February 14, 2007
life
^.Inrtlanh (O bgcrurr
Black History Month
_________________
Page A3
Morning Star Church Rises from the Ashes
>4 makeshift
tent over
flows with nearly 500
people attending Morn
ing Star's first Sunday
service, just a few feet
from the burned ruins of
their historic church on
Northeast Ivy Street and
RodneyAvenue.
photo by M ark W ashington /
T he P ortland O bserv er
continued
from Front
witness of faith.”
The impact of community sup
port was apparent as people filed
into the tent, ushered by visiting
members o f New Hope Baptist
Church. A row of individuals seated
behind Rev. Johnson included Sen.
Margaret Carter and Mayor Tom
Potter, joined by his wife Karin
Hansen. Potter had received a call
from Johnson asking him to join the
services, after the mayor had fielded
hundreds of calls to his office re
garding the church. Potter ensured
the congregation that the church
would not only be rebuilt, but more
beautiful than it was before.
“I want this to be an example of
what happens when we create some
thing golden from the ashes,” he
said.
The ceremony signified rebirth
for two churches lost in a fire; just
four months ago Johnson opened
his facilities to New Generation
Revival Church led by Pastor
Johnasen L. Pack, offering them a
chance to get on their feet after
relocating from Vancouver.
W hen Pack addressed the au
dience he brought people to their
feet in an im promptu but spirited
serm on. Armed with ironclad
faith, he shouted his heartfelt
hope that the fire created a turn
ing point that will lead to a pros
perous future.
As the service continued. Sen.
Carter was frank as she implored
people to donate a hundred dollars
or make a deposit to Morning Star
Catastrophe Relief Fund at Wells
Fargo Bank. As ushers passed col
lection plates, Carter reminded the
crowd that despite deep affinity for
the building, in essence it was not
the church.
“Morning Star, your best days
are ahead.” she said.
Johnson was the final speaker,
that morning, and in an emotional
tone thanked the countless minis
ters, counselors, ushers and city
officials who have offered helpdur-
ing this difficult time. Johnson then
pledged to continue the church’s
services for those in need, includ
ing an on-site soup kitchen and
after school program.
“Everyone is not destined to
stay in the same place, but we plan
to stay right here. We plan to re
build,” he said.
A prayer in the final minutes of
this historical service brought
Johnson to tears in a mix of grief,
happiness and outreached hands
of support. As the pastor led his
fellow ministers one by one from
the tent and into a relatively warm
February day, he carried with him
enough hope to take yet another
step from the ashes.
NAACP Defends Salem Organizer
The Salem /K eizer branch o f
the N A A CP is com ing to the
defense o f one o f its organizers
who is accused o f sexual m is
conduct as a form er Salem po
lice officer.
Sterling A lexander goes to
trial in April to face allegations
o f sex abuse that allegedly oc
curred from March 31, 2003 to
July 6, 2004. A third charge o f
sexual m isconduct dates back
to 2001.
A lexander served as a m ili
tary police officer before m ov
ing to Salem in 1998 and has
played an active role in the Sa
lem/Keizer National Association
for the A dvancem ent o f C ol
ored Persons, organizing Civil
Rights marches to advocate for
the social justice o f individuals Sterling A lexander
Teen Missing
from Bethany
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in situations m uch like his own.
The local N A A CP says it
has joined with Rev. Jesse Jack-
son o f the Rainbow Push C oa
lition on behalf o f Alexander,
calling the investigation a “pub-
lic/political lynching" by the
Salem Police Department and
Marion County District A ttor
ney.
“W e will be pursuing fur
ther investigative actions in a
successful attem pt to have all
alleged charges dropped." said
a letter signed by Salem /K eizer
NAACP President Sheryl Dash.
“In addition, we will be hold
ing accountable all those in
volved and who have played a
role in the violations o f Mr.
S te rlin g A le x a n d e r 's c iv il
rights,” Dash said.
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