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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (July 29, 2015)
Fellowship ‘Enough is Enough’ Men- toring Event Takes Place at Bethel AME Church Thursday Organizers behind a new communi- ty-led initiative are looking for strong male role models to mentor young black men. Former Urban League CEO Michael Alexander will facilitate the event, “Enough is Enough,” Thursday, July 30 at the Bethel AME Church in Portland. The meeting is a call to action for men who would like to make a positive change in the Black community. Organizers hope that this new initiative will be a brand-new beginning for Black Portlanders. They aim to pair young men who don’t have male role models in their lives with men from the community. The “Enough is Enough” event has put the call out for these men. They welcome fathers, pastors, friends, cousins and community organizers. All those who feel called to serve are encouraged to RSVP to the event with organizer Antoi- nette Edwards. The reclaiming community from trag- edy and violence is a core value behind “Enough is Enough.” One aim is to steer youth away from violence, another is to reclaim the value of former gang mem- bers as mentors and activists. “We are looking for true real-life sto- ries that will put a person and a face to what is happening in our community,” Edwards said. The event will build on previous inter- vention efforts such as Roy Jay’s Project Clean Slate. Jay will be on hand at the meeting to provide guidance and resources for those attending. If successful, the “Enough is Enough” event will call the community to make meaningful changes in the future. For now, Edwards hopes to see a united com- munity who are working to benefit and foster youth potential. For more information contact Antoi- nette Edwards at (503) 823-3584. To attend, visit Bethel AME Church, July 30, from 6 - 8 p.m. at 5828 NE 8th Ave. —Arashi S. Young National Night Out Concert Calls For Unity North Portland community-building group, People Reaching Other People Expecting Restoration (or “PROPER”), has gathered local politicians, commu- nity activists, faith groups and artists to join in a day of unity, song and prayer in Kenton Park at 8417 N. Brandon Avenue on Sat., Aug. 8 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Featuring a variety of community or- ganizations and artists, organizers for the concerts say such an event is times of “unrest.” “On the coattails of the Emmanuel nine who lost their lives while in church ser- vice, and to those who keep losing loved ones from acts of violence, we need this more than ever,” PROPER founder E.D. Mondaine said. The event is planned in conjunction with the week observing National Night Out, an annual campaign promoting po- lice-community relations along with oth- er public safety agencies and neighbor- hood camaraderie. Portland has observed National Night Out every year since since 1983. The event now brings out more than 20,000 people each year. “We need to be the example of Unity in the midst of chaos. Prejudice, hatred, bigotry, and despair has plagued our land and is robbing us of our natural inheri- tance,” Mondaine said. “With this current state there is a need to come together as a people and pray and send good vibes into the atmosphere.” —Donovan M. Smith Page 10 July 29, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Learning to Say ‘Amen’ By Pastor E.A. Deckard Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times “F rom my perspective, I absolute- ly believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments of sadness or fear. That’s what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the forest.” - Jane Goodall “The great awareness comes slowly, piece by piece. The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning. The experience of spiritual power is basically a joyful one.” - M. Scott Peck Forward Thinkers, Paul says in 1 Corin- thians chapter 13, when he was a child he thought and acted like a child, but when he became a man he changed his thinking and behavior. Paul was describing a power move going from a weak little boy to a powerful, full- Forward Thinkers, could the problem be we have stopped saying “amen”? “Amen” means, “So be it,” or denotes agreement. Many of us show up to church week after week and never say “amen.” The power is released when we stand in agreement with the word and when we de- clare, “So be it” — no matter how things look. Forward Thinkers, the Bible says, “Let your light shine.” Now can you say, “Amen”? Forward Thinkers, we saw last week the enemy used fear to rob us of our power. I want us to look at how our lack of faith, or our unbelief, has affected our power. We just saw 72 disciples of Jesus return with a praise report of their power in His name but now let’s look at what happens when we don’t believe in the power of Jesus. Matthew 13:58 New International Version (NIV) 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Powerful people shine, while weak people make excuses and play the blame game grown man. Today, the church needs more full-grown powerful believers, instead of little children thinking and acting weak. Forward Thinkers, as a child growing up in church we used to sing this song: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Shine, shine, and shine everywhere I go I’m going to let it shine.” As a child, I thought that was a cute little song, but as I grew up in my faith, Forward Thinkers I realized that is a powerful song. Everywhere I go, “I’m going to let my light shine” is a power statement because weak people don’t have the power to shine every- where they go. Forward Thinkers, we must be operating in the power of God, the power to have the power to shine in every environment and sit- uation. Powerful people shine, while weak people make excuses and play the blame game. Luke 10:17 New English Translation (NET Bible) 17 Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!” Forward Thinkers, one of the most popu- lar songs out today, “Break Every Chain”, by Tasha Cobbs, has a powerful line in it, “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain, break every chain, and break every chain.” Mark 6:5 New International Version (NIV) 5 He could not do any miracles there, ex- cept lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Forward Thinkers, don’t get it twisted. Je- sus did not lose his power. He is still the same Jesus that gave sight to the blind, healed the woman with issue of blood, raised the dead man Lazarus and the dead daughter of Jarius, walked on wa- ter, turned water to wine, and told the water storm peace be still -- and yes the same Je- sus that overcame the grave in three days. Forward Thinkers, the old preacher would remind us, “He got up with all power in His hand.” Forward Thinkers, the problem is not with Jesus. The problem is with our faith in the power of Jesus. The phrase “he could not” does not mean he literally could not, but rather, he chose not to under those conditions. OK, let me make it even clearer: have you ever said, “I can’t go to church today”? The fact is, you could go. You could drive, walk, catch a ride, or call a taxi, but for whatever reason you chose not to go. Jesus could still operate in power but he chose not to under those faithless condi- tions. Jesus is not going to release the power in the wrong atmosphere.
