BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – When Birmingham-Southern students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests gather on Dec. 6 and 8 for the 77th Annual Service of Lessons and Carols, they will have the opportunity to participate in one of the community’s most cherished holiday events.
The services will be held Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8, at 4:30 p.m. at Canterbury United Methodist Church, located at 350 Overbrook Road in Mountain Brook.
The BSC Concert Choir and Southern Chorale will again be joined by the BSC Alumni Choir, all led by Professors Lester Seigel and Jeff Kensmoe. Joining the choirs for the first time is the college’s newest music faculty member, Leon W. Couch III, as organist.
“The choirs will present a variety of choral works from Northern Europe to Nigeria, spanning the Renaissance to the present day,” said Seigel. “This is our annual gift to, and celebration with, the larger community and the BSC family.”
Childcare is available at the Sunday performance by advance reservation; call 205-874-1546. If you have questions about the carol service, call 205/226-4952.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Upsilon Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated delivered toiletry items, canned goods, and non-perishable dry items to the Greater Birmingham Ministries.
The “Greater Birmingham Ministries strives to serve God’s purpose of justice and peace by assuaging the wounds of the community and struggling in the community to realize more just systems and more faithful relationships.” “Greater Birmingham Ministries is a not-for-profit multi-faith, multi-racial organization dedicated to serving people in need, pursuing justice, and building stronger communities.”
Upon arrival at GBM, Upsilon Eta Omega received a hearty welcome by Penny Brown, Volunteer Coordinator, the staff, and her very special little helper for the day, Carter. Other members of the staff assisted members of the sorority with unloading vehicles filled with donations. Once unpacked, Sorority members took a tour of the facility while Mrs. Brown provided details on the operation of GBM and the need for donations.
The cupboards of Greater Birmingham Ministries were bare and in need of items for families for the holidays. We are “trusting God to receive donations from other groups and organizations such as Alpha Kappa Alpha,” said Mrs. Brown. “We will disburse bags of groceries, toys, and other items to 50 families a day during the holiday season.”
Before departing the facility, Upsilon Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, surprised Penny Brown and staff members with a monetary donation of $900 to use in meeting the needs of the facility to be of service to families for the holiday season.
Even Some ‘Religious’ Elements of Christmas Celebrations Stray from the Truth, Says Bible Publisher-Scholar
If you’re in business, you likely don’t even call this the holiday season anymore – it’s “the holiday quarter.” Because for businesses, Christmas is all about making money.
“In Western societies, Christmas has largely become a family and commercial celebration for which the historical event – the birth of Christ – is a pretext,” says Christian E. Megrelis, www.christian-megrelis.com, chairman of the French Bible Society, former vice chair of the United Bible Societies and author of “Glossary of Hope,” a contemporary distillation of New Testament teachings and their applications.
“When Eastern churches began celebrating the birth of Jesus, they sought to keep the religious event distinct from the family and gift-giving event by separating the dates,” he says. “That’s why in Orthodox churches, gifts are not offered on Christmas Day, but rather on Jan. 2, St. Basil’s Day, and thus are linked to the New Year celebration.”
But Western churches, which adopted the Nativity celebration first, meshed the two practices, which led to secularization, Megrelis explains.
“The West’s Christmas celebration is partly responsible for the secularization of Western societies,” he says.
Some of our most important religion-oriented holiday traditions don’t even jibe with the story told in the official historical record of Jesus’ birth: the Bible, Megrelis says. He offers these examples.
• Animals in our manger scenes. The canonical Bible – the books of the Bible considered to be Holy Scripture – does not mention sheep, donkeys or other animals watching over the newborn Jesus. The animals are from the apocryphal gospels, writings by early Christians that were not included in the New Testament because their authors were anonymous, unverifiable or otherwise dubious. These include the “infancy gospels” written during the second century to feed a hunger for more detail about Jesus as a baby and young boy.
“The Gospels of Matthew and Luke say only that Jesus was placed in a manger – a feeding trough for animals,” Megrelis says. “They do not say whether the manger was in a stable or what animals were about. Those details came from the infancy gospels.”
• Our images of a pregnant Mary riding to Bethlehem on a donkey. Again, the New Testament makes no mention of Mary on a donkey. But according to the apocryphal gospels, Joseph saddled a donkey and “set Mary upon it” for the trip to Bethlehem.
• “We three kings of Orient are.” Contrary to the popular Christmas carol, the Bible does not say how many wise men visited the infant Jesus. The only reference to “three” is the number of gifts they brought: gold, frankincense and myrrh. The carol has them traveling a great distance and our traditions have them arriving at a stable.
“In fact, the Bible says, ‘On coming to the house’ – not stable – ‘they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him,” Megrelis says, adding “No one knows where the wise men came from. It could not have been very far, as we are told that Jesus was brought to Jerusalem as soon as Mary has been purified, in keeping with Jewish tradition, and shortly after his circumcision, which would have been at eight days old.”
Giving one another gifts was also not part of the biblical Nativity, Megrelis points out.
“The wise men brought gifts because it was customary to bring gifts when one visited royalty, but the Bible doesn’t mention an exchange of presents,” he says.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Rejoice Musical Soulfood has announced that Grammy Award winning gospel singer Dorinda Clark-Cole is rebranding her popular “Serving Up Soul” syndicated radio program as “The Dorinda Clark-Cole Show” beginning in January 2014. The vibrant, two hour weekly broadcast will continue to feature today’s gospel hits, unique weekly features and interviews with intriguing gospel personalities.
“We will be adding several lifestyle experts to the program to converse about fashion, make up and health issues to give our radio station affiliates lots of advertising sales opportunities,” says veteran radio executive and Rejoice Musical Soulfood CEO Mike Chandler who takes over producing duties for the show in January. “The Dorinda Clark-Cole Show is designed to help radio stations retain listeners and keep them coming back weekly.”
“Rebranding the name is a result of responding to our fans,” Clark-Cole says with a chuckle. “Our listeners called the show The Dorinda Clark-Cole Show anyway. When they did web searches, they used that name. We are all about our radio family so it only makes sense to call the show what the fans have been calling it all along. I am grateful for all the stations that carry the show because we seek to give them a great product while nourishing our listeners’ minds, bodies and souls through information and entertainment.”
Aside from the Rejoice Musical Soulfood network, the show currently airs in over 40 markets, including New York City, Dallas, New Orleans, Kansas City, Detroit and Birmingham, among others. Clark-Cole is a founding member of the iconic and award-winning group, The Clark Sisters. The family act has performed professionally for four decades and is known for contemporary gospel standards like “You Brought the Sunshine,” “Is My Living In Vain?” and “Blessed & Highly Favored.” They are currently featured on “The First Noel” from Mary J. Blige’s new Christmas album. Since 2002, Cole has pursued a parallel career as solo artist, delivering Top Ten hits such as “Take It Back,” “So Many Times” and “I’m Still Here.”
Visit www.musicalsoulfood.com for more.
I love the days ahead, Christmas and the new year season! I chuckle though, when I hear well meaning Christians arguing their position on declaring the true meaning of our celebrations. It is most honorable that we are to the defense of “Christ” in these holidays; but let us not argue in vain. I am persuaded that whatever we do under the title and in the vein of Christianity, we must do according to the absolute truth. Jesus declared that those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth.
For a little history: The truth is that the Lord our Saviour, Jesus Christ was born in the month April. However, there were many underworld or pagan gods born or re-born on December 25th. This celebration finds its roots in Babylonian culture. Their winter solstice is the day of the year where daylight is the shortest. December 25th was the date each year when days became noticeably longer. Thus, it was fitting for the early pagans to designate this as the date of the re-birth of the sun god. Thousands of years before Santa Claus, there was the god Nimrod who supposedly visited a tree and left gifts every December 25th.
According to ancient Babylonian traditions, Semiramis (who eventually became known as the goddess Astarte/ Asherah/ Ashtoreth/Isis/Ishtar/Easter in their pagan religions) claimed that after the untimely death of her son/husband Nimrod (yes, she married her own son), a full grown evergreen tree sprang up overnight from a dead tree stump and left gifts celebrating the anniversary of his birth. This is the true origin of the Christmas tree. (We will finish this next week).
Jesus came to buy our liberty!
Let no man therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshy mind.
Christians, most often, error in two verbal wars, (1) keeping Christ in Christmas, (2) Declaring that Christmas has become all about money. Studies show that from the 12th century through 17th century, this holiday was all about money and selfishness; so much that it was banned in the 17th century. As its counterpart Halloween, this pagan culture permitted death, bloodshed and other acts of violence during this season of celebration, even by children, hence the toys’ emphasis (next week) . It was reborn late 17th to 18th century by the Catholic order; influenced by commerce. The Catholic Church cleaned it up for us, the church today.
My conclusion for this week: Let every man be persuaded by his own opinion. You must determine why you do what you do! If you find any holiday to be a hardship, remember, this is not a God-inflicted wound but a man made tradition. Let’s talk about it. I value your opinion.
The word “entitlement” is not a dirty word. Although certain individuals and political parties have tried to convince us that it is. The word simply means “a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract.”
Programs designed to aid and assist needy Americans began with President Theodore Roosevelt, and they were added, or expanded, by several presidents following him as need dictated. They were created to help alleviate the suffering and distress among needy people who, due to no fault of their own (old age, disability, etc.), could not work. They were never for those who could work, but would not!
Social Security is the largest of what some people call the entitlement programs. Actually, it began as a social contract between workers and the government. It said, “While you are working, we will take money from your paydays and save it for you until you retire – then we will send you a check each month to help you live in retirement.”
It wasn’t very costly at first. When Social Security began in 1935, the average life expectancy was 58 for men and 62 for women. Millions of workers died before they ever drew a dollar from the program. Today, the life expectancy is 74.8 years for men and 81.8 years for women. That means more people are living longer and are drawing more out of the fund, in some cases more than they put in.
In addition to longer life expectancy adding to the costs, several different categories of people added over the years, and the eligibility rules becoming too relaxed have also increased the cost.
In summary, most of us paid our hard-earned money into the Social Security program for many years, and we expect to receive our retirement benefits from it. We don’t like to hear it called an entitlement program and we don’t like to be looked upon as deadbeats, lazy, or a burden to society. There are adjustments that can be made to Social Security, and other programs that will make them less expensive.
In the meantime, we should do our best to do two things. First, we must see that those who deserve and need help get it, and those who don’t deserve it, don’t. Next, we need to shut the mouths of the ignorant who label people who receive any kind of money from the government as lazy and no good. They are not!
Dr. Robert Wilkerson is a minister, writer, and founder of People for the Christian Way, an organization whose mission is to encourage all people to practice Christian principles in business, politics, and every area of life. drbobwilkerson@bellsouth.net, www.peopleforthechristianway.com
Saying the Wrong Thing; Doing the Right Thing
Rev. J.A. Reid
A Holy man had a parrot and the parrot would to say to everybody, “Watch out for the trap. Don’t sit on the trap.” Of course he meant illusions of the world, the trap of greed, power, prestige, possessiveness, the trap of anger and violence. So he used to say to his disciples, “Watch out for the trap. Don’t sit on the trap.” By and by the parrot also learned it. So whenever the Holy man would say it, the parrot would also repeat it, even louder. And the parrot would say, “Watch out for the trap! Don’t sit on the trap!” And everybody enjoyed it. One day by mistake, the cage of the parrot was left open, and he flew out of it. Everybody had started to love the parrot, so the Holy man and his disciples, they all went all over the forest to search for him. When they were reaching deeper and deeper into the forest they heard the parrot saying, “Watch out for the trap! Don’t sit on the trap!” So they were very happy that he was there. So, following the direction of his voice, they reached there. And what did they see? They could not believe it: he was sitting on a trap with his legs caught. He was trapped – sitting on the trap he was continuously repeating, “Watch out for the trap! Don’t sit on the trap!”
Sometimes in life we keep on repeating things with our mind that we don’t believe or know in our heart. Like the parrot we say things from our head but our heart is not there. In other words, if we are being blessed we find ourselves saying the wrong thing yet doing the right thing. What I am saying is even though we say what is wrong, we do what is right.
There are several ways to assure that we eventually do the right thing. One – by not living our life as a hypocrite; two – by not committing what I call spiritual suicide and three by making sure our “No” is authentic but doing the right thing anyway.
Here is what I see. Many of us claim to know the right way but like the parrot in our story, we say “yes” to the Lord but do what we want to do. Here is where we may fail. If we don’t learn how to be authentic in what we say and do we will miss heaven here on earth and in the world to come.
There are three ways to assure we eventually do the right thing. Spike Lee, the well-known African-American producer and director’s third movie was entitled: “Do the Right Thing.” In the movie he highlights the many injustices in our society that outrage us and could justify violence. He poses an important question, what is the right thing to do in many of these situations we find ourselves? His quotes Malcolm X and MLK Jr. in the closing sequence which leads me to ask, what is the right path to the Lord? Will that path get me to Heaven? In other words, am I saying what’s right and doing what’s wrong? In the turning over the tables in the Temple, we see Jesus in full rebellion. He had gone into the Temple (church) and overturned tables and the seats of the money-changers and sellers of doves during the feast of the Passover. The money was used to pay the clerics and the doves were used as sacrifices that ultimately benefited the high priest. They quickly question Him about His authority to do these things and His answer was the parable of the two sons. If you recall from the Bible, one son, when asked by the father to go to work in the vineyard said an authentic “No” but later changed his mind. The other son when asked to do the same thing gave a hypocritical “Yes” and did not go. Jesus’ pointed question to the priest was who had done the will of the father? Naturally they answered the first son. And here is where Jesus’ condemnation came clear. He said that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the Kingdom of Heaven before the so-called religious people. In other words, saying the right thing does not necessary mean we do it! Sometimes saying the wrong thing ultimately leads us to do the right thing.
There are three ways to assure that we eventually do the right thing – first by not being a hypocrite. In each of us there are three possibilities of doing the right thing but they are hidden. We can be like the priest in the Bible parable and give a false “yes” while having no intention of actually doing the right thing. Many of us are religious we say. Indeed some of us claim to be biblical scholars and versed in the Word. We go on accumulating much pious knowledge and devout information. But we miss the message of Jesus because of our “false yes.” We really are hypocrites; because we say one thing do another. Like the slaves of old who said, “Y’sir boss,” but they had no intention of doing what they said.
Many of us are like the second son who “answered and said, I go, Sir: and went not.” We have to stop living our life in a hypocritical way.
Second, we are assured of eventually doing the right thing by staying away from the spiritual suicide of the “True No.” Many of us say no to anything and we mean it, even when our eternal life hangs in the balance. When we say no and cling to it no matter what, we commit spiritual suicide especially when it comes to our soul salvation. Some of us live in “No!” It’s like that commercial on TV where the man ask does anybody want any cash and then he looks at the baby and the baby says, “No,” and throws a fire extinguisher at him. Some of us enjoy saying NO! When it comes to belief in God we doubters, even though we confess yes, we believe with our mouth.
Finally, we are assured of doing the right thing by making our “No” an authentic “No” that comes from the heart but continue to search until we find God and do the right thing. The first son said an emphatic NO but afterward he repented and went. Say an authentic no and go on praying. An authentic “no” is not the end – just the beginning, the first step. “Yes” to God, has to be born in us from the heart. If we allow it, it will be born.
MOSES
As you search Scripture, you will be able to see and understand God’s Plan for His bringing man into the world. God’s plan, from the beginning was for man to be “set apart”, which means SANCTIFICATION, for His purpose. God made Adam different and distinctive. It was not just something God did, but rather, it was for a specific purpose God had in mind. By now, you would think, man would have learned an astounding heart-wrenching lesson in regards to God’s Master Plan for him.
Moses’ name means, “drawn or called out.” [Exodus 3:1-10] Moses walked into his purpose on the back of a mountain, while carrying on his daily activities. God told Moses to take off his shoes, which means his walk is over. He now has a new walk. Moses fulfilled his walk well, though facing many disappointments, still he never walked away from his journey. Have you left your call?
Everyone God has called has a specific and distinctive journey that God will enable and help you to fulfill. YOU MUST PURSUE. GOD WILL ADD YOUR SUPPORT. You can never recruit anyone to remain with you. Everyone YOU recruited will fall as the journey heats up, but your call is a part of your life that makes you complete. The Key is – the love of God, and the desire to please Him, weighs heavy in your heart –you will never falter. Everyone will be able to see your signal call that you left behind, because it will always remain. If you desert your call – for any reason, you will live a regretful life. www.thealmightyeyes.com
Councilors Roberson, Tyson and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell among early supporters
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Wenonah High School Varsity boys’ basketball team petitioned the City of Birmingham recently to support their efforts to attend the 11th Annual MaxPreps Holiday Classic in Palm Springs, California. The event is slated for December 26-30, and is projected to be one of the top 10 high school basketball tournaments in the nation. Birmingham City Councilors Jay Roberson and Sheila Tyson invited the team to make a presentation before the City of Birmingham at the Tuesday morning’s council meeting.
Several councilors pledged to make financial contributions to help the team participate in the tournament, including: Birmingham City Councilor Jay Roberson – $2,500; Birmingham City Councilor Sheila Tyson – $1,500; U.S. Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell – $1,000.
“We’re grateful to have a Mayor, City Council, and community members who support our schools and what we’re trying to do,” said Cedric Lane, head coach for the Wenonah boys’ basketball team. “Their contributions will make it possible for these kids to get some national exposure, and compete at a higher level.”
City Councilors Steven Hoyt and Valerie Abbott also promised to make a contribution. Jarvis Patton, Chief Operations Officer for the City of Birmingham, said that after the final fundraising tally was complete, the Mayor’s Office would look into covering any remaining costs.
The MaxPreps Holiday Classic is an invitational tournament reserved for the top 25 basketball teams in the country. Wenonah finished last season ranked #17 in the nation. Al.com recently named Wenonah’s star point guard, Justin Coleman, as the top player in the state. He is credited as the “guiding hand on Wenonah’s unprecedented third consecutive Class 5A state title last season.”
“These young men have shown an intense dedication to their sport and have made our community so proud,” said U.S. Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell. “I know that they will represent us well in California, and I wish them continued success on the basketball court and in their future endeavors. Go Dragons!”
MONTGOMERY – Former Alabama State University football player Greg Jenkins was signed to the Oakland Raiders active roster, the team has announced.
Jenkins, who was signed as a free agent by the Raiders in May, caught five passes for 47 yards, averaged 11.5 yards on two punt returns, and 37.5 yards on a pair of kickoff returns in games during the NFL’s preseason.
After being released at the end of the preseason, Jenkins was signed to the Raiders’ practice squad the next day. He has continued to practice as a receiver, punt returner, and kick returner and is expected to play when Oakland hosts the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 3 p.m. central time.
Jenkins, who played quarterback for the Hornets, was moved to wide receiver during the 2013 offseason and caught the eye of former NFL cornerback and current ESPN analyst Herm Edwards during practice for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game in January. Jenkins has been soaking up the experience since his invite to the Raiders’ rookie mini-camp following the NFL Draft.
“Seeing how everyone prepares for games week in and week out was big for me,” said Jenkins, a native of Dade City, Florida. “Learning how to practice at a good pace and giving the defense a good look on the scout team offense was important. I also learned how to control my emotions after a win or loss because you have to quickly get ready for the next opponent.”
During the training camp, and especially when the preseason games began, is when Jenkins believes he really made his biggest adjustment to pro football.
“When the preseason games started, that’s when I really got to see how fast the game was,” Jenkins said. “I adjusted every day. It hasn’t slowed down completely; I’m competing against some of the fastest athletes in the world besides Olympic athletes.”
Jenkins was often among the fastest players on the field as a Hornet. A two-year starter at quarterback for Alabama State after transferring from junior college, the elusive Jenkins totaled more than 4,000 yards and accounted for 35 touchdowns as a passer and runner in leading the Hornets to victories in 13 of his 19 starts.
“We are very proud of Greg,” said Alabama State head football coach Reggie Barlow, himself an eight-year NFL veteran as a receiver and kick returner who played one season as a Raider. “We know he has been working hard and staying focused. This is a great chance for him to establish himself as a wide receiver and returner. I look forward to seeing him play this weekend.”
The infamous “Black Hole”, perhaps the most passionate section of Raider fans in the south end zone of O.co Coliseum, will be among the Silver and Black fans cheering Jenkins on.
“It will be mixed feelings – emotional and excited,” Jenkins said. “We have a great fan base in Raider Nation, and the energy of the stadium will be crazy! It will definitely be a day to remember.”
Jenkins is one of four former Alabama State players currently on NFL rosters. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is in his eighth NFL season, his second with the Seattle Seahawks, while rookie tackle Terren Jones (practice squad) and cornerback Saeed Lee (injured reserve) are with the Atlanta Falcons.
