BLACK INVENTORS PRESENTATION--Ron Robinson,
pastor in Newark, New Jersey, speaks to students at Los Angeles
Christian School Feb. 9. [Photo by Thomas C. Hanson]
By Curtis May
The celebration of Black History Month was started by teacher and historian Carter G. Woodson in February 1926. It was timed to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist and publisher Frederick Douglass on Feb. 14 and President Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12. Originally one week long, the celebration became a month-long event in 1976.
The WCG began to consider Black History Month as a valuable celebration in the 1990s. The emphasis was one theme in our miraculous reformation.
In our focus on the ministry of reconciliation, the leadership of the WCG encourages its members to become more aware and appreciative of the multi-racial nature of its congregations. One of our distinctives is our rich ethnic diversity.
In Ephesians 2:14, the apostle Paul shows that Christians must follow the example set by the Prince of Peace, who broke down the walls that separate people. In Gal. 3:28, Paul says: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
The Pasadena A.M. congregation celebrated Black History Month, whose theme this year was Heritage and Horizons: The African American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century. The congregation was treated to an award-winning Black Inventors Exhibit and sermon Feb. 5 by Ron Robinson, pastor of the Newark, New Jersey, congregation and president of Creations by Robinson. His message was titled Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.
Mr. Robinson said that the exhibit shows the many contributions African Americans have made to America's industry and technology. It also informs all people of the creativity and achievements of African Americans in the field of engineering, science, communications, medicine and various other industries.
Mr. Robinson said that the exhibit helps in building relationships between different cultures. "It provides knowledge about people that many are unaware of," he said. "Lack of knowledge causes people to put up walls and separate."
The children were fascinated with the talking robot that Mr. Robinson made. The following week he put on his exhibit for three inner-city schools in Los Angeles sponsored by World Impact.
As part of efforts by the Office of Reconciliation Ministries (ORM) to serve the community, we participated in San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council's tribute to Martin Luther King's dream on the weekend of his birthday. It was conducted at California State University Northridge.
Jack Hayford, pastor of the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California, and an advisory council member of ORM, was tribute speaker. ORM had a display table with reconciliation literature staffed by WCG pastor Tom Ecker and Leigh Sniffen, an advisory council member.
Mrs. Sniffen commented: "A strong sense of community was evident as multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, male and female groups came together not only to celebrate Dr. King's life and dream, but to encourage all to continue pursuing it.
"Speaker after speaker affirmed that as Christians we are one in Christ, and that physical distinctions such as race, nationality, gender or economic status are not measures of human value in God's eyes."
Now, therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2000 as National African American History Month.
I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs that raise awareness and appreciation of African American history.
Send out three issues of the newsletter Reconcile.
Conduct workshops for WCG congregations.
Conduct workshops and participate in conferences on reconciliation with other fellowships and organizations as opportunities arise. (Scheduled to speak and conduct a two-day workshop for the Azusa 2000 celebration at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in March and April.)
Produce a videotape to represent the WCG and ORM and that will influence others in coming to Christ or having an interest in serving in the ministry of reconciliation.
Establish an Internet website for Reconciliation Ministry.
Attend educational conferences and workshops that will enhance our skills in the ministry of reconciliation.
ORM Achieved the following in 1999
Conducted reconciliation services throughout February in Pasadena (Black History Month). Speakers included Bernard K. Melekian, Pasadena chief of police; Ann Van Dyke, Pennsylvania assistant director of Human Relations; Carn Catherwood; Mr. Albrecht; H. Thomas Claus, founder and president of CHIEF Inc.; and Tom Pickett, pastor of the Fort Worth, Texas, congregation.
Launched Reconcile newsletter and A Time to Reconcile flyer. Produced three issues of Reconcile.
Conducted a racial reconciliation workshop in Brooklyn-Queens, New York, in April.
Attended a national conference on reconciliation sponsored by the Black National Evangelical Association in Portland, Oregon, in April.
Was host to and participated in a Pasadena Conference on Racial Reconciliation sponsored by the greater Pasadena churches and organizations in May. Speakers included Pastor Che Ahn, Pastor Tyrone Cushman, Pastor Isaac Canales, Curtiss DeYoung, Pastor Curtis May and Pastor Joseph Garlington.
Conducted a workshop on racial reconciliation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at the Come Celebrate Christ convention in September and October.
Attended an international conference on racial reconciliation in San Antonio, Texas, in November.
Other workshops and conferences were conducted by Carn Catherwood, Ron Robinson (Black Inventors Exhibit), Pastor Steve Brown, Pastor Chris Beam (along with his teammate Cherry Steinwender of the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston, Texas) and others.
BLACK INVENTORS PRESENTATION--Ron Robinson,
pastor in Newark, New Jersey, speaks to students at Los Angeles
Christian School Feb. 9. [Photo by Thomas C. Hanson]
GLENDORA, California--One hundred fifty-three members and guests met Jan. 15 to mark Martin Luther King's birthday.
Curtis May, district superintendent, recounted his experiences growing up in Jim Crow America, where blacks were discriminated against by legal enforcement or traditional sanctions. "But we can be encouraged by the progress that the nation has made and by the fact that the Worldwide Church of God is seen as being in the forefront of racial reconciliation," Mr. May said.
During the service, member Durrell Brown quoted from Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
Walton Brown, a Glendora deacon and participant in the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, an event seen as sparking the modern civil rights movement, gave thanks in prayer that through legislation passed in 1964 and 1965 America had officially repented of segregation.
The Pasadena Gospel Chorus opened services with a selection of Gospel hymns, and the event ended with a potluck meal.
SWEET LIBERTY--Cake baked by Mary Allgood for the
Martin Luther King Day celebration in Glendora, Jan. 15.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2000