Page 4 Portland Observer OCTOBER 19, 1989
RELIGION
til
Inside from the Word
by Rev. Michael Lindsey, Dean of
North Portland Bible College
"Brothers, we do not want you to
be ignorant about those who fall asleep,
or to grieve like the rest of men, who
have no hope." [¡Thessalonians 4:13
NIV] That is how the Apostle Paul
begins his discourse on the return of
Christ. The blessed hope of all believers
is that the Lord Jesus will return the
same way he left this earth [Acts 1:11],
and will receive all his saints to himself.
The church in Thessalonika was dis
turbed because some of their number
had died; those who remained feared
their loved ones would miss out on the
glorious return of Christ for the church.
But Paul makes it clear that "the dead in
Christ will rise first..." [1 Thess. 4:16];
they won't miss even a moment!
When a child of God dies, he or she
does not simply lie in the ground, await
ing Christ's return. Paul affirms that "...
he would prefer to be absent from the
body and present with the Lord ..." [II
Corinthians 5:7], so there is a conscious
existence after death until the resurrec
tion. But God does not intend our souls
to be disembodied in heavenly glory; he
will raise up the dead in Christ with
transformed bodies. "The body that is
sown is perishable, it is raised imperish
able; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised
in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is
raised in power" [I Corinthians 15:42-
43]. This is the resurrection Paul writes
about to the Thessalonians.
And this is why Paul repeatedly
says the dead in Christ have merely
"fallen asleep" [I Thess. 4:13-15; also, I
Cor. 15:6, 18, 20, 51]. Paul never uses
1
this expression to describe those who
are outside of Christ, because physical
death has been crushed, and the hereaf
ter is no longer an unfathomed mystery.
Death need be no greater an ordeal (in
ultimate terms) than falling asleep for a
night
Dr. Donald Bamhouse, the great
Philadelphia pastor and Bible teacher,
was driving to his wife's funeral in a car
with their four children. Suddenly a
huge truck pulled past them, casting a
coid shadow on their car. Dr. Bamhouse
asked the children, "Would you rather
be run over by a truck, or by the shadow
of a truck?" One replied, "Why, the
shadow, of course." He said, "That's
what happened to your mother. Only
the shadow of death passed over her,
because death itself ran over Jesus. But
he rose, and lives - and so does she in
heaven."
Paul speaks of another kind of sleep,
as a wamaing to the Thessalonians, and
to Christians everywhere: "Let us not
be like others, who are asleep, but let us
be alert and self-controlled" [I Thess.
5:6]. Satan would love to lull God's
people in a form of sleep, even while we
live. To avoid falling asleep, we need to
cultivate the attributes of watchfulness
and self-control. If we are watchful, we
will not miss opportunities to help hurt
ing and broken people around us, nor
"divine appointments" to share Christ’s
salvation with earnest seekers. If we are
self-controlled, we will not fall into any
of various addictions found in the world
around us. If we as believers stay "wide
awake," the world will know there's a
genuine difference between us and them.
That difference is not our own good
ness, but the glory of Christ in us.
North Portland Bible College’s
One Church, One Child Presents
(Unity in the Community for Our Children) Banquet
November 18,1989 is the date of the
Unity in the Community banquet at
6:30 pm at the Lloyd Center Red Lion.
The banquet will mark the first anni
versary of its sponsor: One Church,
One Child of Oregon which is a black
adoption recruitment program.
Dr. Shelvin Hall, President of the na
tional One, Church, One Child, will be
speaking at the banquet. Leaders in the
Black com m unity representing
churches, state offices, businesses and
com unity groups will be present.
All are invited to help One Church,
One Child celebrate its first year of
service to Oregon's Black children.
Tickets are $25.00 and can be pur
chased at: Mrs. C's Wigs, Hartley
Oil,Inc.,JaBeH's, and Tondalayera
Designers Salon.
For more information, contact the One
Church, One Child office at 285-7634.
UNITY OF LOVE
The Unity of Love is on the make!!!
Making you beautiful is our business
We offer hairweeving, manicure & any type of
hair
style you desire
Come let us color you up for the summer
Located at 6720 N.E. Union
Phone 283-5440
Lonnie, Arice, and Daryl Ray your hair
designers
;
l
“Discount Prices for back to
School“
i
j
J1
L,
MRS C ’S WIGS
1st Annual Fall Banquet
“Partnership in
the Gospet”
SCRIPTURE OF Scripture of the Week:
THE WEEK:
St.John Chapter 6
WHOLESALE & RETAIL
HUNDREDS OF WIGS
FOR YOUR EVERCHANGING LIFESTYLES
• NAOMI SIMS • BORNFREE
• MICHAEL WEEKS
BETTY CABIN!
PROPRIETOR
AND OTHER NAME BRANDS
T U IS -S A T
11 i 3O-6 i *K>
X »
EVERYTHWG FROM CURRENT STYLES TO SPECIALTY WIGS
UNDUE HAR ORNAMENTS
HAR BEADS & BEAUTY SUPPLES
Speaker:
Dr. James E . M a rtin
SeTuiTr Pastor
Mt. Oitvet Baptist Church
MRS C’S EBONY ESSENCE COSMETTS
BEAUTICIAN
& STUDENT
DISCOUNTS
ZURIC0SME1CS
281-6525
1 0 0 % HUMAN HAR
FOR
and
7th & FREMONT (70 7 N.E. FREMONT)
BRAIDING
&
WEAVMG
H e lp
i/s
God
O omnipotent
by Dr. A.L. Henderson
Help Us God Omnipotent, my own
or the acronym* for HUGO provides us
with a positive sustenance against the
death and devastation of the treacher
ous storm that purloined life and shelter
from its victims with indiscriminate rage.
I heard stories, however, that
countermanded some of the grief and
overwhelming need with reminders that
out o f the worst disasters we can learn
through necessity. For devastation
brought on by natural disaster can be a
great leveler, and humanity is still wait
ing to be taught a lesson or two or more!
In a genteel neighborhood where
the great Southern Colonial ante-bel
lum houses had presided over the
slavetrade era, a gentleman who had
inherited the home from his ancestors
looked on in dismay as H urrican Hugo's
aftermath obliterated not only the out
side portico of his home, but sloshed its
muddy river of devastation through the
marble halls of the entryway into his
living quarters. He was deep in water.
His search throughout the town of
Charleston, South Carolina for a gen
erator to power his own broken down
pumping system led to a growing de
spair and frustration that he would never
find help.
Tramping his way through endless
neighborhoods, he finally gave way to
despair until he spotted activity center
ing around a small home humming with
the efforts o f a group of people he did
not recognize.
But that was not unusual since he
had been a virtual recluse in his home
for the last thirty-five years!
Approaching them in his once-me-
ticulous white suit rolled to his knobby
knee caps, the venerable old southern
gentleman’s shabby but haunted look
did not frighten the workers.
All of them, black men, had the
spirited resourcefulness of a Richard
Allen during Philadelphia's plague, and
they asked him if he needed help.
Indeed, he nodded, and at the end
of the day there they were together,
struggling in the hallway of the dese
crated southern mansion to give its
occupant and owner a chance to sur
vive, with them, against the demons of
the storm!
We do not expect less of humanity,
and are so often disappointed by the
bitterness of battles against ignorance
not yet won, of blights of prejudice and
economies assailing our spirit to give
up.
We don't.
We never will.
And behind all those who remain
in service to the poor and indigent and
homeless, caught in die clutches of hunger
and the paroxyams of despair our A.MJ2.
Church shines, a solitary bastion of
solicitude and healing to those who
need our help>
Join us in giving what you can to
those who are trapped.
HELP US GOD OMNIPOTENT
to help ourselves.
Put to the test, all must endure,
regardless of their social station as
demonstrated by the story we just shared
with you.
However, the burden of the pain
and suffering is going to be carried by
those least able to endure it ... those
whose economic blight has been heaped
upon them by restrictions and restraints
of prejudice past. Truly, it is the minor
ity core of our populace who are feeling
the brunt of cataclysmic storm disaster.
Rallying in time of need elicits an
exhortation that all of us are bound to
share with our neighbors and families.
Before we become too smug or
self-satisfied or self-righteous in our
safe, snug domiciles, let us imagine
what would happen if we were in the
shoes of those in South Carolina.
Put together what you have in a
care envelope and mail it off to us
today.
None of us have a guarantee for
tomorrow against the onslaught of natu
ral disaster.
It dispenses true democracy in its
savage leveling factor. But after that,
those who have against those who have
not determines survival.
Give a gift of life to those in danger
of losing it.
Our plea for financial support is
designed to reach those in our A.M.E.
family outreach.
We have always been a bottomless
reservoir for our needy.
With renewed strength in rebuild
ing their homes and healing their fami
lies of the terror and morbidity brought
on by the hurricane, they can recover
their own humanity.
Spedai Music fy:
Sister Lcssie U iU nuns
Portland Symphonic Choir
Choir Director, Ainsworth
U ntati Church o f Christ
Friday’, November 3, 1383, 7:00 p.m .
W estminster Presbyterian C h u rc ii
Great Had — 1624 N.E. Schipicr
Tickets avaiiabie: $12.50 each
The Albina Church of God
5522 N.AIbina/283-1635
ABCO Annual Meeting
On October 20 & 21, pastors, laity, and friends from American Baptist
Churches of Oregon will gather for their Annual Meeting at the Calvary
Baptist Church, Salem, Dr. Jack Kiekel, Senior Pastor. Information has
come to you from Calvary Church to facilitate planning by yourselves and
others from your congregations to attend this event in Salem.
All persons who attend the Annual Meeting of ABCO to convene the
Oregon Election District session will be held during the Saturday afternoon
session, which begins at 2 p.m. A new Election District Representative
Nominating Committee for the Election District will be recommending a
nominee for this position, which this time needs to be a pastor. All persons
appointed as delegates to the ABCO Annual Meeting are also requested to
serve as delegates to the Election District.
This is a very unique time of annual celebration for the ABCO
FAMILY. It will be a time of praise, learning, and inspiration, with the
theme: CATCH A NEW SPIRIT. Everyone is anticipated to experience a
joyful and rewarding time.
Jesus Loves You!
Allen Tenwle CME Church
4236 N.E. Eighth Avenm.
(corner of 8 th & Skidmore)
Portland, Oregon 97211
Maranatha Church
(503) 287-0261
Phillip S. Nelson, Pastor
With A Bold New Vision
Reaching out until He conies
Going Back when He comes
Sunday School
Sunday Service
Psalm 34:3
4222 N.E. 12th Ave.
Rev. Wendell H. WAllace
Senior Pastor
MT OLIVET BAPTIST
CHURCH
9:45 a.m.
morning
For I am Not Ashamed of the Gospel of
ChrLst....Romans 1:16
11:00 a.m.
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
Sunday Service
evening
Tuesday Teaching
Thursday
z
6:00 p.m.
116 NE. Schuyler
7:30 p.m.
Moments of Deliverance 7:30
The Friendliest Church in the city
Senior Pastor Rev. Samuel M. Irving.
Sunday Servcices
Sunday School 9:00 A.M.
Morning Workshop 10:30 A.M.
Maranatha School of Ministry 6:30P.M.
Mid- week services - Wednesday 7:30 P.M.
7:45am Worship Service
9:30am Sunday School
10:45am Worship Service
Bible Study:
10:30-12 Noon Wednesday
6:30-8pm Wednesday
Radio Ministry each Sun. 8am KBMS
284-1954