July 25,1990 The Portland Observer Page 3
^ P o rtla n d Observer
RELIGION
S c rip tu re o f the
James 1:19-20
Richardson Receives Nomination for Jefferson Award
by M attie Ann C allier-Spears
In the m idst o f the hustle and
bustle, the crim e and violence, the chaos
and c a m a g e -th ere is still hope for the
covetous award can be paid em ployees
or volunteers, o f any age. They can not
be and elected offical or a well-known
The Stars & Stripes Drill Team
human race through people like James
F. Richardson.
The Jefferson aw ard is a pres
tigious national honor that recognizes
individuals, throughout the country, who
perform great public service, but largely
w ithout recognition. The American
Institute for Public Service, W ashing
ton, D .C., sponsors the national com pe
tition. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and
Senator R obert T aft are national co
founders; Samuel S. Beard, a former
associate o f the late Senator R obert
Kennedy, is P resid en t
Persons nom inated for this
individual. T he nominee must also be
w illing to have his/her activities vide
otape^ >r broadcast. If the nominee
shoulu refuse, they are not eligible.
James F. Richardson was nomi
nated by Mrs. Arleen W ilson, m other of
Shannon W ilson, a student at Catlin
G abel High School. N o w -th e question
arises, “ How did she com e to nominate
him and w hy?”
W ell, Jam es F.
Richardson or Reverend Richardson, is
a drill m aster, in his own right. This
soft-spoken, gentle man has a way with
young people. He first began working
with the drill teams in Tulare, Califor-
nia. In 1972, James F. Richardson, a
mental health worker, at that time, wanted
to begin a drill team that would prom ote
positive behavior, poise, academic ex
cellence and an ability to follow direc
tions.
Following seven months of
discipline and hard work, the 42 m em
ber drill team was ready to perform in
one o f the biggest parades in the nation,
the Christm as Parade in W atts, C alifor
nia. The parade was televised in Los
Angeles with the Jackson Five singing
group serving as judges. Television
personality, Redd Foxx, was the grand
around here»,” Richardson shared. After
recruiting and formulating, the STARS
AND STRIPES drill team was the larg
est drill team in the entire state of O re
gon. Since then other drill teams have
been formed in other communities
throughout the Portland community and
the state.
James Freeman Richardson is
truly a special person. Through his in
volvement with the youth o f the com
munity, he has turned many young people
marshall. Jam es Richardson was asked,
“ Why an all-girl drill team?” Richardson
responded, “ A young lady has to have
herself together at all times. The girls
learn poise and proper behavior through
the drill exercises. If you can get the
girls together to function as young la
dies, then they will get the guys to shape
up.”
Richardson was a professional
drum m er and has also served in the
Armed Forces. Through his involve
ment in these areas and after seeing
other drill teams, in the general area, he
noticed that the young people were greatly
interested in becoming involved. In his
mind, he began developing routines. Prog
ress w as slow , at first, but, “ W e got
started just like the A rm y,” Richardson
said. “ The girls had to learn how to
place one foot in front o f the other. Boy!
W as that a hassle!”
You Cannot Drill if You
Have No Respect for the
Property of Others
Portland acquired Richardson
in 1980. He immediately began a drill
team, after viewing the overall unrest
among the young people. “ All I have
been hearing the young folks say since
I’ve been here is, «There’s nothing to do
"My goal continues to be that I should have a group
of 200 girls. All marching for the Lord."
around. Instead o f stealing or prosi-
tuting, or killing or gangs there's the
drill team. There are many incentives
built into the very fabric o f the drill
team ’s system. You cannot drill unless
you earn a “ C ” or better. You cannot
drill if you are causing problems in your
home. You cannot drill if you have no
respect for the property o f others. You
must enter the practice room, sign in, be
seated, speak softly and no running. If
you are unable to follow these simple di
rections, you cannot perform with the
team -no matter how long you have prac
ticed. Im proper behavior during a pub
lic appearance will result in expulsion.
Parent Participation is Vital
“ I have found that w ithout the
parents participating and reinforcing the
same concepts and objectives that I have
set for the girls, my work is very diffi
cult,” says Richardson. The parents are
welcomed to becom e involved and ac
tive. It does not hinder but helps.
Mrs. W ilson, the nominator,
hasa daughter in the drill team. She was
so im pressed that she felt the Rev.
Richardson’s efforts should be shared
Let's Set the Record Straight
THE WARREN FAMILY
1990
so that when they are not drill they can
sing songs of praise, participate on pro
grams throughout the com m unity. The
young ladies are in great demand. Just
this weekend, they were seen strutting
their stuff in the African A m erican Fes
tival parade.
“ My goal continues to be that
I should have a group o f 200 girls. All
marching for the L ord.” Richardson
beams as he shares. “ You know, the
drill team is an excellent avenue for
with many, many others.
Parent participation is very im
p o rtan t Currently, there are approxi
m ately eight parents taking an active
role in the functions o f the drill team.
The parent board is presently planning
fund raisers for the 1990-1991 year.
Richardson cited Mrs. Audrey Henry as
being one o f the parents who went over
and beyond the call o f duty. She beld a
barbecue dinner at her home, to raise
runds.
When Richardson organized the
first drill team, in Portland, there were
approximately 45 continuous members.
He now has approximately 60 girls, ages
ranging from 12-18 years. The drill
team is a non-profit organization. Mrs.
W ilson w rote-’Tn my opinion, Rev.
Richardson is deserving o f the Jefferson
Award because o f the time, energy, ef
fort, support and finance he dedicates to
the success of the drill team. The drill
team, under his direction, has won first
place in the Junior Rose Festival Parade
for the past three years. Besides being a
minister, he works a full time job mostly
10-12 hours every day-M onday through
Friday.”
The drill team meets every
Wednesday night at the Salvation Army-
Moore Street from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The
drill team is an all-girl, Christian drill
team. The girls m ust be in school, m ust
be in church and m ust maintain a 2.0
GPA.
The group not only performs in
parades but they also perform in nursing
homes, to bring a little sunshine to the
elderly. They have also formed a choir
witnessing. We will begin conducting
Youth W itnessing W orkshops.”
Richardson is a man with avision
on a m ission, not for himself, but for the
Lord.
“ Let the children come to me,
for the Kingdom o f God belongs to
such as they. Don’t send them away!
I tell you as seriously as I know how
that anyone who refuses to come to
God as a little child will never be
allowed into his K ingdom .”
Mark 10:14-15
□ The final part of a four-part series
excerpted from the book "Your Church and You" by A. Lee Henderson
T H E W A R R E N FAM ILY
S O M E T H IN G T O BE PR O U D O F...
SATURDAY JU L Y 28, 1990
C O L U M B IA PA RK
10am -5pm
HATS & T-SHIRTS O RD ERS-The hats look good and are going fast
Com m ittee Chairperson:Jeddy Beasley Ph: 283-3832
RAM BLIN ROD W A RREN K ID ’S SHOW July 17th
Coordinator:D erek W arren Ph: 644-8977
FOOD Bring enough for your family and friends
Com m ittee Chairperson: G eneva Burton Ph: 284-5533
FAM ILY H ISTO RY -H ow did we get her?? The chronicle
C om m ittee Chairperson: E m ie W arren Jr.Ph: 649-5511
KIDS EV EN TS-H ave som e fun things planned
C om m ittee Chairperson: Derek W arren Ph: 644-6977
ADULT A CTIV ITIES-V olleyball & Softball to Dominoes & Cards
Com m ittee Chairperson: Don Lincoln Ph: 284-5533
FAM ILY CH U RCH SERV ICE-Sunday, July 2 9 th -M t Sinai
Coordinator: R egina W arren Ph: 282-1334
H ELP TO M A K E THIS EVENT
...SOM ETHING W E CAN BE PROUD OF...
C ALL TO G ET INVOLVED
O TH ER W ISE SEE YOU THERE!!!!
The boldness o f calling together
“ A llen believed that the Black
the first National Negro Convention fell to community had to be organized to deal re-
Bishop Richard Allen who convened its spo sibly with its won problems as long as
meeting place at Mother Behtel Church in American prejudice and indifference re-
Philadelphia o;
’tember 15,1830!
fused to erase the color line; and he also
Gayraud S. W ilmore, a director believed that an independent Black church,
of the United Presbyterian C hurch’s pro- which made every aspect o f life its field o f
gram in race relations and a Professor o f witness, was the most widely accepted and
Social Ethics at Boston University points the most effective instrument among Black
out that Black pride and power. Black na- people with which to pursue the twin goals
tionalism, and Pan-Africanism had no past o f spiritual holiness and civil freedom,
without the Black church and Black reli-
“ in the 1970s, he will doubtless
gion.
be reappraised by Blacks for the pioneer-
W ilmore also warned that with- ing and prophetic role he played in Black
out them we may w forego any enduring church history in the United States and his
relevance to the antebellum Black church
future!
His research and writing on “ The freedom m ovem ent...”
Secular Advance o f the C hurch” bears our
And now, please bear careful
attention. The scholar speaks out with a witness yourselves to these incredible words
resouding sharpness:____________________________
Jesus Loves You!
Eira
share them far and near:
freedom movement is at hand,
“ Young Blacks who tend to re-
That is the m ovem ent which
gard the church and its leaders of the past concerns your life and what you do with it.
as historical oddities having little to inspire
The beginnings o f African Epis-
the present generation, need to catch the copal Methodism are auspicious.
Sp in t o f this man as it was caught by the
But no less auspicious to us are
writer o f the obituary notice o f his (Rich- your own beginnings in the church and the
ard A llen’s) death on M arch 2 6 ,18 3 1 -th e im pact it will leave upon your life in its
year of the Nat Turner revolt-recorded in day-to-day workings.
the pages o f The Genius o f Universal
W e feel more comfortable having
Emancipation:
introduced you of the family tree o f the Af-
When the humble African was even rican Methodist Episcopal Church and your
dragged fro m the altar o f G od by the inhu- distinguished forebears.
man W hites who disgrace the land, ren-
You are grafted into the tree itself
sacred by the glowing recollections as a lifetime member, to grow and prosper,
which arise at the mention o f the name flower and bloo, reseeding through all the
William Penn, R ichard A llen stepped fo rth early Springs and by nurturing your own
as their defender and protector, built at his life, contributing back to ours,
own expense and upon his own ground, the
By accepting our first challenge:
fir s t African Church in America. It was to leant more about the beginnings o f the
that through persecution, through malice African Methodist Episcopal Church you
and through envy, walked like the savior have re-inforced yourself.
upon the troubled waters, in fa vo r o fA fri-
Congt illations!
can Religious Independence.
Y ou’ve only just begun!
The foundation for the greater
The best is yet to come...!!!
íü ‘Teaching Church “With A Teaching Ministry.
MT. OLIVET BAPTIST
CHURCH
4236 N.E. Eighth Avenue
(c o m e r o f 8th & S k id m ore)
Portland, Oregon 97211
D r. Jam es E. M artin, S e n io r Pastor
(503) 287-0261
116 N.E. Schuyler
• (503)284-1954
3 M ORNING WORSHIP SERVICES
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Phillip S. Nelson, Pastor
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ARANATHA
HURCH
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R a d io M in is tr y E ach S u n d a y , 8:00A M . - K B M S
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