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Homeiletics in Service: Retired pastor serves a different ‘congregation’ on Easter – Memphis’ homeless

NNPA NEWSWIRE — During Holy Week, I was excited about the choices I had to worship in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Christ. For the first time in my ministry, I did not have a waiting congregation to hear of the victory of Resurrection Morning. I retired from pastoring in 2018 and now I am free to worship wherever the Holy Spirit leads me.

Published

5 years ago

April 27, 2019

Oakland Post

By Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr., Special to The New Tri-State Defender

In the early stages of my development in ministry, I listened intently to the words and advice of the elders.

One nugget of wisdom that stuck with me was: “I would rather see a sermon any day than to hear a sermon.” I gathered from that statement that a sermon is better thought of as a verb than a noun.

My own beloved father, the Rev. Leo M. Gray Sr., told me as I wrestled with my calling, “Son, every tub has to sit on its own bottom.” I gleaned from that statement that every minister must be accountable for his or her own actions, choices and decisions.

During Holy Week, I was excited about the choices I had to worship in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Christ. For the first time in my ministry, I did not have a waiting congregation to hear of the victory of Resurrection Morning. I retired from pastoring in 2018 and now I am free to worship wherever the Holy Spirit leads me.

All week as I navigated the streets of Memphis, I saw individuals standing on corners, asleep on benches at bus stops and sitting in parks. They had two things in common: they were hungry and homeless. As I contemplated a strategy to help, I heard the words of my pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks.

“What compelled me to help that man was this reality: but for the grace of God I could be the one begging for bread,” Dr. Hooks had said of his own encounter with a man begging for food on the street.

I thought about how a thankful person should be motivated to take actions to relieve the suffering of another. In the Greek language, such action is called charity.

I resolved that I would not attend a worship service on Resurrection Morning. Rather, I would go to those individuals I had seen all week and share with them the “Good News” – that God had not forgotten them.

I would not take a Bible nor hymn book, but food for their hungry bodies as proof God cares for the last, the least and the lost.

I ended up at a well-known fast food restaurant that was running an Easter Special: two pieces of chicken, honey and a biscuit for $3. The restaurant filled my order for 25 boxes.

Exiting with intentions of getting back to Beale Street, I saw four men and a woman sitting on the north corner of the parking lot. Their eyes were fixed on me and I could not pass them by. I offered them a box in honor of Easter and they gladly accepted.

One by one they began to tell of others they knew were hungry. I looked up and saw a stream of men running to us from the Union Mission. Within minutes I had passed out the 25 boxes. But what about those on Beale Street?

I returned to the restaurant and placed a second order for 20 boxes. While my order was being filled, I went to converse with my newfound “congregation.” I thanked them for allowing me to bless them with food. They began to bless me and praise God for the food.

One young man testified that he had awakened with one concern: “Where would I get a meal? And then you showed up. God bless you.”

When my second order was ready, I drove deeper into the downtown area. Along the route, I passed out boxes of food in honor of “Easter.” I made it to Beale Street and in Handy Park my “congregation” was waiting.

I left Beale Street and made my way to the eastern edge of the city to feed my “congregation” that has been devastated by the opioid crisis. These young people, for the most part, are victims of the rogue pharmaceutical manufacturing of pain medication.

I ran out of boxes and was able to find another restaurant with the “finger licking good chicken” and placed my third order. Then I returned to my waiting “congregation” to spread the good news.

After I had passed out the last box, I felt a moving spirit of altruism, thanksgiving and joy. Normally when I do not attend church, there is feeling of guilt. However, on Resurrection Morning 2019 there was no such feeling. A particular hymn came to mind: “Only what you do for Christ will last.”

Then I recalled the late Dr. Charles Dinkins, the legendary pastor of First Baptist Church Lauderdale, and his admonition: “Preach young man the gospel of Jesus Christ and use words if you must.”

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.