Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, July 19, 1995, Page 11, Image 11

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    •t' K eijo H unter
“Compromise & Holiness Never Kissed”
It seems that we live in a time
that is Full ofcompromise. Individu­
als go to college to attain a degree in
order to get a high paid, high pace job
which calls them to give up nights oF
quality time with those For whom
they are working to support.
Compromise.
It is no longer in style For chil­
dren to keep there virginity. It is not
so shocking, anymore, to see a twelve
or thirteen year olds pregnant. It is
not so surprising, anymore, to see a
young boy running around making
sexual conquests out o f the beautiful
temples that God has ordained to be
set apart for him. Boys will be boys.
Compromise.
Even the world has noticed that
the pendulum of time appears to be
embarking on a new era. The popular
music group, Luvert, made a song a
couple ofyears ago called the 'Good
‘Ol Days! The song reminisced of a
simpler time when the biggest prob­
lem in school was popping gum in­
stead of shooting guns.
Yes, everyone seems to be on
the road to destruction fueled by the
gas of compromise.
While their is a plague of de­
struction roaming the land, what lies
at the heart of the issue is not only
compromise but a blatant disregard
for holiness. 2 Timothy 3:1 says.
"but realize this, that in the last days
difficult times will come. For men
will be lovers of self, lovers of mon­
ey, boastful arrogant, revilers, dis­
obedient to parents, ungrateful, un­
holy, unloving, irreconcilable, mali­
cious gossips, without self-control,
brutal haters of good, treacherous,
reckless, conceited, lovers of plea­
sure rather than lover of pleasure
rather than lovers of God; holding to
a form of godliness although they
have denied its power . ..” Indeed,
the prophecy has come true.
The world has distorted the
meaning of holiness. When people
speak of a "holy church”, some once
cheerful countenances turn into gri­
maces of displeasure of disdain. But
the church is not to be defined by the
world but rather is here to be used by
God in order to transform those who
are in it.
Holiness is derived from the root
word holy. Holy means to be set
apart by God. The word tells us that
Christians are a people of God’s own
possession. (Peter 2:9)
We have been set apart by God
and are to be holy. The word com­
mands it. "Be Holy for I am Holy."
(Lev. 11:44)
So what is the problem?
The problem comes when we
illegitamtely put self on the throne
when it is a position that can only
Loaves & Fishes
BISHOP FOSTER
CELEBRATES 90TH
BIRTHDAY
Family Fun
1 1 am to 6 pm
Food
Live Music
Laurelhurst Park
Saturday July 22nd
Area residents are cordially invited to celebrate the 90th birthday of
Bishop J.C. Foster, pastor of the St. Paul Church o f God in Christ.
Foster has led the Portland church for 50 years and is the oldest
African American Bishop in Oregon. He also serves as the State Bishop
of Oregon, Jurisdiction No 2, for the Church of God in Christ.
A special celebration honoring this great and wonderful man of God
will beheld Sunday at 4 p.m. at Matt Dishman Community Center 77 N.E
Knott.
Everyone is invited tojoin in with the congregation ot St. Paul, family
and friends in rejoicing and giving tribute to such a deserving servant of
God.
Bishop Foster is a living legend. His generosity and love have been
a true demonstration o f God’s word.
The celebration will consist o f a small program and refreshments.
Yvonne Richmond is the event coordinator. She can be reached at '’83-
5474.
legitimately be filled by God. We
truly become lovers of selfand main­
tain a form of godliness denying the
power thereof. (2 Tim. 3:1)
Acts 1:8 says that we shall re­
ceive power when the Holy Spirit
comes upon us. That means pow er to
say no to every filthy sin that rises up
against the know ledge of God. That
means power to say no to ever temp­
tation that presents itself.
We do not have to compromise
the name of the Lord with the things
of this world. "Whoever wishes to be
a triend of the world makes himself
an enemy of God." (James 4.4(b))
We do not have to resolve our­
selves to a less than victorious life of
sippin' and dippin’ when we serve
the very one called Victory.
Christ came that we might have
life and it abundantly. (John 10:10).
We deny ourselves the blessings of
God when we compromise his name
for our own, or anyone else’s, sake
Compromise is not always some­
thing that is large - scale, visual or
immediately recognizable to the hu­
man eye.
It can also be “small”, seeming­
ly minute things that are used to
create deep wedges in our spiritual
armor. Count the costs before you
think to compromise. You could be
letting down much more than your­
self.
(J •
/rcont * W wi wUnm
S p o n so rs:
From The Inside Out
Portland Gang And Youth
Summer Feeding Program
Monday-Friday, June 19th. Thru August 31, 1995
Breakfast From 7:30 A M. To 9:30 A M
Lunch From 11:30 A M. To 1:30 P.M.
From Ages 3-19
Now Is A G reat rim e To Be A Loaves & Fishes Partner
St. Mark Baptist Church
103 N. E. Morris
Portland, Oregon 97212
& Parks Ministry
H e want to offer you and your employees the chance to
WIN ATRIP FOR TWO
To Hollywood &
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
// 's easy, h s free I t ’s fun.
find out how to become a partner and have fun at Foodstock
Call 777-2424
and you could be on your way to Hollywood!
Each Saturday I hroughout The Summer,
We W ill Host An Outreach Program In The
Park From 12:00 Noon To 5:00 P.M.
W ith Recreation, Refreshments, And Gospel Music
For More Information Call (503) 282-3975 or 287-7457
(Baptist L eader’s Accusers (Must (Pay
Those who challenged Henry
Lyons’ election as president of
National Baptist Convention
must repay his expenses from
the nine-month battle.
by J ennifer S. T homas , T imes
S taff writer
The Rev. Henry J. Lyons, pres­
ident o f the nation’s largest African-
American religious organization, was
vindicated when a D.C. Superior
Court Judge ruled that rivals who
alleged vote fraud must pay him
$150,000 plus attorneys’ fees and
other legal expenses.
Attorneys for Lyons were noti­
fied of the final action late Tuesday
night. The ruling marks the end of a
nine-month legal odyssey and a bid
to prevent Lyons from taking the
reins o f the National Baptist Con­
vention USA. Secretaries, wives and
even the mother of one o f Lyons’
rivals were involved in the scheme to
block his takeover.
“This court has never witnessed
and hopes never again to witness the
kind of fraud perpetrated on this court
as well as the despicable, conscious
and collusive conduct demonstrated
by the plaintiffs, the defendants and
Rev. Henry J. Lyons
their respective counsel in this case-
at-bar,” Judge Zinora M. Mitchell-
Rankin wrote in her decision.
Lyons, head of Bethel Metro­
politan Baptist Church in St. Peters­
burg, won the leadership post at a
Sept 8 meeting in New Orleans. He
defeated the outgoing president's
hand-picked successor, and that per­
haps is where the troubles began.
A month later, Lyons was pre­
vented from formally taking the reins
“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
call 228-7331
Mt Olivet
Baptist Church
8501 N. Chautauqua Blvd.,
at Willis Blvd.
Worship Services 8:00am & 11:00am.
Church School 9:30 to 10:30am,
Bible Study, Wednesdays, 10:30am & 7:00pm
Radio M inistry each Sunday, 8.00am on KBMS
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
(50J) 240-PRAY
o f the 8-mi 11 ion-member National
Baptist Convention when a group of
Alabama church members obtained
a court order freezing church busi­
ness, alleging voting irregularities in
the Lyons election. To get the court
order, the Alabama group produced
signed legal affidavits from 44 church
members who said they had been
denied the right to vote in the elec­
tion.
The tides turned in October when
Lyons produced some of the individ­
uals whose names appeared on affi­
davits.
Many told Mitchell-Rankin that
they had not signed the affidavits.
Some had actually voted. Some
weren’t eligible to vote. Some had
not even attended the New Orleans
convention.
At that point, Mitchell-Rankin
lifted the freeze on church business,
allowing L.yons to assume the duties
o f his office, and ordered attorneys to
determine how many of the affida­
vits were faked.
“We went down to Alabama to
interview some of these people and
we were just dumbfounded by what
we found,” said Jim Regan, an attor­
ney for Lyons.
Ms. Harveta Jackson, an Ala­
bama pastor’s secretary, conceded
she signed an affidavit knowing full
wel I she wasn’t eligible to vote. Betty
Merriweather, the wife of an Anniston
minister, admitted that she had in fact
voted.
Ruthie Mae Kimber, the mother
of the campaign manager for Lyons’
chief presidential rival, said she per­
suaded a notary to validate the affi­
davits after falsely informing him
that she had seen the individuals sign
them.
“I’ve never seen anything quite
like it,” Regan said, referring to the
pervasiveness of the fraud
Regan said the award o f at­
torneys fees and legal expenses
should be substantially larger
th an the $ 1 5 0 ,0 0 0 p u n itiv e
award, since it includes the costs
o f transportation and lodging for
every witness who testified or
participated in the case.
Lyons’ predecessor, the Rev.
I.J. Jem ison, and attorneys for
the Alabama plaintiffs did not
respond to phone calls W ednes­
day.
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W f fa fa lr fa y
103 NE Morris St., Portland, OR 97212
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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 A nd Worship With Us.
The Church Where Everybody is Somebody And Chris! Is All.
Dr. Joe S. Bardie, Pastor
FAITH TEMPLE CHURCH
42.24 S.E. 62nd Avenue
(between Powell & Poster)
Portland, Oregon 97206
SUNDAY
Sunday School 9:30am
Morning Worship 10:45am
Evangelistic Service 7:30pm
Tuesday Pastoral Teaching 7:00pm
FRIDAY
Evangelistic Service 7:00pm
DAILY
Prayer 12:00pm & 6:00pm
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ft fue 7 '' dfuciatf P/acftion (.508) 288-5246
Lighthouse Church Of God In Christ
8138 N Hudson
Portland, OR 97203
(503) 283-3558 * Church (503) 283-0169 * Home
Elder Tom Moore, Pastor
Sunday School 9:30 A M.
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
“Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor And Are Heavy Laden,
And I Will Give You Rest, take My Yoke Upon You
And Learn Of Me." Matt. 11:28-29
(503) 774-5470
We have a place for you Come fellowship with us!
PASTORS: Bishop Robert Simpson. Jr • Dr Ida M Simpson
A Welcome Is Awaiting You!