Page 4...The Portland ()bsvrver...Septemher 4,1991
• Portland Observer
Scripture of tfie ‘Week
RELIGION
I t ’ s In
mon ground, and finally make a perfect
mix.
;Karla Steinhauser
8Y MATTIE ANN CALLIER-SPEARS
I know that oil and water d o n ’t
mix A black chiffon dress wom with a
brown pair of alligator shoes is a no-
Ao’ ’ and the like poles of magnets will
¿ p e l one another. There are also cer­
tain races, of people, who should never
com bined - for any reason. Such a
Combination is the Jewish race and the
African American race. Ordinarily these
tw o races repel one another rather than
attract -- so I’ve been told.
So often, we find that life allows a
breach in its processing, of individual
behaviors and discloses a totally dif­
ferent area in its infinite wisdom. This
story is b< >m out o f such an eruption. In
this article, you will see the lives o f two
ind com-
very different people meet, find com ­
It all began when the parents of
Amelia, an African American, retired
and moved to the coast in 1964. When
they got there, they enjoyed the area
and the people. A m elia’s father was a
minister. So -- what do m inisters do?
They reach out to others and m inister to
them. And - w hat do the children of
m inisters generally do? They emulate.
They follow their parent’s lead by
im itating their actions, their love, their
concern and their empathy.
After living on the Oregon coast,
for several years, A m elia’s parents
converted her grandm other’s cabin into
a chapel in 1975. As soon as the doors
o f the chapel, St. Peters Community
Church at Rockaway Beach, Oregon,
were opened, the
people from around
and about came.
One of those in at­
tendance w as a
young Jewish lady
named Karla. Karla
cam e to the chapel
with at heavy heart.
She sought the L ord’s W ord to inspire
and rejuvenate her. But, in her seeking,
she not only got a piece of that spiritual
pie but she found herself eating a seven
course meal. A failing business ven­
ture, some not-so-nice employees and
being a chronic alcoholic with serious
family problcm s--this was Karla s life
story. But the Lord, in His infinite
The
w isdom, had some totally different plans
on the drafting board.
In the meantime, A m elia’s whome
she had been married to since 1950,
husband, died in 1976 and left her with
four little children. Amelia and her
brood went home. There she was greeted
with open, sympathetic arms. And God’s
Love. This proved to be a soothing
balm to A m elia’s em otional wounds.
Amelia, while attending service at
her father’s church, met Karla. They
became friends and A m elia’s family
becam e K arla’s tamily. Karla told
Amelia about her situation. Amelia
mentioned K arla’s situation to her
family. She shared that it was a shame
that Karla had to lose her business all
over a bunch of foolishness.
Amelia and her tamily had a fam ­
ily confer­
ence; and
f o llo w in g
m u c h
p ra y e r,
K arla and
her business
b ecam e a
major fam­
ily venture. Yes! A family affair.
This was the beginning of a new
life for these two women, of strength,
who were going against the odds. Both
were struggling for the right to simply
She sought the Lord’s
Word to inspire
and rejuvenate her.
exist.
Karla had almost lost her busi­
ness, but the customers would con­
tinue
t.nue to
to return
return because
Decause of
or the
u.c p product.
ouucu
Luke 22:64
M ix
Amelia has approximately twenty
It was excellent and continues to soar.
years
of experience under her belt,
People would wait in lines for hours just
which
includes positions such as Plan­
to get into K arla’s place.
ner
with
the D epartment of Transpor­
Karla found that her artistic ability
tation,
Civil
Rights Field Representa­
and cooking skills were in need of reli­
tive, Center C oordinator for Loaves
able, honest and supportive staff. Karla
and Fishes, Northeast Business Boost
said that she was ready to throw in the
ers O ffice Manager and more. Amelia
towel until Amelia and her family
resigned her
members came to
position with
the rescue. “ A m e­
“It
is
hard
fo
r
whites
to
under­
N o rth e a s t
lia and her good busi­
B u s in e s s
stand how a black person could
ness management
Boosters to
skills have turned my
be the cause o f such an effectual
take
on the
life
c o m p le te ly
change in a business venture
position
and
around” says Karla.
with a white J e w .“
responsibili­
S in ce
they
ties
w ith
joined their talents,
Karla.
they have received a lot of flack from
Karla was very pleased to know
some who felt that a Jew and an African
that she had this am ount of support in
American would not be able to succeed
her business. Her own family had aban­
together. “ It’s hard for whites to under­
doned her. There was money, time and
stand how a black person could be the
effort that turned the business around.
cause of such an effectual change in a
W hy? The Lanier family stepped in
business venture with at white Jew ”
and became the foundation. And the
Amelia shared. “ W e owe the success
foundation was laid by God himself.
o f the business to the good Lord up
“ This w asn’t just a chance m eeting”
above,” Amelia continues, “ and some
says Amelia. “ All good things come
very meaningful friends who gave so
from God. And this was and is good!
much o f them selves.” Many gave
Karla refers to Rev. and Mrs. Lanier
money, moral support, media recogni­
as her mom and dad. She now has a
tion and loyalties that money cannot
Christian family who stands behind her
buy.
w holeheartedly.
Amelia and Karla have a 50/50
This “ Fam ily” togetherness thing
partnership. Amelia does all the PR,
is serious business. So much so that
hiring, firing, banking, marketing and
Eric, A m elia’s son, who is a firefighter
is the general CEO for K A RLA ’S
for the city of Seattle, W ashington,
KRABS & QUICHE DELIGHTS. Karla
com es down to help out in the restau-
does all the cooking and art work
—
e
rant occasionally as a chef.
People have come from, literally,
all over the world to visit K A RLA ’S.
Recently, a couple from England, visit­
ing the state of Oregon, came in to the
restaurant and said, “ We have friends
in England who came here. They told
us to make sure that we visit you.”
In addition to the Rockaway Beach
lo c a tio n , K A R L A ’S K R A B S &
QUICHE DELIGHTS opened their doors
at a new Portland location, SE Division
and 22nd Avenue, on the thirteenth day
of November, 1990. There was a grand
celebration and lots of good eating.
Karla Steinhauser and Amelia
Lanier have appeared in such publica­
tions as: Glamour Magazine, West Coast
Cuisine, Washington D.C. Post, Vogue,
Northwest Bes' places and the National
Physicians Excellence Report. In late
1989, K A RLA ’S KRABS opened a
concession stand in the Portland C oli­
seum. You can find them at each Blazer
game function and other large events
held at the coliseum . Even a Japanese
company recently contacted them about
the possibilities o f exporting and/or
opening an store there. WOW!
Karla & Amelia proclaim their
gratitude to everyone who thought
enough o f them and their product,
everyone who came by, everyone who
hung in there with moral support “ Thank
Y ou!”
Amelia says “ Just cast your bread
on the water and it will come back with
some butter and jam on it.”
_
Opening The Doors of The Church
BY MICHAEL LINDSEY
Academic Dean,
North Portland Bible College
As will be our plan each week, this
commentary is based on the Sunday
School lessons of the International Series
fo r next Sunday The Bible text fo r Sept.
8 is Acts 9 26 30: J 1:19-26. 29JO
It’s not always easy to tit into a
new group Saul (better known to us as
Paul the Apostle) understood that. And
it didn’t he Ip that he had beenoneofthe
most violent persecutors of this group,
the followers of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts
8:3; 9:1-2). But he had really come to
know the Lord, and he had experienced
some of that same persecution himself
(9:20-25).
At least the believers there in
Damascus accepted him, and helped
him escape the threat of murder. But in
Jerusalem, the disciples of Jesus had
strong memories of Saul’s threats, his
violence, apparently his torture of church
leaders. They feared him, wondering if
he could be a spy, planning to round
them all up at once.
W hat Saul needed was someone
who believed in him, someone to turn to
in trouble, somone who cared about
him enough to take a chance. W hat a
b le ssin g -fo r him and for the whole
church to this d a y -th a t God brought
Barnabas into Saul’s life. W e’ve a l­
ready met Barnabas in the history of
Acts: his Hebrew name was Joseph, a
Levite from Cyprus (4:36), who had a
reputation for generosity in the Jerusa­
lem church.
Like Saul, Barnabas was a Jew of
the Dispersion; that is, their families
had migrated far from Judea, but they
still kept their allegiance to the God of
Israel. These Dispersion Jews had been
prominent in the crowd which witnessed
the birth of the church on the day of
Pentecost (2:5-11), and it is possible
that Barnabas was one of the first con­
verts to repent and receive Jesus as the
Christ.
opportunities for ministry and leader­
opportu
ship Some o f them will have gifts for
evangelism and teaching which will
surpass our own. And the Lord will be
glorified in our churches as a re su lt
O ne final note: Luke tells us that
“ the disciples were called Christians
first in A ntioch” (11:26). Previously
the C hristian faith had been called
“ the W ay” (9:2), its followers “ the
disciples” (6:1), “ the saints” (9:13),
“ brothers” (9:30), even “ Nazarenes”
(24:5). The believers, mostly Jews at
this time, knew ‘ ’C hrist’ ’ was the title
of Jesus, meaning “ Messiah, the long-
aw aited king. But it was natural for
Greek people in Antioch to hear the
gospel message and think of * ‘C hrist’
as a name of a new teacher, and so call
his follow ers “ Christians.” This d e­
velopm ent indicated that the Mission
of C hrist had reached a new phase, as
people of all races and cultures were
hearing the gospel of Jesus C h rist
iko gospel.
„
!
«innnrv
3:1 -2). And
sionary team
team (1 (13:1-2).
And during
during this
this
the
journey Saul/Paul gradually took the
Instead, Barnabas remembered a
leadership as his own gifts developed,
man o f great gifts, whom he had be­
under the evident blessing of the Lord
friended years before. Saul of Tarsus
had gone home (9:30) and for all in­
(13:13).
Barnabas was a leader, too, and he
tents and purposes he was hiding out,
could easily have chosen to protect his
perhaps stung by repeated rejection
God-given leadership position. Instead,
among the Jews. There is no record
he concerned himself with the best
that Saul/Paul ever established a church
interests ot C hrist’s church, and helped
in his home town, or returned there
develop a leader who eventually re
later. But Barnabas did not forget him,
placed him.
and he took time out from a busy
Barnabas sets all Christians a great
schedule of m inistry, to go to Tarsus,
exam
ple both of humility and com m it­
“ for to seek Saul” (11:25).
ment to other believers. Are we look­
W ith B arnabas’ encouragement,
ing for new Christians who need en­
Saul joined him in Antioch, and be­
couragem ent, or training, or opportu­
came a skilled teacher of the W ord
nities for service? Are we eager to see
(11:26). Later, when the Antioch church
others succeed, and be recognized for
heard of an impending famine in Jerusa­
it, instead of ourselves?
lem, Saul was chosen to go with Bar­
T obe honest, most of our churches
nabas to deliver their gifts of aid to that
are getting older and grayer. The growth
sister church (11:29,30). Later yet, Saul
o f the church in our com m unity de­
was counted among the church leader­
pends on reaching out to young people
ship, and the Holy Spirit chose Barna­
who know the Lord, and giving them
bas and Saul to
head
up
the
first
mis-
—
--------------------r
n
of e
a c h a
all Savings flre Here!
Free TRI-MET
Sponsored Meeting on
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on the Westside Light
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As a continuation o f Tri-M et’s
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W estside Light Rail Project for Disad­
vantaged Business Enterprises, a meet­
ing was held on September 3, in the au­
ditorium at Portland Community Col­
lege’s Cascade Campus at 705 N
Killingsworth Street in Portland.
The key presenters were Denny
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State of O regon’s Minority, Women
and Emerging Small Business A dvo­
cate. Mr Porter discussed the Westside
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COMMISSION
C o m m is s io n M e e tin g
Dat» September 11, 1991
Placr Polttanet Building
1129 bW Fifth Ave. 11th FI.
Portland, OR
Tim *> 'll a r
Lb.
Ad ttfective 9/4 Thru 9110191
Expect The Best At
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Comrr -tsion meetings are open to
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PDC is the City of Portland s urban
renewal, housing and economic
develo -nient agi a cv
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♦ a
« ’
__ later on, Barnabas /-omo
Then,
came
into a leadership position in the church
o f Antioch, in the m idst o f a great
revival (11:21-24). This Antioch was
the capital of the Roman province of
Syria, a city of 500,000 people, third
largest in the Empire behind Rome
and Alexandria, Egypt. Antioch was
founded by the Selucid kings, descended
from one of Alexander’s generals, long
before Roman conlrol reached that far.
Like most large Roman cities at this
time, it was full of debauchery and
sexual immorality.
It was here that the believers first
actively “ preached the Lord Jesus” to
Gentiles. Most of the people of this
city would have spoken Greek, even
though they were of many various ethnic
groups, and so here they are called
“ Grecians,” to differentiate them from
the Jews (compare 11:19 and 20). These
various people responded well to Bar­
nabas’ teaching, and he could easily
n
a V C taken
U IK C II L
I C U I l 1 for
U I a a f great
tiv u i u
u .u - .w
have
credit
advance
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