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Orlando Fallout: Cried Out, Prayed Up And Ready To Fight

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Birmingham Times
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By Roxanne Jones

©2016, The Shadow League

Getty Images
Getty Images

Doing Nothing, Saying Nothing is Not an Option

Never had much time for crying. Never had patience for tears, mine or yours. Where I’m from, tears might get you hit harder, or bullied, or worse. Tears made you a target for all types of horrors you wanted to avoid. So no matter what devastation happened in my house, eyes stayed dry.

When a bullet tore through my father’s brain on a North Philly street, I never saw my mother cry. I’m sure she did, though. Left with three small kids and barely a high school education at the time. I’m sure she did. We just never witnessed it.

When we moved to a new apartment and the project bullies would chase me down after school threatening to bash my head in because I “acted better than them”, I would run home, crying. But mommy would threaten to beat my a— herself if I didn’t go back outside and fight my tormentors. She even taught me how to punch and look for any object I could find to hit someone over the head with if things got too heated.

 

For full story…  TheShadowLeague.com

 

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This story originally appeared on TheShadowLeague.com, a site dedicated to journalistically sound sports coverage with a cultural perspective that insightfully informs sports fans worldwide.

 

 

The New NBA 40/40 Club, Courtesy of Michael Corleone

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Birmingham Times
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By Martin Sumners

©2016, The Shadow League

kyrie_bron
(COURTESY PHOTO, THE SHADOW LEAGUE)

 

LeBron and Kyrie Irving Tell Steph and Klay Thompson, “My Offer is This. Nothing.”

On Sunday night, the powers that be finally recognized that flipping the script of history can be richly rewarding at the box office and worthy of multiple awards.  The Broadway musical Hamilton conceived and created by Lin-Manuel Miranda captured an almost-record 11 Tony Awards with itsretelling of the American Dream in vivid technicolor and hip-hop aesthetic.

Similar to this coronation at the 70th Annual Tony Awards, first held in April of 1947, another crowning was supposed to do like history do; repeat itself. The Golden State Warriors won the first NBA championship in April of 1947 and seemed set to repeat last season’s title on Monday night.

But let’s get this settled from the giddy-up. In my opinion, the Cleveland Cavaliers would have won Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals whether the Warriors’ suspended Draymond Green had played or not.

For full story…  TheShadowLeague.com

 

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This story originally appeared on TheShadowLeague.com, a site dedicated to journalistically sound sports coverage with a cultural perspective that insightfully informs sports fans worldwide.

 

Classifieds June 16, 2016

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Birmingham Times
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‘The Word of God is always contemporary’

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Birmingham Times
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Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch

 

 

By Barnett Wright

The Birmingham Times

 

Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch
Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch

For over a century the National Baptist Congress has traveled across the country and held its six-day event in different cities.

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr., Pastor of Greater Shiloh Baptist Church in Birmingham, this will be its first year in the Magic City.

The National Baptist Congress will hold the 110th annual session June 12-17 in the Sheraton Hotel and Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. The event is expected to attract 5,000 to 7,500 attendees to Birmingham.

Wesley, who is host pastor for the gathering, said the convention is an opportunity for the area’s vast religious community to enjoy a spiritual feast.

He also weighed in on a number of other matters including the impact of the black church; the importance of the Word of God in today’s society and the spirit of expectation building for the convention.

What has the black church meant to Birmingham and the overall community?

Assistant minister Charles August helps Dr. Wesley into his robe before service. Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch
Assistant minister Charles August helps Dr. Wesley into his robe before service. Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch

The Black Church in Birmingham has been and still is the mother that gives birth to major movements. It was true during the Civil Rights Era of the 60’s; it was true for voter registration movements; it is true today, the church still must stand against the social ills of today including same sex marriages; black on black crime; disrespect of authority from today’s youth and lewd and perverted behavior that is being posted and displayed in the public and on social media.

How important is the word of God today when we see so much dysfunction in politics and society as a whole?

The Word of God is as relevant today as it was the day it was written. Laws and moral codes that govern society are extracted from the Word of God – from portions of Scripture such as the 10 Commandments which remind us that we should not kill; steal; covet. It also speaks of children obeying their parents which is the first commandment that carries a promise: ‘that your days may be long.”

Therefore, the Word of God is always contemporary because God does not change to fit generational dynamics. “He is the Lord God who changes not.” God’s principles for living a godly life and holding society to right standards are critical for society to have moral fiber. The church therefore must teach the Word of God to today’s children and youth, to build that moral foundation that is being tested by today’s wavering trends. The church must teach adults: must teach men how to be men; women how to be women; parents how to be parents and couples how to be tolerant of one another that families may stay intact and society can continue to exist. But without such a firm stance in the face of political challenges, society is headed for a sure collapse.

How can you describe the atmosphere, the spirit, the love where so many people of faith are gathered together for one common cause?

Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch
Dr. Michael W. Wesley, Sr. serves as pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located on Jefferson Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Wesley leads two services on Sunday mornings and is preparing to host the 110th Annual National Baptist Congress. Photo by Frank Couch

Convention atmospheres are usually electric with a spirit of expectation in the air. Convention goers are excited to be in a new city where they can explore its cuisine, sights and culture as well as gaining stimulation that come from convention sessions.

The multiple events that are attached to a convention’s schedule allows for diverse crowds through its various venues. Love for given genres attract likeminded crowds. Here are some examples: There will be a pre musical concert that will attract music lovers and classes that will attract learners. This convention also offers a lot of classes for children and youth, especially drill teams, mime dancers and other activities that stimulate youth groups. For those who don’t mind hanging out a while, late night preaching attracts those who love good old fashion gospel preaching before retiring for the evening. Other venues will include a fashion show; and even a comedy show. That kind of diversity allows for many different people to be drawn to a central place where each can feast on what stimulates their own spiritual appetite.

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Pastors Discuss the Black Church Today and in the Past—with an Eye on the Future

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Birmingham Times
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Dr. Wilson Fallin

 

By Nathan Turner Jr.

For the Birmingham Times

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan McPherson
The Rev. Dr. Jonathan McPherson

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan McPherson of Hueytown recalls an admission from an Alabama circuit judge several years ago. The jurist had tried a case against men who allegedly tried to kill civil rights activist Fred Shuttlesworth in the 1960s. The same man had presided over the trial of Ku Klux Klansmen accused of castrating a black man named Judge Aaron in East Birmingham in 1957.

“That judge told me that he discovered that Klansmen could not deal with two things: the black church and the black preacher,” said McPherson, longtime pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Edgewater.

McPherson and other ministers were asked recently about the past and present roles of the black church in advance of the upcoming 110th National Baptist Congress, which will be held in Birmingham, June 12–17.

Church Challenges

Although the African-American community still faces such age-old ills as racial discrimination several clerics assert that the church must focus more on uplifting the family and tackling economic and legal inequities. They also say the church must counter a rising tide of “me”-ism, or status-seeking, among parishioners.

McPherson, dean of the Alabama Baptist State Congress of Christian Education, says the church has historically taken a robust role not only in civil rights but also in the everyday lives of parishioners.

“When we did not have anything else, we had the church,” he said. “And it’s going to take the church to give us hope,” said McPherson, who was an adviser to Miles College students during the city’s selective buying campaign (retail boycott) in the early 1960s.

McPherson recalled that civil rights leaders like the Rev. Shuttlesworth and other ministers formed the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) in 1956. The group, established after the state of Alabama banned the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from operating, helped lay the groundwork for the Birmingham civil rights movement.

McPherson warned the community against complacency despite Barack Obama’s ascendancy to the U.S. presidency.

“When we look at the condition of black America, we should not be deceived. Many of us are worse off than before the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died,” he said.

McPherson cited numerous ills besetting the community—high rates of black male incarceration, domestic violence incidents, out-of-wedlock births. The church, he said, also should take the lead in providing more anger-management classes to address forms of violence.

Filled a Vacuum

Dr. Wilson Fallin
Dr. Wilson Fallin

The African-American church filled a vacuum after slavery ended for a community that lacked a strong economic, political, and social structure, says Dr. Wilson Fallin, a historian who teaches at the University of Montevallo. “The state spent very little on education for blacks, so the church built schools,” such as Miles College, said Fallin, who is also president of the Birmingham-Easonian Baptist Bible College in Powderly.

The first community businesses came alive under the auspices of the church, Fallin said. For example, the Rev. William Pettiford, pastor of the city’s 16th Street Baptist Church founded the Penny Bank in 1890. That institution helped finance the construction of businesses, churches, and homes.

Also, Birmingham businessman A.G. Gaston was inspired to found Citizens Federal Savings and Loan after a funeral at Hopewell Baptist Church. And the Central Industrial Insurance company was established at Shiloh Baptist Church to give blacks a sense of self-respect, added Fallin, who sees the church’s role expanding on several levels.

“We are going to have to rescue young black males,” he said. “There are now more young black males in prison than in college.”

The incarceration of minority men wreaks havoc, particularly for young women seeking suitable spouses, Fallin said. A poor defendant who cannot afford a lawyer will likely end up in prison. Afterward, he will have a hard time finding a job in order to readjust to society. Fallin suggests that churches mount a more aggressive campaign to challenge laws that feed inequities in the judicial system.

Programs also must be instituted to reverse family disintegration, provide remedial education, and alleviate problems swirling around the poor, Fallin said.

Moral Value

The Rev. Baxter Morris
The Rev. Baxter Morris

The Rev. Baxter Morris, pastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Montgomery, said, “The church is carrying the same role as it has in the past: giving people moral value, providing a source of happiness. The church still offers stability,” he said.

Morris notes that most black churches are financially handicapped. He suggests that perhaps 40 percent of a typical congregation may be lower-income workers, such as fast-food employees or bus drivers.

“Many members are struggling just to keep their heads above water,” said Morris, who explained that limited church coffers also hamper development of outreach initiatives like drug-abuse or family-therapy programs. Dwindling donations and tithes from these memberships also make it harder to establish private schools, after-school programs, and summer camps.

The solution, Morris said, is to find creative opportunities for better employment in the community.

Dr. Reginald Calvert
Dr. Reginald Calvert

The black church infused African-Americans with a biblical perspective that avoided violence and coercion for the sake of nonviolence, said Dr. Reginald Calvert, pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Bessemer. Blacks, he said, also learned organization and self-respect within the confines of religion.

“Birmingham pastors and others throughout the nation have seen a shift from the time when the church influenced politics to now, wherein politics influence the church,” said Calvert.

That phenomenon aside, the church, for better or worse, is seeing a movement away from the notion of helping others toward a desire for personal gain. This means the church also may need to institute more financial-management seminars to meet this need, Calvert said.

Balance

The Rev. Kurt S. Clark
The Rev. Kurt S. Clark

The church traditionally has helped African-Americans resist oppression but must now counter a materialistic trend among parishioners, agreed Kurt S. Clark, pastor of Sardis Baptist Church in West Birmingham. “In an effort to show success, we no longer foster any kind of commitment to look out for our own.”

Clark, author of “Invisible Institution and Empire: A Culture of Resistance in America,” said the church must consolidate efforts to tackle ills of the black community.

“We need to take advantage of opportunities to respond to issues like police brutality,” he said. “We need to coalesce our efforts rather than take separate attacks.”

The church, Clark pointed out, must continue to cultivate its tradition of producing leaders, such as bankers, lawyers and teachers.

The Rev. Jerome Calvert, however, argued that the black church should first look inward to get its “own house in order.”

The Rev. Jerome Calvert
The Rev. Jerome Calvert

Calvert, pastor of Oak Grove Baptist in Brighton, believes the church must clarify issues of doctrine and re-emphasize the word of God versus material pursuits.

“We don’t have to expand our [outward] goals. We need to go back to the Lord,” he says. “We need to bring balance in Jerusalem—and that’s a lot of work.”

110th Annual Session of the National Baptist Congress

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Birmingham Times
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From left: Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr., Birmingham Host Pastor for the 110th National Baptist Congress, Senior Pastor of Greater Shiloh Baptist Church of Birmingham; Dr. T. B. Boyd III, President & Chief Operating Officer of R. H. Boyd Publishing and the National Baptist Congress; Dr. William Flippin Sr. 2015 Atlanta Host Pastor and Senior Pastor of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta

 

 

Schedule at a Glance

 

From left: Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr., Birmingham Host Pastor for the 110th National Baptist Congress, Senior Pastor of Greater Shiloh Baptist Church of Birmingham; Dr. T. B. Boyd III, President & Chief Operating Officer of R. H. Boyd Publishing and the National Baptist Congress; Dr. William Flippin Sr. 2015 Atlanta Host Pastor and Senior Pastor of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta
From left: Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr., Birmingham Host Pastor for the 110th National Baptist Congress, Senior Pastor of Greater Shiloh Baptist Church of Birmingham; Dr. T. B. Boyd III, President & Chief Operating Officer of R. H. Boyd Publishing and the National Baptist Congress; Dr. William Flippin Sr. 2015 Atlanta Host Pastor and Senior Pastor of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta

Locations and times are subject to change.

Sunday, June 12

8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.   Sunday School/Worship Service   Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church

 

Monday, June 13

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Vendor Orientation     East Meeting Room D

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Faculty Orientation     BJCC Medical Forum Conference Center Auditorium

Tuesday June 14

7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. NMBCA Summer Board Meeting   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. On-Site Class Registration and Enrollments BJCC East Exhibition Hall

8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Exhibitors/Vendors     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Congress Press Conference   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Women of Wisdom Luncheon   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Drill Team Leader Orientation   BJCC East Meeting Center

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Congress Choir Rehearsal   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Dance Ministry Leader Orientation   BJCC East Meeting Center

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Chaperon Orientation   BJCC East Meeting Center

7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Congress Musical Concert   BJCC East Exhibition Hall

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Late Night Worship Services   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Wednesday, June 15

6:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. On-Site Class Registration and Enrollments BJCC East Exhibition Hall

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. “March for Jesus” Staging and Parade BJCC Courtyard

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Morning Adult Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Dance Ministry Presentations   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Congress Bookstore     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Exhibitors/Vendors     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Morning General Assembly   BJCC East Exhibition Hall

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. First Lady’s Fashion Show BJCC East Exhibition Hall

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Adult Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Youth Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Dance Ministry Workshops   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Mime Ministry Workshops   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. T. B. Boyd, Jr. Oratorical Activities/Contest Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Baptist Training Union Activities/Competition Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Drill Team Classes     BJCC East Ballroom

5:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Drill Team Presentation/Competition   BJCC East Ballroom

6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Evening General Assembly Session   BJCC East Exhibition Hall

7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Praise and Laughs Comedy Show and Concert Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Late Night Worship Services   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Thursday, June 16

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Morning Adult Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Youth Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Drill Team Classes/Presentation/Competition BJCC East Ballroom

8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Congress Bookstore     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Exhibitors/Vendors     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Morning General Assembly    BJCC East Exhibition Hall

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. First Lady’s Fashion Show   BJCC East Exhibition Hall

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Adult Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Drill Team Classes/Presentation/Competition BJCC East Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Youth Activities Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Dance Ministry Workshops   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Mime Ministry Workshops   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. T. B. Boyd, Jr. Oratorical Activities/Contest Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Baptist Training Union Activities/Competition Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Theatrical Performance “Mama’s Girls 2” BJCC East Exhibition Hall

7:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Drill Team Classes/Presentation/Competition BJCC East Ballroom

10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Late Night Worship Services   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

Friday, June 17

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Morning Adult Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Drill Team Competition   BJCC East Ballroom

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Youth Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Dance Ministry Presentations   Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Congress Bookstore     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Exhibitors/Vendors     BJCC East Exhibition Hall

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Drill Team Classes/Rehearsal   BJCC East Ballroom

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Morning General Assembly    BJCC East Exhibition Hall

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. First Lady’s Fashion Show   BJCC East Exhibition Hall

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Afternoon Adult Class Sessions   Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Drill Team Classes/Rehearsal   BJCC East Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Youth Activities     Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Dance Ministry Workshops/Rehearsal Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Mime Ministry Workshops Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. T. B. Boyd, Jr. Oratorical Activities/Contest Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Baptist Training Union Activities/Competition Sheraton Birmingham/BJCC

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Graduation and Youth Night   BJCC East Exhibition Hall

History of the National Baptist Congress

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Birmingham Times
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Drill Team Competition Atlanta 2015

 

Drill Team Competition Atlanta 2015
Drill Team Competition Atlanta 2015

 

In 1906, Reverend Dr. Richard Henry Boyd, founder of the National Baptist Publishing Board, opened an educational center that published National Baptist Publishing Board literature, which targeted black Baptist missionaries, teachers, and leaders. This led to the launching of the first Congress, which was sponsored by the National Baptist Publishing Board and the National Baptist Young People’s Union. The mission of the Congress was to promote the Sunday school and Young People’s organization within Baptist churches.

In 1922, Dr. Henry Allen Boyd assumed the leadership of the Publishing Board and made significant changes to the Congress format. He focused on updating the curriculum to be relevant to society’s demands, and led Congress supporters through the Great Depression and two World Wars. His heroic leadership helped the Congress to endure some of history’s greatest tragedies and to become a pillar of Christian education for thousands today.

Following Dr. Henry Allen Boyd’s outstanding tenure, Dr. T. B. Boyd, Jr. assumed leadership of the Congress in 1959. The 1960s was a decade of generational conflict and turmoil. Throughout this transitional period, Dr. T. B. Boyd, Jr. maintained and refined the Congress structure. He supported African-American Baptist training for church leaders and their members by enhancing the literature produced by the Publishing Board’s Department of Christian Education. The new programs and the courses of study that resulted still stand strong today. In 1979, Reverend Dr. T. B. Boyd, Jr. went on to eternal glory but left behind a legacy that continues to grow.

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKinzie, Presiding Prelate of the 10th Episcopal District of the AME Church; Bishop McKenzie was the keynote speaker for the Women of Wisdom Luncheon in Atlanta for the 2015 Congress.
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKinzie, Presiding Prelate of the 10th Episcopal District of the AME Church; Bishop McKenzie was the keynote speaker for the Women of Wisdom Luncheon in Atlanta for the 2015 Congress.

In 1979, Dr. T. B. Boyd III was named president, becoming the youngest family member ever to assume leadership of the corporation. He is the current president/CEO of R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation/ National Baptist Publishing Board and has continued to strengthen the church community through the Congress program. Through Dr. Boyd’s vision, Congress attendance continues to grow at a phenomenal rate, and the National Baptist Congress, “A School of Methods for Christian Training,” is held in cities around the country. In the 1980s, Congress was incorporated as the National Baptist Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress. The National Baptist Congress maintains its mission to continue the discipline of Christian education and training for youth and adults.

 

12 of the Greatest Gospel Groups

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Birmingham Times
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Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Fisk Jubilee Singers

 

In honor of Black Music Month, the Birmingham Times is highlighting some of the great groups across several genres. The series began June 2, with soul groups and continues today with gospel groups. The lineup for the rest of the month:

  • June 16: Hip-hop groups
  • June 23: Jazz groups

Gospel music—with roots in the African-American religious experience and the black oral tradition—can be traced to the early 17th century. The repetition of the words allowed those who could not read the opportunity to participate in worship. During this time, hymns and sacred songs used the same call-and-response style from which Negro spirituals and work songs emerged.

Here are some of the groups that have left a lasting impact on the gospel-music genre.

GMG_BLINDBOYS
Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Five Blind Boys of Alabama (Photo provided)

 

Five Blind Boys of Alabama (above)

It’s almost unbelievable that a group of blind, African-American singers—who started out touring during a time of whites-only bathrooms, restaurants, and hotels—would go on to win five Grammy awards and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy, as well as be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and perform at the White House for three different presidents. Since the original members first sang together as kids at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in the late 1930s, the band has persevered through seven decades to become one of the most recognized and decorated music groups in the world.

Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Fisk Jubilee Singers
Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Fisk Jubilee Singers

Fisk Jubilee Singers (above)

The original Jubilee Singers introduced so-called slave songs to the world in 1871, and they were instrumental in preserving the unique American musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals. They broke racial barriers in the United States and abroad, even entertaining kings and queens in Europe in the late 19th century. In July 2007, the Fisk Jubilee Singers went on a sacred journey to Ghana at the invitation of the U.S. Embassy. In 2008, the Fisk Jubilee Singers received the National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest honor for artists and patrons of the arts. The award was presented by President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush during a ceremony at the White House.

click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Soul Stirrers
click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Soul Stirrers

Soul Stirrers (above)

This group launched the career of legendary soul singer Sam Cooke—but they were much more than that. The Soul Stirrers set the pace for gospel and pop vocal groups and played a role as forefathers in the development of rhythm and blues. They also took gospel out of local churches and presented it to a national audience. The Soul Stirrers radically reshaped traditional gospel material and wrote many enduring songs of their own. The music of the Soul Stirrers represented a progression from jubilee singing to a more rhythmic style, and it served as the basis for doo-wop and R&B. The group attained peak popularity when Cooke, with his irresistible voice and magnetic personality, was part of the lineup.

The Caravans (above)

From the late-50s to the mid-60s, the Caravans went unrivaled as the nation’s most popular touring gospel group, earning acclaim as one of the greatest acts ever to arrive on the spiritual music front. The fluctuating roster would eventually include future superstars Shirley Caesar, Inez Andrews, Bessie Griffin, and the Rev. James Cleveland. The Caravans were formed in Chicago in 1952 by Albertina Walker, and from day one the lineup shifted regularly, with Walker as the mainstay. By the mid-50s, the Caravans were among the most popular acts in all of gospel music, with a lineup featuring the young soprano phenom Caesar and the shrieking contralto Andrews, which proved to be a powerhouse one-two punch.

Click the image to hear a great hit from, The Dixie Hummingbirds
Click the image to hear a great hit from, The Dixie Hummingbirds

The Dixie Hummingbirds(above)

A pioneering force behind the evolution of the modern gospel quartet sound, the Dixie Hummingbirds were among the longest-lived and most successful groups of their era. Renowned for their imaginative arrangements, progressive harmonies, and all-around versatility, the group earned almost universal recognition as the greatest Southern quartet of their generation. Formed in Greenville, S.C., the Dixie Hummingbirds began their career during the late-30s as a jubilee-style act. Their lasting appeal was evident decades later when in 1973 the group backed Paul Simon on his pop smash “Loves Me Like a Rock.” In 1978, Ebony magazine named them the World’s Greatest Gospel Group.

Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Mighty Clouds of Joy
Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Mighty Clouds of Joy

 

The Mighty Clouds of Joy (above)

The founder of this group, Willie Joe Ligon, was born in Troy, Ala. They were one of the first gospel groups to incorporate R&B techniques, such as drums and stylized choreography. Known as the “Temptations of Gospel,” the Mighty Clouds of Joy, like the Motown group, exhibit a sophisticated masculine style. Along with preaching, the Mighty Clouds of Joy put other innovations into their dramatic stage shows. Sporting bright, color-coordinated suits and pompadour haircuts, the group would whip audiences into a frenzy with moral tales exhorting the people to strengthen their faith. Their exuberant inventiveness alienated some conservative gospel listeners, but the group believed that through the commercial market they could reach a whole new audience—especially young people in the ’hood, who they felt needed to hear gospel’s message. The group recorded more than 30 albums in their 40 years of gospel.

Staple Singers Portrait
Click the image above to hear one of the greatest hits from, The Staple Singers

 

The Staple Singers (above)

One of the greatest R&B groups of all time or one of the greatest gospel groups? We say both. Last week, the Staple Singers appeared on our 12 of the Greatest Soul Groups list—and they’re back again this week. There has to be a place on our list for a group called “God’s greatest hit-makers.” In regards to their crossover from pure gospel to folk and soul-flavored material, a source of controversy within the religious community, patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples told Essence magazine: “We’ve always tried to make affirmative, happy music that makes a positive point. Our aim is to get across a message while we’re entertaining people.”

 

Click on the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from,The Winans
Click on the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from,The Winans

The Winans (above)

The Winans—brothers Marvin, Carvin, Ronald, and Michael—were four of 10 children born to David “Pops” and Delores “Mom” Winans in Detroit, Mich. The brothers, raised with their siblings in a strict, loving Christian environment, grew up singing in gospel choirs and eventually decided to form a professional quartet. The Winans were pioneers in the field of contemporary gospel, updating the sound and style of traditional black gospel vocal groups for the urban contemporary age. For the Winans, performing was a family affair: Their parents recorded together as Mom & Pop Winans, and other spinoff acts included Daniel Winans and Vickie Winans, as well as brother and sister BeBe & CeCe and the youngest siblings, Angie & Debbie. Even the third generation got into the act with the Winans Phase 2, sons of the original group members.

Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from,Kirk Franklin and the Family
Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from,Kirk Franklin and the Family

Kirk Franklin and the Family (above)

Kirk Franklin fronted three groups—the Family, God’s Property, and the One Nation Crew—before going solo, but his work with the Family (1992–2000) landed him on this list. In 1993, the group released its debut album, “Kirk Franklin & the Family,” which spent almost two years on the gospel music charts, charted on the R&B charts, and eventually earned platinum sales status. It remained at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks and was the first gospel music album to sell more than a million units. Franklin also had success with his other groups, including God’s Property, which performed the crossover hit “Stomp,” featuring Cheryl “Salt” James of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa.

Click on the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, The Clark Sisters
Click on the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, The Clark Sisters

The Clark Sisters (above)

The Clark Sisters—Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark-Terrell, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard—are daughters of legendary gospel musician and choral director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. They are credited for bringing gospel music to the mainstream and considered pioneers of contemporary gospel. Their biggest crossover hits include “Is My Living in Vain?” “Hallelujah,” “He Gave Me Nothing to Lose,” “Endow Me,” “Jesus Is a Love Song,” “Pure Gold,” “Expect a Miracle,” and, of course, the crossover, gold-certified “You Brought the Sunshine.” With 16 albums to their credit and millions in sales, the Clark Sisters are the highest-selling female gospel group in history.

Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Take 6
Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Take 6

Take 6 (above)

The most Grammy-nominated group in gospel history got its start at Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), a Seventh-Day Adventist university in Huntsville, Ala. In 1980, when Claude McKnight (older brother of R&B musician Brian McKnight) was a freshman, he formed an a cappella quartet named Alliance; the group changed its name to Take 6 after a search revealed that the original name was already in use. Take 6 has performed on Saturday Night Live, at the Oscars and the Grammys—and for four sitting U.S. presidents.

Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Golden Gate Quartet
Click the image above to hear some of the greatest hits from, Golden Gate Quartet

Golden Gate Quartet (above)

Speaking of presidents, the Golden Gate Quartet sang at President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1941 inauguration, becoming the first black musical group to sing at Constitution Hall. They would go on to later perform several times at the White House. The group was founded as the Golden Gate Jubilee Singers in 1934 by four students at the Booker T. Washington College in Norfolk, Va. They began as a traditional jubilee quartet, combining the clever arrangements associated with barbershop quartets with rhythms borrowed from the blues and jazz-like scat singing. The quartet lost its pre-eminent position in gospel music after World War II, when they faced competition from newer hard gospel quartets, such as the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Soul Stirrers, both of whom are on this list.
(Photo credit from Archives/Getty Images)

Sources: Blindboys.com, rockhall.com, Allmusic.com, Encyclopedia.com, Fiskjubileesingers.org, fisk.edu, en.wikipedia.org

Black Clergywomen: Bringing the Word with Fire and Femininity!

By
Birmingham Times
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Hopewell AME Church in the Kingston Community since 1899​

 

By Salaam Green

For the Birmingham Times

Minister Tonya Wilson of New Beginning Christian Ministries in the Kingston community of Birmingham.
Minister Tonya Wilson of New Beginning Christian Ministries in the Kingston community of Birmingham.

A number of women pastors and preachers throughout the Birmingham metro area are making a difference. These women of God effectively lead congregations to follow Christ through corporate evangelism that allows them to promote healthy communities and mentor women and youth.

Among the local women having an impact are Associate Pastor Sheila Williams of Hopewell African American Methodist Episcopalian (AME) Church in Birmingham; Executive Pastor Mikela Williams of Agape Ministries in Fairfield; and Minister Tonya Wilson of New Beginning Christian Ministries in the Kingston community.

Women have always been prominent at the annual session of the National Baptist Congress which holds its 110th annual session June 12-17 in Birmingham.

On Tuesday, June 14, Dr. Sheila M. Bailey, President of Sheila B Ministries of Dallas, TX, is the featured speaker at the Women of Wisdom luncheon. The event is at noon in the Sheraton Birmingham Ballroom.

“Females don’t do anything different than men. We are just as called,” said Pastor Sheila Williams. “Acts 2:17 says, ‘I will pour out my Spirt on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.…’ We do what we are supposed to do.”

Pastor Sheila Williams, alongside her husband Pastor Roosevelt Williams III, has been serving and promoting healthy communities since 1992. As a board-certified counselor and social worker, she leads by example to further the church’s mission of helping the congregation and surrounding area grow in the knowledge of the word and see the will of God.

On Tuesdays, Sheila Williams teaches a midday Bible study for senior citizens that reaches about 20 to 25 people within the congregation and community. On Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m., Hopewell AME opens a soup kitchen, where Sheila Williams serves as a mentor alongside the Daughters of Zion ministry, which was founded under her leadership.

Sheila Williams also has been elected to serve as the coordinator of a unique food-delivery service through the AME church’s district feeding project, which operates out of the Daniel Payne Community Plaza Building in Birmingham. The food truck travels every month to different locations, delivering healthy food to communities while evangelizing the word of God.

Hopewell AME Church in the Kingston Community since 1899​
Hopewell AME Church in the Kingston Community since 1899​

“As the coordinator, I am proud to have been chosen to lead a call of action that provides healthy food options to citizens of this city and state,” Sheila Williams said. “Females are just as capable, available, and flexible. I never grow tired. It energizes me to serve this community and evangelize the cause of Christ and see so many come to know Him as a result of this initiative.”

Mikela Williams, executive pastor of Fairfield’s Agape Ministries, believes her success in ministry and community evangelism comes from the encouragement and support of her pastor and mentor Dr. Calvin Moore, senior pastor of Agape Ministries.

“He is an awesome pastor who believes in me sometimes more than I believe in myself. He uplifts me, giving me opportunities based on my gifts,” Mikela Williams said.

Agape Ministries is planning a community picnic in July, where diverse congregations throughout the city of Fairfield will unify through corporate evangelism.

“As a woman ministering and leading a congregation, I have unique insight as a sister, daughter, and mother,” Mikela Williams said.

In addition to mentoring her own children’s friends while supporting aging parents and family members, Mikela Williams conducts one-on-one biblical counseling sessions in her home and at the church, expanding her reach to lead people to Christ in nontraditional settings.

Minister Tonya Wilson of New Beginning Christian Ministries is a board member for the Exchange Club Center for Parents and Families in Birmingham and serves as a voice for the needs of single mothers and youth in the Kingston community.

“I left my corporate human resources job to accept the calling to preach,” said Wilson, who provides outreach with her husband Pastor Sylvester Wilson. “In the role of community preacher, I help prepare single mothers and young women for workplace and life success. My ultimate goal is to teach Christ in such a way that young women see that they have value.”

Churches Find Ways to Reach ‘the Last, the Least, and the Lost’

By
Birmingham Times
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By Barnett Wright

The Birmingham Times

brookspix
Rev. James H. Brooks, pastor of New Pilgrim Baptist Church.

 

The role of the church goes far beyond what happens on Sunday morning—and that role is expanding, given the challenges in today’s society, say a number of area pastors.

“The role of the church is being fulfilled in that it’s reaching the last, the least and the lost,” said Rev. James H. Brooks, pastor of New Pilgrim Baptist Church. “That’s the purpose Jesus left us on earth to do. He said, ‘As you’ve done unto the least of the brothers, you’ve done it unto me.’ Helping the poor is central to what the church is all about.”

Rev. Gregory Clarke, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, said it’s important to “save anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere. We should be the engine of a community—definitely not the caboose.”

Rev. Michael W. Wesley Sr., senior pastor of Greater Shiloh Baptist Church, said the church can’t view itself as an isolated part of the community.

“That evangelistic call of ‘go ye therefore’ is what causes us to go out and be concerned about the least of these,” he said. “That’s the essence of religion. That’s the essence of real faith. Based upon how we respond to others is really what God judges the church on. Yes, we have a relationship upward to Him, but it’s outward to others. And when it goes outward, it has to be systemic, it has to be systematic.”

Saving and Serving

Area churches provide services in a number of areas because they believe it’s important to save and to serve.

“We fed people every Sunday until recent construction short-circuited our feeding ministry,” Brooks said. “A former pastor’s notion was that the church is indeed a place that goes beyond serving just spiritual food; it serves physical food, as well. The nobler, larger purpose of the church is not that meal, but it’s the feeding ministry to those that are homeless. We reach out and feed people that are less fortunate than we are.”

Brooks said some needs go beyond the spiritual.

“The 21st century church has got to meet those needs,” he said. “That’s why we have a community life center, a family life center, because we’re competing for the wholeness of our community.”

Meeting Community Needs

Wesley said his ministry offers a number of programs—financial: seminars from the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University to help people live on budgets; educational: after-school programs, summer camps, and an early-childhood center; healthy living: a community garden and a health ministry that conducts weekly blood pressure checks.

Clarke said the church also has a responsibility for the area where it resides. That means providing housing units for independent living, a senior-citizen recreation center for activities, a pantry that gives away food, a program to deal with any type of addiction, and a prison ministry.

“We try to have a ministry that has an impact not just on the spiritual needs but on the other needs people may have—emotional, physical, financial—for the entire community,” he said.

The slogan at Clarke’s church has always been the same: “Where ministry matches the message.”

“The message must go forth, but we want to back that up by providing ministry in a lot of different areas, among a lot of different age groups,” he said.

Something in Common

Brooks said it’s important to provide hope, guidance, and the sense that all people share something in common as part of the human family. That, he said, can be adequately addressed only when people understand the very spiritual nature of life.

“Only when we get that kind of spiritual connection together can we reach out and be the church meeting people’s needs,” Brooks said. “I think that’s the church: helping people understand there is a nature about humanity that is larger than we are ourselves—and only God can fulfill us in meeting that kind of need.”

Correspondent Solomon Crenshaw Jr. contributed to this article.

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