 289-9492 1905 N. Killingsworth Fred Meyer Shopping Center* < Super Shopping Centers Help Lower Your Cost of Living . .. Your nearby Fred Meyer Super Shopping Center i. filled with ' P • >pte P'easing' services to make your shopping more pleasant. Wide, spacious aisles, friendlv helpful dents anu u<i dc'cover parcel loading are just some of the "People-Pleasing set vices to you. Plus everyday low prices on thousands of items you use ano need everyday help lower your cost of living. Because we re open 9 a m. to 10 p.m. daily, including Sunday, you can shop when you W ANT to, not when you HAVE to. Come in anytime and "funshop" in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. Walnut Park N E. Killingsworth at Union Interstate Peninsula N. Lombard at interstate 6850 N. Lom bard Plenty of Free and Easy Parking Open 9 am to 10 pm daily, including Sunday. E X O D U S 1639 N.E. Alberta PORTLAND. OREGÖN 9721 1 294 7997 by Tom Boothe From The Front Door, it was just last week when I began to answer the question asked by some o f my readers, to describe my philosophy on life. I, was then when I republished the firs, ten principles o f guidance, laid out in the abstract o f my “ Final Wisdom” publication. This week Part II as follows are the next eleven remembrances. Final Wisdom Part Two ll. First comprehend and remember that reality must equal the knowledge o f actual experience to your senses: energy to energy, matter to matter, substance to substance. Thoughts and beliefs do not have these qualities 12. First comprehend and remember that your life has only the value you place on it at any given time First comprehend and remember that money does not buy truth First comprehend and remember that no person or thing planned their time or place to be born or created 15. First comprehend and remember that the most any person can be responsible for giving is their best effort, if it is truly their best effort 16. First comprehend and remember that life's forces have no favorites: it provides a living environment fo r all, from the amoeba to man 17. First comprehend and remember that each living being instinctively knows its needs, but has no control over the forces that provides them, each are dependent on the other Rythmic music accents the religious service. First comprehend and remember that compassion is a human asset if used unselfishly, but a liability otherwise Schools seek citizen advisors The volunteers will be helping the school district in its third year o f di rectly involving citizens in the bud get building process. Citizen budget-review committees examine budgets at all schools, the district’s area offices and for all the SPECIALS Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is offer ing three scholarship awards through its national high school es say contest. The 700-750 word essay is to be entitled "Striving for Excel lence." Awards are $750, $500 and $250. The contest is open to all high school seniors. For in fo rm atio n call Kenneth A dair, 287-7691 (evenings) or 244- 6111 (days). (Photos: Richard Brown) Portland Public Schools are seek ing citizeni to volunteer to review proposed budgets for the school dis trict’s central departments. O c to b e r b N o v e m b e r From the Front Door “ The Pentecostal group is among the youngest having its roots in the early 1900s. The date that's recog nized is 1906 when in L .A . the spirit o f the lord fell upon a group of Bap tist ministers causing them to speak in other tongues. Many Pentecostal groups sprung up after that and we happen to be part o f one that had its origin in 1915. A Baptist minister by the name o f M o rris came to the Northwest and established the Pen tecostal church in this area.” Wells laid the theological base o f his reli gion. On A p ril l l t h , 1965. W ells started the Emmanuel Temple Con gregation out o f a storefront on Mississippi Street. Its growth was rapid and this led to its relocation at Monty's Salon of Beauty Essay contest central departm ents p rio r to the budgets being subm itted to the school board in February or March, The committees advise the school or program adm inistrator and sub mit a w ritten review to the school board including their comments and suggestions. Citizens for school and area bud get reivew committees will receive an orientation session at Cleveland High School, 3400 S.E. 2 6,h A ve., at 7:30 p.m ., Tuesday, Nov. 3. Members o f central budget review committees will receive a similar ori entation Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the school district’s Educa tion Service Center. 501 N. Dixon. C itizens o f P o rtla n d , w ith or without children currently in school, may volunteer for a central budget committee by calling the Budget O f fice. 249-2000, Ex,. 295. First comprehend and remember that miscommunication is far worse than no communication 20. First comprehend and remember that consistency is the key to success in any relationship 21. First comprehend and remember that each o f us has a purpose and a small part of that purpose is to know what that purpose is, the rest is performance Presentad as a community service by the House ot Exodus
