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1 he P ortland O bserver • J uly 12, 1995
A
by
P age B5
L T E R N A T I V
“Spiritual Bankruptcy”
M. I saacs
Are most American spiritually
bankrupt? Based on the daily news
on Television, the daily newspapers,
the observed actions of people on the
streets, on buses, in schools, etc., I
would say yes, these people are spir
itually bankrupt.
We’ve come a “long way, baby”
from where we started; but somehow
we’ve left behind that hope in God,
which propelled our Ancestors to
ward freedom, dignity, and support
of each other; that hope that helps us
to love one another, realizing we can
go nowhere without taking someone
with us. As my Pastor says, “We are
in this thing together”.
We have many, many Churches
throughout Portland and Multnomah
County, indeed, throughout the na
tion. Many, many ministries are un
derway; needed and appreciated.
Why, then, do we see more and more
evidence o f spiritual decay? There is
overwhelming evidence of disre
spectful children, overbearing teens,
“drug-high” adults and grieving,
scared, angry senior citizens. Chil
dren play and fight together, with
emphasis on fighting; quick to re
spond to any stimuli with violence,
having absorbed wi II the actions seen
in the home, on T.V and on the
streets or their neighborhood and in
their schools.
A single mother supports her
child’s dislike o f school discipline,
dislike o f teachers, dislike of sharing
and studying. She takes him out of
school and attempts to teach him at
home. I ask you, what kind o f teenag
er and adult will this child grow into,
having learned that whenever he dis
likes something or someone, he can
“just leave”? What happens to this
child while the mother works every
day? With whom does he communi
cate? What lessons does he learn
while mother is away earning a liv
ing? Who supervises this child while
mom is away? Children learn many
lessons during all the hours they are
awake. This particular “sponge” ab
sorbs a portion of all of which he
comes in contact. Thus, violence on
T V., gang contact, inappropriate
telephone conversations, etc., be
comes this child’s daily bread. He
will grow up into another non-pro
ductive, violent, illiterate and anti
social, spiritually bankrupt individu
al.
What has happened to “love they
neighbor”, respect your elders, hon
or your parents”? There are alterna
tives to being foul-mouthed fools
and violent animals. Senior Adults
should not have to be afraid to go
grocery shopping alone, or afraid to
go to Prayer Meetings at night. Our
senior parents should not feel they
have to “lock-up” at sundown and
stay inside until daybreak in order to
preserve their lives. Bars on win
dows are evidence of fear, but still
are not deterrents to thieves and vio
lent people.
Church programs and ministries
are fine i f ’People repair”, and teach
ing godly concepts and instilling
godly attributes are the focus o f such
programs and ministries. But, if we
look closely we'll find that most pro
grams and ministries are used to de
velop and enhance a feeling of pride
in the Church building, and in a par
ticular congregation and Pastor and
to raise money. Most of these minis
tries are used to uplift the name and
Ruth Dobson, soprano
Richard Zeller, baritone
Rodney Menn, piano
WILL PERFORM A
(Benefit Recitai
fo r Cantores in Tcciesia
E S
Prayer And Country: Who Has It Right?
by
inflate the ego o f a particular leader,
rather than the name of God Idols
arise and flourish, supported by the
entire Church congregation; the sad
thing being, they don’t seem to real
ize that they are making and worship
ping idols.
In our society', freedoms are ex
ercised without restraints. Authority
in the hands of spiritually bankrupt
people is a very dangerous thing. It is
a matter of urgency that we recog
nize the decay in our society and its
source We’ve given control of our
homes, our children and ourselves
over to lust, envy, money and easy
pleasures, usually at the expense of
our very souls.
We must start a new program, a
new life by rescuing our children
(and we must help each other to do
this job) shaping and renewing their
minds; for I fear the older ones are
beyond our weak assistance, unless,
through our prayers, God himself
intervenes. We have no other alter
native for peace, harmony and love.
We must wrest power and authority
from the hands of those who are
spiritual ly bankrupt. We must do this
by voting for, upholding and sup
porting Godly men and women in
our government, in ourChurches and
in our homes. Parents must become
concerned and informed and involved
in the school system which controls
their children most of the day. We
must know and support the men and
women who’ve shown by their works
that they love people of all ages,
races, creeds and colors. Each of us
must examine our attitudes and our
relationship with God. Each o f us
must ask ourselves, AM I SPIRITU
ALLY BANKRUPT?
K e i jo H unter
Finally, it seems, the United
States is getting it right.
For years, America - the coun
try who symbolically boats "In God
We Trust” - has twisted the well-
known theory o f church vs. state.
For most Americans, church
vs. state legislation has been inter
preted to mean protection o f the
state from the church. On June 29,
the U S. Supreme Court set a clear
ly different message.
A largely divided Supreme
Court set what may be a precedent
for greater government financial
support for religious organizations.
The high court ruled 5 to 4 that
the University of Virginia was con
did not come directly from the
state but from student activity
fees and that an outside printer,
not the students, would receive
the allocated money directly.
Judge Sandra Day O’Conner
stated that the decision was based
on the facts of the case and chose to
write a separate opinion than the
majority on the high court.
So what does all o f this mean
for religious folks? Only time will
tell.
With groups such as the Klu
Klux Kian - who in the name of free
speech also recently won a “reli
gious” case to erect a cross in a
state-owned park - it’s clear that all
that glitters truly is not gold.
stitutionally required to subsidize a
Christian student religious magazine
on the same basis as any other stu
dent publication.
The majority of the high court
rejected the university’s argument
that it would violate the constitution
al separation of church and state to
use university funds to subsidize the
religious magazine.
The principle against direct gov
ernment financing of religious activ
ity is a well-established one. So does
this ruling override that? Probably
not.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
em phasized that there are sever
al aspects that make this case
unique: prim arily that the money
The Portland Mass Choir gathers in celebration of its debut gospel album “It's Jesus. ” The choir
performs an album release concert, free to the public, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Mount Olivet Baptist
Church, 8301 N. Chautauqua.
To A d v e r t i s e In (The :)Jnx*tkxnb ( D b s c iW r
Cult 503-288-0033
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Baby’s Name: Wateshia . Latrice Warren
Date of Birth: 6-30-95 Sex: F
M other’s Name: Carolyn Lorraine Warren (Of Portland, OR)
Weight: 4-12 Length: 17 3/4
Sisters: Ro,Curra & Tishia Warren
/
Mafo One o f a M i n d VA r dweMM/deb
M fd i-M n w d e a n ^oard) VA MooÁú
7:30 P.M., Friday, July 14, 1995
Parish Hall at St. Patrick’s church
Northwest 19th Avenue & Raleigh Street
Portland, Oregon
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GOSPEL ALBUM RELEASE CONCERT
ŸicrhteJr/ay - ¿htr/ay
J :OO-f:OOfwt
July 15,1995 • 7:30 pm • Mount Olivet Baptist Church • 8501 N Chautauqua
Songs and operatic selections by
Jm eo f an
Tapes and com pact discs now available at music stores.
V d h fu iifa y
Hugo Wolf, Sergei Rachmaninoff,
Francis Poulenc, Claude Debussy,
Kurt Weill, Charles Gounod & Jerome Kern
JO: OOa/m - fi: OOfi m
Proceeds from this recital will benefit Cantores in Ecclesia,
the resident choir o f St. Patrick ’s Church, in its November
tour o f Mexican cathedrals, churches & shrines.
2808 'A i
fi/bic
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lía iif/t VAidfwi JUnff d d w f.
- U rriiay fa d c M n (5 0 3 ) 2 8 8 -5 2 4 6
Call 295-2811 for ticket reservations
Ms Codins Recuperating
Ms Evelyn Collins founder of the Grace Collins Memorial Center
and better known as Miss Collins is presently recuperating from a skin
graft to her leg.
We would like to solicit your prayers for this long-time community
activist.
All questions may be directed to 281-6930, ask for Irma or LaRan
\ ___________________ _________ _____ _____________________________ '
Mt Olivet
Baptist Church
PMC is now recruiting committed Christian singers and musicians who are interest
ed in Gospel music ministry and future recordings. Must be 18 or older and under
100 years of age. For more information please contact Ada Tellis at 288-4413.
"World of Adventure"
a Multi-Cultural, Music and arts Day Camp
at First Presbyterian Church
12th & Alder SW
July 10 - August 18; 9 - 4pm w/ext. hrs
$80 - 90/week
Lighthouse Church Of God In Christ
8138 N Hudson
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 283-3558 * Church (503) 283-0169 * Home
Elder Tom Moore, Pastor
call 228-7331
8501 N. Chautauqua Blvd.,
at Willis Blvd.
W orship Services 8:()0ain & I 1:00am.
Church School 9:30 to l():30am,
Bible Study, W ednesdays, 10:30am & 7:00pm
Radio M inistry each Sunday, 8:00am on KBMS
A Teaching Church W illi A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
(503) 240-PRAY
FAITH TEMPLE CHURCH
Sunday School 9:30 A.M.
4224 S.E. 62nd Avenue
(between Powell & Foster)
Portland, Oregon 97206
Sunday Morning yVorship 11:45 A M.
YPWW 6:30 P.M.
Sunday Evening Worship 7:30 P.M.
Tuesday Prayer/Bible Band 7:30 P.M.
Friday Worship Service 7:00 P.M.
I
Sunday School 9:30am
Morning Worship 10:45am
Evangelistic Service 7:30pm
Tuesday Pastoral Teaching 7 :00pm
"Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor And Are Heavy Laden,
FRIDAY
And I Will Give You Rest rake My Yoke Upon You
Evangelistic Service 7:00pm
And Learn Of Me." Matt. 11:28-29
Prayer 12:00pm & 6:00pm
We have a place for you. Come fellowship with us1
A Welcome Is Awaiting You!
103 NE Morris St., Portland, OR 97212
SUNDAY
DAILY
(503) 774-5470
PASTORS: Bishop Robert Simpson, Jr • Dr Ida M Simpson
•
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Sunday School - 9:30am
Sunday Morning Worship Service - 11:00am
Sunday School Teacher’s Meeting Tues - 6:30pm
Bible Study Wednesday 6:00pm
Prayer Meeting Wednesday - 7:00pm
Church Phone Number
287-7457
We invite You To Come And Worship With Us.
The Church Where Everybody is Somebody And Christ Is AU.
Dr. Joe S. Hardie, Pastor
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