Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram - Chair, Commission on Publications
The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, Editor
1. EDITORIAL COMMENTS:
- New Orleans Police should have a blush of shame
This week projected media images of another black man being beaten by white police officers. Tell me, why is it, always white police officers beating a black man? I cannot recall seeing images of white or black police officers beating a white man. There is something wrong with this picture; of black men being beaten by white police officers and rarely, if ever, images of a white man being beaten by white or black police officers; it is racism.
Those New Orleans Police should have a blush of shame because it took two young-looking police officers to contain a 64-year-old black retired schoolteacher. Wow!
Those police officers should be fired, not only for what they did to retired schoolteacher Robert Davis but also because they are obviously not in any kind of physical shape. They were physically and mentally unqualified. They were wrestling and struggling with Davis and I could hear their heavy breathing as I watched the images on the television and even when I read accounts in the newspaper. I was out of breath for them. If I were those police officers and their supervisors, I would have, at least “a blush of shame” for the dishonor they brought on the New Orleans Police Department. Their actions are also indicative of a lack of police training. If I were either one of the police officers, I would be ashamed that it took two of us, backed up by a police officer on a horse, to subdue a 64-year-old retiree. They have lost their bragging rights.
And, the lawyer for the police officers and his illogic defense called to my mind the statement that I have heard that is suppose to be a joke, “99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.” After hearing that lawyer, it’s easy to understand the proliferation of lawyer jokes. That lawyer is not one of 1%!
I shutter to think that a young black man in superb physical condition would have been shot to death by the police officers – I am sure of it!
Scandals are taking over the Bush Presidency
The Bush presidency is being consumed by scandals involving the highest leadership in the Republican Party and those closest to the President. And, those scandals are only the ones that have been made public. I would bet that there are others that have not yet been exposed. Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove heads the list of questionable personalities close to the President.
The bad behavior so close to the White House makes me more suspicious of the decisions that were made to go to war in Iraq and saddens me of the loss of lives of our young military members in Iraq and Afghanistan. Misbehavior is usually not a one-time event; being caught is. The scandals look like a pattern to me.
- The President stages a soldiers’ photo-op
The Commander-in-Chief sets up a photo-op with handpicked soldiers prepped with questions that they might be asked. The Washington Post reported in today’s edition that the soldiers were rehearsed before going on the live broadcast. Gee whiz, let the soldiers do what soldiers do best and do not hinder them with phony press conferences.
I don’t care what the soldiers say, the war is going badly and our young men and women need to come back home. We need to do whatever it takes to bring them back home. One more soldier killed or maimed is too many. Bush says, “We got a strategy, and it's a clear strategy." In my opinion, he is wrong, we don’t have a clear strategy and if you don’t have a clear strategy, you don’t have a strategy.
There’s an old saying in the military, “When you find yourself digging yourself in a hole, stop digging.” America needs to “stop digging the hole” in Iraq; and, in Afghanistan, too.
I was encouraged by one thing, and that is that no Black Americans were selected to participate in the charade.
- The Millions More Movement Commemoration held tomorrow
The Millions More Movement, marking the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March, will gather in Washington, DC tomorrow (Saturday, October 15, 2005) beginning at 5:30 a.m. and ending in the afternoon with an address by Minister Louis Farrakhan and other leaders. I am sure that it will be shown on C-Span.
2. LETTER FROM THE REVEREND DIONISIO MAZUZE OF THE EIGHTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT:
My brother and sisters in Christ
We are so thankful to God who gave us the single opportunity to meet and to know wonderful and lovable people like you.
Our family is facing trying times. We experienced having a loving dad in our lives and his death made our hearts sad. We have experienced such deep pain because exactly on the day that my father passed away, we lost my uncle, the only living member of my mother’s family 30 days prior to our father’s death. It was not easy for me see my mother grieve so soon after losing her uncle.
But, in all this we thank God for He comforted us and sent His people to make us understand, “…to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Eccles. 3:1). We thank God for the people who preached and spoke words of comfort and for those who prayed with us, and for us.
Yes, dad is gone. We praise God because now we understand that our dad was a man with mission and his life here was not in vain. About 2005 years ago God gave a mission to Joseph, whose mission it was to be an earthly father for our Lord and Savior, Jesus, and to teach him values; to teach him to respect others. So, it was with my father, God placed my father in this world to do something, and he did. God wanted my father to prepare, give a name, a heritage, a history to five boys and two girls. God gave him a very important mission to prepare me to be a pastor (alleluia), and to prepare his children committed stewards. God sent my father to teach us honesty, integrity and the right ways to live and to love humankind.
And, I am sure that God understood that my dad completed his mission through confirmation at the last annual conference. I am an Itinerant Elder and God called my father to rest.
We thank the Rev. Rosa Chilaule, Presiding Elder Machaieie, Brother Patmossi Macamo, the Rev. Pedro Muhate and Jaime Muhate for their presence. Glory be to God for Bishop Sarah Davis for calling upon the 18th Episcopal District to pray for us. Our thanks also to the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the Rev. Salomon Nxumalo, Bro. Dan Leeba from 17th Episcopal District), Miss. Sherell Crawford and others for their comforting messages and prayers.
Our family would also like to thank all of you, especially to the wonderfully people of Distrito de Maputo and Presiding Elder Vasco Tui for sending people to comfort and help us.
May God bless all of you,
The Mazuze family
3. AN IMPORTANT RECURRING MESSAGE FROM DR. JEROME HARRIS FOR PREACHERS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA:
Dr. Jerome V. Harris, Executive Director of the AMEC Department of Annuity Investment and Insurance has arranged with the annuity investment vendors, Symetra Insurance Company and American Express, to process requests for "Hardship" annuity withdrawals on an EXPEDITED basis for those participants affected by Hurricane Katrina.
All participants assigned to the Eighth (Mississippi and Louisiana), Ninth (Alabama) and Eleventh (Florida) Episcopal Districts are eligible for expedited hardship annuity withdrawals. In an effort to provide more immediate financial assistance to persons in these devastated areas, expedited payments can now be made and received in as soon as 24 hours, depending on the mode of distribution, i.e. Direct Bank Transfer, US Mail, etc. The normal withdrawal process usually requires approximately 3 - 4 weeks, so our pastors and their families are cared for and blessed, in this time of difficulty, with the expedited arrangement.
Participants desiring to avail themselves to this process should contact the AMEC Department of Annuity Investment and Insurance directly at (901) 527-2006 or email: amec_des@bellsouth.com
4. BISHOP WILLIAMS HOLDS AME STATEWIDE HEALTH FAIR:
On Thursday October 6th 2005 a press conference was held at 12 noon. Bishop Preston W. Williams II, the presiding prelate of the African Methodist Episcopal Churches in South Carolina, along with Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Chairman of the National Governor’s Association, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Raymond S. Greenburg, President of The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), expounded on the importance of health in the lives of all Americans. Their remarks were given at the AME Statewide Health Fair, which was held at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina
As a part of Governor Huckabee’s Healthy America Initiative, he is traveling across the country, visiting governors to learn about outstanding health and wellness programs in their states. His first visit was to Charleston where he selected the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church’s Health-e-AME Program as a “best practice” model. The Health-e-AME Program is an outreach project of the AME / MUSC partnership, which encourages people to make healthy lifestyle choices.
The free AME Health Fair was comprised of more than 20 booths of health professionals providing information and free screenings for high blood pressure and blood sugar levels, high cholesterol, Sickle Cell Anemia, prostate, breast and cervical cancer, and HIV/AIDS. MUSC’s Cancer van, dental van and Project Sugar van were on-site to provide free screenings and exams. Governor Huckabee and Governor Sanford toured the fair with AME and MUSC leaders and heard how the Health-e-AME partnership evolved into a model program that serves tens of thousands of South Carolinians each year.
Ms. Phyllis Allen, the AME Seventh District’s Nutrition Director, provided healthy cooking demonstrations and Ms. Rosetta Swinton, the District’s Health Director, was present to answer all questions relating to the Health-e-AME Program.
The Health-e-AME Program is designed to promote wholeness of mind, body and spirit. Its focus is to encourage healthy lifestyles through healthy eating, regular exercise and early disease screening and prevention.
The Healthy America: Wellness Where We Live, Work and Learn is a new initiative to raise national awareness about the urgent need for all Americans - children, teenagers, adults and seniors - to live healthier, more active lives. It is designed to help the nation’s governors enact effective programs that reduce obesity, improve wellness and promote physical activity.
Submitted by:
Benjamin Harrison, Public Relations DirectorSeventh Episcopal District, AME Church
Tel 803.935.0500
Cell 803.528.7104HarrisonAMEMedia@aol.com
5. INSPIRATIONAL MOMENT:
“Whatever Your Cross"
Whatever your cross,
Whatever your pain,
There will always be sunshine
After the rain.
Perhaps you may stumble,
Perhaps even fall,
But God's always ready
To answer your call.
He knows every heartache,
Sees every tear,
A word from His lips
Can calm every fear.
Your sorrows may linger
Throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish
At dawn's early light.
The Savior is waiting
Somewhere above,
To give you His grace
And send you His love.
Whatever your cross,
Whatever your pain,
God always sends rainbows
After the rain.
--Author unknown
Read: Genesis 9:8-17
6. BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regretfully share the news of the homegoing of the father of the Reverend Vernon C. Etson on Thursday, 14 October 2005. The Reverend Etson is the pastor of Sims Chapel AME Church, Stellenbosch, South Africa, under the jurisdiction of the Cape Annual Conference of the Fifteenth Episcopal District.
Send Condolences to:
Reverend Vernon C. Etson
admin@watsoniaps.wcape.school.za
Please remember the family in your prayers.
7. BEREAVEMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, Chair
Commission on Social Action Clergy Family Information Center
Mrs. Ora L. Easley - Administrator Email: Amespouses1@aol.com
(Nashville, Tennessee Contact) Phone: (615) 837-9736 Fax: (615) 833-3781
(Memphis, Tennessee Contact) (901) 578-4554 (Phone & Fax)
Please remember these families in your prayers.
7. CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications, the Right Reverend Gregory G. M. Ingram; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour and the Editor of the Christian Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ will be with you during this time of your bereavement
Archive of The Christian Recorder Online from 2004-2016; Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder
