» . . • rftgA » i l * » Z- f- *• T. • ¿ * m *Æ à î « > «-* *»< .*. v i .-< £ *» *• t . *v> . J}» ? 77 ' -3 • 'T É ?; ^¿^2bwuK*£uC9E56w£wK^£sS T he P ori land O bserver • A ugust 28, 1996 rA O t 0 3 [D ii Mexican if over tnent ‘B ehind 'Death? ‘febuddina A. President Reagan once said, “We declared war on poverty and pover­ ty won.” It is widely accepted that America’s experiment with social engineering has been a failure. In almost all o f the country’s major cities, crime is at crises levels, teen pregnancy levels are epidemic and homicide rates are dangerously high. It is not an overstatement to de­ scribe our inner cities as being in a state o f social disintegration. By almost every quality o f life mea­ sure, the condition o f those receiv­ ing help from government programs show an increase in the misery o f those supposedly helped by gov­ ernment programs. However, more and more Chris­ tians are discovering the simple truth that people empowered by God are the most effective solution for the spiritual and economic development o f the poor. In the words o f FCS Urban Ministries in Atlanta, G eor­ gia and Christian Community De­ velopment A ssociation (CCD A ) board member Bob Lupton, “We are finally willing to admit that we cannot program poverty away. We must dust off forgotten truth and trans­ late into the hightech age a technolo­ gy that has the power to bring G od’s shalom to the city. “The CCDA is an association o f Christian churches, ministries, fami­ lies, and individuals. Through CCDA, committed people o f God are no longer working in the trenches among America’s poor, thinking they are the only ones. Members encourage each other and learn from one another. They engage in a range o f commu­ nity development activities such as community development training, evangelism, housing, job creation and youth counseling. By working together consulting one another, members o f the CCDA strive to strengthen existing Chris­ tian community development orga­ nizations and provide encouragement to new Christian community devel­ opment efforts. CCDA hopes to inspire all those individuals helping develop commu­ nities in a Christian way and to help to mobilize the body o f Christ at large. CCDA works together with ministries to mobilize spiritual and physical resources in and for com­ munities through the Church Christian community development is a biblical approach based on three key principles: ♦ When we live among people u e ministeriö, we become one with them It is no longer ju st a matter ofm erely helping, but rather we become a part o f the community working together to solve its problems ♦ Reconciliation with our neigh­ bor is the result o f loving G od (I John 4:19-21). Our love fo r Christ should break down every racial, so­ cial, or economic barrier ♦ When the body o f Christ is visi­ bly present am ong the poor, and when we are loving our neighbor the way we love ourselves, the result is redistribution—sharing our lives and skills and resources in a way that enables people to become all that G od intended them to be. The Christian Community Devel­ opment Association was born out o f a 1989 gathering o f Christian lead­ ers spearheaded by Dr. John Perkins in Chicago, Illinois. The gathering was o f individu­ als bonded by a significant commit­ ment toexpressing the loveofChrist in America’s poor communities, not just in words, but by good deeds. From this gathering, the CCDA was formed and in a few short years, CCDA has grown from 37 found­ ing members to over 3,000 individ­ uals and 400 churches and minis­ tries in 35 states and more than 100 cities. Dr Perkins, the Chairman o f CCDA, recently wrote in his Urban Family m agazine, “ As A frican American Christians, we must be able to stand unwavering for ju s­ tice—whether political or individu- a l-an d at the same time passionate­ ly insist on personal responsibili­ ty.” I hrough CCDA, Dr. Perkins is giving many others the chance to live responsibly and teach others to do the same. A Roman Catholic church news­ paper alleged Tuesday that the "high­ est circles o f power" in Mexico were behind the 1994 murder o f ruling party presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio. The bimonthly newspaper Nuevo Criterio, a publication o f the Archdi­ ocese o f Mexico, said in an unusual­ ly outspoken editorial that the Colosio slaying was clearly a plot and not the work o f a lone gunman. “The resources used to carry ou, the crime, but especially the way it was handled afterward, make it clear that the mastermind was in the highest circles o f power," it said. It added, without directly accus­ ing M ex ico 's form er president: “There is much evidence o f the vio­ lent and vengeful way in which ex­ president (Carlos) Salinas de Gortari resolved his difficulties with other people.” In a statement issued late Tues­ day, the Archdiocese pointed out that the publication was not official, and did not represent the views o f the Archbishop or the Catholic church as an institution. It said the editorial was intended to offer readers “ele- Clinton, Qore help rebuiid church Preaching against racial intoler­ ance, President Bill Clinton and Vice President AI Gore last week pound­ ed nails to help rebui Id a black church destroyed by fire in a hardscrabble town in west Tennessee. Clinton and Gore, joined by their wives Hillary and Tipper, came here to celebrate the spirit o f togetherness shown by the congregations o f a black church and a white one who joined forces to rebuild their burned houses o f worship. “Y ou’re not ju st rebuilding your churches here. Y o u ’re show ing America w hat’s right with America and in doing that you’re leading us to a bright and better future," Clinton told the two congregations outside the Salem Missionary Baptist Church construction site under a punishing sun that parched surrounding fields o f com, cotton and soybeans. Before the black Salem Missionry Baptist Church and the white New Shiloh United Methodist Church in nearby Humboldt burned, the con­ gregations had never met. But in the wake o f the Methodist church de­ struction in 1994 and the Baptist one in 1995 they came together and are helping each other build new church­ es on the same land where the old ones stood. “It seems like everything has come together in the right way,” Gore said. The white church fire apparently was accidental, but the black one is being investigated as arson. The FBI and other federal and state agencies have been investigating a series o f fires that have destroyed more than 70 churches since January 1995, mainly in the South and most attend­ ed by blacks. In Fruitland, Clinton said Bosnia, N o rth ern Ire la n d , R w anda and Burundi have all suffered bloodshed and heartache from ethnic differenc­ es and he was determined not to let Online with Jesus A new software program that of­ fers shy cybersinners the chance to confess to their own computers drew a rebuke Friday from Germ any’s Ro­ man Catholic Church, which was clearly not amused by the novel disc. “This does not conform to the Catholic understanding o f confes­ sion,” a spokeswoman for the G er­ man Conference o f Bishops said. “You cannot have sins forgiven by the push o f a button.” The “Confession by Computer" disc, marketed by the Cologne-based Lazarus Society, lets users select their shortcomings from a list o f 200 fail­ ings that can be custom ized for espe- cially original sinners. “As soon as the sin is selected on the basis o f the T en Commandments, the computer searches out an appro­ priate penance,” the disc’s promo­ tional literature says. It displays on screen or reads out audibly the words to the prayers “Our Father” and “Hail Mary,” then sug­ gests how to get in touch with priests, ministers or a pastor on the Internet. The “Online with Jesus” disc, dreamed up by a D uesseldorf pro­ grammer and developed with the help o f theologians, also offers more than 50 prayers, the text o f the rosary, the order o f the Catholic mass and a Protestant church service. “The sermon, written spec ial ly for this disc, can be read or listened to,” it added. Lazarus, which describes itself as an ecumenical humanitarian organi­ zation, is selling the discs for $52 — part o f which will go to charity. America go down that “dark alley” o f despair. “ I think it is a test o f the character o f our people,” he said. It was a birthday appearance for Clinton, who turned 50, and for Mrs. Gore, who turned 48. Clinton had celebrated his birthday with a star- studded show in New York Sunday night. “You have given us a great gift today ... You have shown us that we have more than we think and that we can give more than we think,” he told the worshippers. After their speeches, Clinton and Gore, clad in blue jeans and sport shirts, stepped inside the newly con­ structed walls o f the church, put on heavy work gloves and helped put up some sheetrock. They tacked it in place with nails, then Clinton strug­ gled with a power drill to put screws into the wall. Mrs Clinton, Mrs Gore and their daughters busied themselves inside as well. The setting allowed the Demo­ cratic incumbent to show some youth­ ful vigour, pounding nails in 90-de- gree (32-degree C) heat, in contras, to Republican presidential nominee Bob D ole’s 73rd birthday celebra­ tion at an ice cream social in Kansas in July. The Rev. Dan Donaldson o f the Salem Missionary church told the crowd he realised there was possibly a political element in Clinton's visit but he said the president was also a human being and a man o f compas­ sion. ments to reflect upon.” Salinas has denied any involve­ ment in the killing. Authorities last year said he was not being investigated in relation to the crime but might be called to tes­ tify. Salinas left Mexico in disgrace last year following the arrest o f his brother on murder charges and lives in Ireland. The newspaper alleged the March 23, 1994, slaying o f Colosio— Sali­ nas’ hand-picked successor, who had been widely expected to win August 1994 presidential elections was the work o f “someone who had more than enough reasons to get rid o f an uncomfortable and independent can­ didate.” The Roman Catholic church in Mexico is not generally known for such pronouncements on public af­ fairs. Many Mexicans said they believe Salinas was involved in the Colosio slaying, the most serious political assassination in Mexico in half a century, because Colosio was not obeying instructions from the man who gave him the candidacy. 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 Ministry each Sunday, 8:00am on K.BMS A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry Dr. Janies E. Martin, Senior Pastor (503) 240-PRAV Interfaith Qrandparents With the surge in intermarriage in recent years, a new generation o f grandparents is learning how to strike a balance between passing on the traditions that are important to them and respecting the wishes o f their children and children-in-law ofdifferent faiths. It is increasingly common for grandparents to find that their grandchildren are being raised in a different faith, or in a combination o f two faiths. When this occurs, grandparents are often left searching for sensitive and meaningful ways to connect with their grandchildren. According to the Jewish Outreach Institute, there are over 800,000 children under the age o f 18 living in interfaith households. Yet there are only a handful o f balanced, respectful resources written to strengthen the ties between these children and their extended families. GREEN O NIONS or RED RADISHES 00 BUNCHES N o rthw est BAKER POTATOES RUSSETS one flundred stars will ri: ¡E over romand. ★ Honoring 100 volunteer * 7.00 - 3:30pm oil-stars ano featuring * * 5.30 Patron orcein Performances oy fortlais * Premier Talent 1 intermediate Theatre NECTARINES Sweet and Juicy New Crop 90 count 4 98« POUNDS FOR POUND CANTALOUPE large whole melons rip« and sweet POUND X ¿RYÍTAL LIÓHT BEVERAGES All Flavors 16.9 ox. BOTTLES $049 -e*’1 1896 , { /l/lO U flC C m C /lt Zachariah Martin Petett Born on July 30, 1996 8 lbs, 21 & 1/2 inches Father: Andre M. 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