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September 21, 2005
R eligion
Page B3
The reason so few people are successful is no one has
yet found a way fo r someone to sit down and slide uphill.
— W. Clement Stone (submitted by BluejayS 16)
Churches Reach Hurricane Survivors
Nationwide response
to displacement
overwhelming
(A P) - A black church in D ecatur, Ga.
quickly raises an average o f $85 from each of
its 70 m em bers to feed hungry hurricane
evacuees. A cross town, a black church pas­
tor takes 10 fam ilies into his home. A nother
black church turns its sanctuary into a w are­
house packed with donated clothes, to ilet­
ries and hope.
Black churches nationw ide have stepped
up to provide aid to m any o f H urricane
K atrina’s victim s, in response to the o v er­
w helm ing num ber o f A frican-A m erican
evacuees who are seeking their help, partly
out o f frustration with the bureaucracy of
governm ent agencies and other charities.
“T h ey ’re trying to find fam iliar faces, fa­
m iliar settings, when everything fam iliar has
been wiped out,” said Bishop Eddie L. Long,
senior pastor o f New Birth M issionary Bap­
tist Church in Lithonia, one o f the n atio n ’s
largest black churches with more than 25,000
members.
The Rev. W illiam J. Shaw o f Philadelphia,
president o f the National B aptist C onven­
tion USA, Inc., said the hurricane “exposed
a lack o f caring to adequately respond to the
most vulnerable.”
During a forum at the annual m eeting of
S h aw ’s group in A tlanta, m em bers were
urged to prepare to make the black evacu­
e e s’ needs heard in next y e a r’s co n g res­
sional elections.
“H urricane K atrina is ju st the latest ex­
am ple of the poor functioning o f our g ov­
ernm ent,” said the Rev. W endell G riffen,
parlim entarian for the National Baptist C on­
vention, USA.
Black congregations have been provid­
ing social services since they w ere founded,
with help ranging from food pantries to
Church Fashion Show Hosted
Spirit of Fashions is the theme of a fashion
show by the Comer Stone Community Church
held Saturday, Sept. 24 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Matt
Dishman Community Center. 77 N.E. Knott St.
Donations o f $10 for ages 13 to adult; $5 for
youth ages 7-12; and free forchildren with a paid
adult are requested. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, call Regena Williams at
503-249-3283 or Laverne Davis at 503-891-5812.
Gospel Music
Fellowship
The Gospel M usic A ssociation o f A m erica
invites area residents to join their fellow ship by
learning the g ro u p ’s past, present and future.
The P o rtlan d and V anco u v er c h a p te r o f
the asso ciatio n w ill host a com m unity g a th ­
ering on S atu rd ay , Sept. 24 from 2 p.m . to 4
p.m. at G enesis C om m unity Fellow ship, 5425
N.E. 2 7 ,h Ave.
The theme is “Only What You Do for Christ
Will Last.” For more information, call 503-249-
1870or 360-695-7605.
» ,» :
va-
Dillon Nelly w aits for a m e a l with his
father a t a food distribution s ite organized
by th e Main S tr e e t M issionary Church in
Biloxi, M iss.
photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Portland African Am erican leaders are rallying relief to p e o p le d isplaced by Hurricane Katrina through local
churches. Pictured a t a recent g o sp e l concert to raise d o nations for victim s (from left) are Eli Hardy, Rev.
M att H e n n e sse e , Rev. R obert K em p and Rev. W.G. Hardy Jr.
clothing closets, said M ichael A. Battle,
president o f the Interdenom inational T heo­
logical C enter in A tlanta, which trains m in­
isters for predom inantly black churches.
“The black church has always had this
netw ork o f person-to-person contacts. And
most of the people affected were black church
m em bers and pastors them selves,” he said.
Some Red Cross chapters admit they have
been overw helm ed at times and d id n ’t have
grassroots contact with many faith-based
organizations, but many say they are estab­
lishing those links as they work to help as
many evacuees as possible.
N ationally, the African M ethodist E pis­
copal Church has offered all o f its sanctuar-
An Evening of Eighty-Eight Keys
Dedication planned for
Mahalia Jackson Hall
On Saturday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m., the Eighty-
Eight Keys Foundation will host its 13th
annual music benefit concert and awards
ceremony at the Christian Performing Arts
Center, 8131 N. Denver.
A rea residents are invited to come out
and be part of history and experience the
dedication of the M ahalia Jackson Perfor­
mance Hall.
Jackson is viewed by many as the pinnacle
of gospel music. Her singing began at the age
of four in her church, the Plymouth Rock
Baptist Church in New Orleans. Her early
style blended the freedom and power of gos­
pel with the stricter style of the Baptist church.
As 'a teenager, through her cousin’s aid,
Mahalia was influenced by such famous sing­
ers as Bessie Smith, Ida Cox, Enrico Caruso
and Ma Rainey.
At this year’s event, you will hear per-
form ers from all over the Northwest in­
cluding: T rustzetter Shaw Jackson, niece
to the late great M ahaila Jackson, Ms.
W illa D orsey, Apostle M ondaine- and
Belief, G enesis choir, the 25lh Hour band
and much more. The vision o f Eighty-
Eight Keys is to recognize and honor
church m usicians, perform ers and educa­
tors in the arena o f sacred music.
This is a black tie affair and is free to the
public while seats are available.
The Eighty-Eight Keys Foundation and
Celebration Tabernacle is also celebrating
another milestone with the addition of Cel­
ebration Academy of the Performing Arts, a
first through eight grade private school. The
academy is in its second year and has already
grown to 18 students.
Foundation leaders said say this is the
time in our city’s history where we really need
to support one another, citing the recent
disaster in New Orleans as more apparent
than ever that we cannot depend on the
government.
STATE FARM
INSURANCE COMPANIES
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FAX: (503)286-1146
HOME OFFICES: BLOOMINGTON.
ies to operate as shelters for evacuees. The
four largest black religious organizations —
the N ational Baptist C onvention USA, the
Progressive N ational Baptist C onvention,
the N ational M issionary B aptist C onven­
tion o f A m erica and the N ational Baptist
C o n v e n tio n o f A m e ric a , Inc. — have
partnered with the N A ACP to match victim s
with housing assistance.
At Green Pastures C hristian M inistries in
D ecatur, the pew s and aisles are filled with
donated clothes. The pulpit is stacked with
toothpaste, toilet tissue, blankets and shoes.
“W e’ve got to be w hat the people need,
so w e’re gonna feed the hungry and clothe
the naked,” said the Rev. C ollette G unby, the
ch urch’s pastor. “W e d o n ’t have to depend
on somebody else. We have power in the
church.”
Loving Memoriesof You
Sunrise: Jan. 2, 1971
Sunset: Sept. 24, 2004
Life gives brief moments with one
another. But sometimes in those brief
moments we get memories that last a
lifetime.
We look back on the times you laughed
and shared your beautiful smile. We look
back on the times you would play jokes
on us all. We will always remember the
love you shared and gave to us.
We cannot say goodbye to those M oham ed Kali fa Jabbie
whom we have grown to love, for the
memories we have made will last a lifetime and never know a goodbye.
We will always keep the memories of you in our hearts forever
Mohamed Kalifa Jabbie.
Allah! There is no God but He - the Living. The self-subsisting,
eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the
heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in his presence
except as he permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures
as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of
his knowledge except at he willeth. His throne doth extend over the
heavens and on earth. And he feeleth no fatigue in guarding and
preserving them. For he is the "Most High," The Supreme (in glory).
From your dad. Akim, Shekuna, N ’doh, Alhaji Jabbie, Rugiatu
Jabbie, Falmata Jabbie, Auntie K, your daughter Khalia Jabbie, all
your family and friends.
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