2
3
4
NEED PRAYER, call the church office and obtain the telephone number of the
5
Deacon according to the first letter of your last name (See below). If your name starts with ... A Call Robert & Jessie Anderson B Dennis & JoAnne Craig, or Betty Brown or Rodney Bough C
A.G. Harrison, or Shirley Robinson, or Larry & Deborah Hayes D James Harvey or Venda Hawkins E Ron & La Vonne Husband or Adrienne Hurst G Minnie Mannings or Valeria Burwell or Ellen Clark
H George & Tamara Lewis or Thelma Jones I/J Ellis & Thelma Johnson or Eva McLaurin or Walter McDonald K/L/N/O/T Terrence Williams or Lonnie & Josephine Stokes M Chuck Williams or Melva Hill P/Q Carrie Walker or Nadine Harris R/S Larry Willis or Oscar Woodard U/V/W/X/Y/Z Robert Hamilton or Ron Demps or Michael Dickson
SBC ‘Call to Action’ Roll Call: All SBC Youth & Young Adults Jaylyn Harris John Harris Derek Moreland Khalil Williams Layla Spicer Krista Moreland Savannah Towles Jason Jenkins MyReanna Wade Lawrence Spicer Justice Styles Khalil Green Aaron Craig Lelani Mays Paige Jenkins Tyler Spicer Kori Stokes Marquise Robinson Jolee Humphrey
Amaya Marshall Denaili Applewhite Adam Johnson Jordan Adkison Daylon Adkison Candice Johnson Darius Scott Madison Brown Deah Johnson Nicole Matthews Mion Pointer Brian Robinson Dallas Darden Jaden Brown Marguise Robinson Langston Theard Breanna Collins Erica Collins Keyerra Collins Keyerra Green Kyonna Green
Natasha Herring Michael Pointer Breanna Dickson
IF Black Lives Matters
Rayna Aaron Lucy Hernandez Ryan McCulloch Cameron Funchess Tayeeisha Williams John Pointer Jashion Wade Reese Aaron Lauren Dickson
to you, Join us on Thursday Night at 7pm, all you need is your Smart Phone.
6
“The Planter”
7
The Laughing Pew
"Enjoyed the testimonies, great music, outstanding sermon . . . though I couldn't see a thing!"
B
eyonce's new visual album celebrating black culture has been
greeted with rapturous reviews, arriving in the middle of a cultural reckoning about race and social justice. Black is King, is intended to "shift the global perception of the word black", the singer said in a message marking its release. Work on the album, which features music videos celebrating the search for identity and black beauty in contemporary and historical times, began a year ago. Black Is King was inspired by Beyonce's time filming the remake of The Lion King. The album's release followed a surge of worldwide protests about racial injustice in the wake by the deaths of men and women of color at the hands of US police.
Variety called the album a "colorful reminder of the power and glory of being Black, here in America but even more so in Africa". #BlackIsKing was among the top three trending items on Twitter after it hit the Disney+ streaming service. "We're grateful to Beyonce for this celebration of the black experience," tweeted black culture website essence.com.The Guardian review called it "Beyonce's love song to the black diaspora" and praised the involvement of African artists like Yemi Alade, Lord Afrixana and Shatta Wale. Actress Lupita Nyong'o, musician and producer Pharrell Williams and supermodel Naomi Campbell are among other celebrities making cameo appearances. Beyonce wrote in an Instagram post that the recent calls for social change had made the album even more relevant than she had hoped when she began working on it. "I believe that when black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our real history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books," she wrote. Reference: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-01/black-is-king-reviews-hail-reminder-ofpower-and-glory-of-black/12514848
C
ongressman John Lewis passed away on July 17, 2020 at 80 years old. He leaves behind a legacy of activism and service that will echo for generations to come.
His death represents the end of an era, not only for Congress but for the country as a whole. A survivor of Alabama’s “Bloody Sunday” massacre in 1965 and a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., Lewis was one of the last living leaders of the civil rights movement. A member of Congress for more than thirty years, he channeled all he had learned from his fight for equality as a young man into empowering youth and minority communities and encouraging activism. His zeal for justice was only matched by his capacity for compassion. He sat in for justice and stood up for equality, he marched for jobs and rode for freedom. The last living speaker from the March on Washington, he provided a bridge from how far we’ve come and a road map to where we still need to go. While attending the American Baptist Theological Institute Lewis studied nonviolent protest and became involved in sit-ins at lunch counters and other segregated public places. In 1961, while participating in the Freedom Rides that challenged the segregation of Southern interstate bus terminals, Lewis was beaten and arrested—experiences he would repeat often. In 1963 he was elected as the chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a position he held until 1966. Also in 1963 Lewis played a key role in the historic March on Washington, as he was its youngest speaker. Still in his early 20s, John Lewis had already become such a prominent figure that he was considered one of the civil rights movement’s “Big Six” leaders, along with Dr. King, James Farmer, A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, and Whitney Young As a leader of the SNCC, Lewis was a committed participant in some of the key moments of the Civil Rights Movement. Congressman Lewis never failed to remind his colleagues in Congress and all Americans of our moral obligation towards one another. He lived his life acting on behalf of those facing injustice and oppression and then encouraged us to do the same -- from the streets of Selma to the halls of Congress. John Lewis was one of those rare leaders who espoused the virtues of justice and equality and inspired them in millions.
His impact is inescapable. He pushed forward landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act, showed us the power of organizing and standing up for what’s right, and inspired us to dream bigger and push harder for the kind of world we want to live in. These lessons hold just as much, if not more, significance today. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated, “Today, America mourns the loss of one of the greatest heroes of American history: Congressman John Lewis, the Conscience of the Congress. John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation – from the determination with which he met discrimination at lunch counters and on Freedom Rides, to the courage he showed as a young man facing down violence and death on Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the moral leadership he brought to the Congress for more than 30 years.” Generations from now, “President Obama said when awarding him a Medal of Freedom in 2011, “when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind — an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person or some other time; whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now." As our country continues to grapple with racial injustice and violence, with how we welcome and treat immigrants and refugees, with how we respect and recognize the rights of diverse individuals everywhere, we should remember Congressman Lewis’ directive in a 2018 tweet: “Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” In a moment where we have been driven apart, in a nation that feels as divided as it has ever been, let us allow John Lewis to bring us together one more time. Allow his memory to continue to lead us toward that more perfect union. His legacy reminds us that we are truly one nation, but it also demands that we continue to work toward completing our unfinished business, his unfinished business: Justice. John Lewis committed his life to Christ. He led with love and lived out Christian teachings in all that he did. His religion drove his civil rights work. According to biographer Joh Meacham, “Lewis believed…if we got our hearts and minds in the right place…we’d create a world where justice comes down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” https://www.bet.com/news/national/2020/07/18/nancy-pelosi-statement-death-john-lewis.html (Pelosi quote and other info https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9BD6iX4Zlc
(Obama quote)
www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/john-lewis-religion.. (John Meacham)
F
Patient Attention, Valuable Discoveries
or many people, the coronavirus pandemic has been a test of patience — or worse. Medically vulnerable people face an anxious time of hypervigilance. Furloughed workers wait on hold or in lines for assistance. Special events have been canceled or rescheduled. Those not impacted directly deal with assorted frustrations and inconveniences. Many people are learning the benefit of slowing down, being present (even virtually) to others and practicing patient attention. Interestingly, scientist Isaac Newton did some of his best work when the plague forced Cambridge University to close. At home, the inquisitive student invented calculus and developed groundbreaking theories of gravity and optics. Later Newton called 1666 his annus mirabilis (“year of wonders”) and reportedly said, “If I have made any valuable discoveries, it [owes] more to patient attention than to any other talent.” What have you discovered during the Covid-19 crisis? What appreciations have you developed for aspects of life you may have previously taken for granted? What has social distancing taught you about the value of neighbors, church, community volunteering? During the pandemic, what have you learned about persistence and God’s presence? What empathy do you now feel for writers of words such as “I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope” (Psalm 130:5, NIV)?
The Rhythm of Rest Does God indeed need to rest? Of course not! But did God choose to rest? Yes. Why? Because God subjected creation to a rhythm of rest and work that he revealed by observing the rhythm himself, as a precedent for everyone else. In this way, he showed us a key to order in our private worlds. —Gordon McDonald
“A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.” —Douglas Pagels
God declines to sit atop an organizational flowchart. He is the organization. He is not interested in being president of the board. He is the board. And life doesn’t work until everyone else sitting around the table in the boardroom of your heart is fired. He is God, and there are no other applicants for that position. There are no partial gods, no honorary gods, no interim gods, no assistants to the regional gods. God is saying this not because he is insecure but because it’s the way of truth in this universe, which is his creation. Only one God owns and operates it. Only one God designed it, and only one God knows how it works. He is the only God who can help us, direct us, satisfy us, save us. ―Kyle Idleman, Gods at War
C.T. Vivian, Martin Luther King’s Field General, Dies at 95
Cordy Tindell Vivian was an American minister, author, and close friend and lieutenant of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. Vivian resided in Atlanta, Georgia, and founded the C. T. Vivian Leadership Institute, Inc. He was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
V
ivian was born in Boonville, Missouri.. As a small boy he migrated with his mother to Macomb, Illinois, where he attended Lincoln Grade School and Edison Junior High School. Vivian graduated from Macomb High School in 1942 and attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, where he worked as the sports editor for the school newspaper. His first professional job was recreation director for the Carver Community Center in Peoria, Illinois. There, Vivian participated in his first sitin demonstrations, which successfully integrated Barton's Cafeteria in 1947. Studying for the ministry at American Baptist Theological Seminary (now called American Baptist College) in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1959, Vivian met James Lawson, who was teaching Mohandas Gandhi's nonviolent direct action strategy to the Nashville Student Movement. Soon Lawson's students, including Diane Nash, Bernard Lafayette, James Bevel, John Lewis and others from American Baptist, Fisk University and Tennessee State University, organized a systematic nonviolent sit-in campaign at local lunch counters. On April 19, 1960, 4,000 demonstrators peacefully walked to Nashville's City Hall, where Vivian and Diane Nash discussed the situation with Nashville Mayor Ben West. As a result, Mayor West publicly agreed that racial discrimination was morally wrong. Many of the students who participated in the Nashville Student Movement soon took on major leadership roles in both the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Vivian helped found the Nashville Christian Leadership Conference, and helped organize the first sit-ins in Nashville in 1960 and the first civil rights march in 1961. In 1961, Vivian participated in Freedom Rides. He worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. as the national director of affiliates for the SCLC. During the summer following the Selma Voting Rights Movement, Vivian conceived and directed an educational program, Vision, and put 702 Alabama students in college with scholarships (this program later became Upward Bound). His 1970 Black Power and the American Myth was the first book on the Civil Rights Movement by a member of Martin Luther King's staff. In the 1970s Vivian moved to Atlanta, and in 1977 founded the Black Action Strategies and Information Center (BASICS), a consultancy on multiculturalism and race relations in the workplace and other contexts. In 2008, Vivian founded and incorporated the C. T. Vivian Leadership Institute, Inc. (CTVLI) to "Create a Model Leadership Culture in Atlanta" Georgia. The C. T. Vivian Leadership Institute conceived, developed and implemented the "Yes, We Care" campaign on December 18, 2008 (four days after the City of Atlanta turned the water off at Morris Brown College (MBC) and, over a period of two and a half months, mobilized the Atlanta community to donate in excess of $500,000 directly to Morris Brown as "bridge funding." That effort saved the Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and allowed the college to negotiate with the city which ultimately restored the water services to the college. On August 8, 2013, President Barack Obama named Vivian as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The citation in the press release reads as follows: C. T. Vivian is a distinguished minister, author, and organizer. A leader in the Civil Rights Movement and friend to Martin Luther King, Jr., he participated in Freedom Rides and sit-ins across our country. Vivian also helped found numerous civil rights organizations, including Vision, the National Anti-Klan Network, and the Center for Democratic Renewal. In 2012, he returned to serve as interim President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Vivian died on July 17, 2020, in Atlanta two weeks before his 96th birthday, the same day that his friend and fellow activist, John Lewis, died.
W
hat is our “new normal?” Some say the “new normal” means we are going to be surveilled to smithereens, and that life post-pandemic will never be the same. Old and young people will never be together. We will not experience hugs, kisses or physical contact during our daily greetings ever again.
Others say that eventually people will grow tired of washing their hands umpteen times a day, and life will return to the old normal What is our “new normal?” Some say the “new normal” means we are going to be surveilled to smithereens, and that life post-pandemic will never be the same. Old and young people will never be together. We will not experience hugs, kisses or physical contact during our daily greetings ever again. Others say that eventually people will grow tired of washing their hands umpteen times a day, and life will return to the old normal, pre-pandemic. People will congregate together again; you will be able to visit your parents in a nursing home without fearing you’re asymptomatic and might spread the new virus. No matter what is going on in the “new normal” world, the same “old normal” habits are what protect us in managing our health. We must stay proactive, and in some cases creative, to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. So what are some things we can do while the world around us has adapted to limiting exposure to COVID-19? •
Stay active: The gyms may not be open, however, there are lots of safe alternatives to getting physical activity without going against the preventive best practices recommended by the CDC like social distancing and avoiding large crowds. Aerobics can be done successfully at home. Another important point to consider is that avoiding crowds does not mean avoiding nature. Going for a brisk walk or jog outside in uncrowded areas outdoors is still considered relatively safe. Push-ups, sit-ups, jumping-jacks and more exercises are great ways to stay fit away from the gym.
•
Adequate sleep: Good sleep is essential to our overall health. According to The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the nation’s leading medical research agency: “Immune system activation alters sleep, and sleep in turn affects the innate and adaptive arm of our body's defense system.” While the amount of sleep needed for good health and optimum performance mostly depends on the individual, the CDC recommends adults age 18-60 years get seven or more hours of sleep per night.
•
Diet and nutrition: Practicing self-discipline and avoiding “emotional eating” due to stress that may be related to the drastic changes surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affects our lives is imperative. According to the CDC, whole foods like dark, leafy greens, oranges and tomatoes—even fresh herbs—are loaded with vitamins, fiber and minerals. Make it a habit to try to eat more whole nutritious foods instead of processed snacks or fast food. •
Self-care: Take time to take care of yourself. Be supportive and suggest the same for those close to you. Meditation, relaxation, quality time with family, and personal care of yourself promotes overall wellness.
• Healthcare maintenance: If you have medications prescribed for any condition, be sure to take them as directed by your provider. Chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma and many others should be kept in check with taking your medications as pre scribed. Be sure to reach out to your healthcare team with any concerns as well.
Cope with stress and anxiety: Positively cope with stress and anxiety induced by new precautions we must all now take to combat the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Positive coping mechanisms would include exercise, meditation, reading, further developing certain skills or hobbies etc. • Stay connected: Talking with loved ones while in isolation can help reduce the anxiety and instances of feeling down. Take time to utilize the multitudes of technologies and apps (many free) that can help you stay in touch with those you love. The guidance above is to improve overall health and wellness. Please be aware that although eating nutritious foods, physical activity, adequate rest and taking care of our mental health makes us more resilient, it’s not a cure nor does it guarantee immunity from contracting COVID-19. In addition to these suggestions, first and foremost be sure to practice CDC guidance on social distancing, self-care, self-quarantine, wearing of cloth masks when social distancing is not possible and talking with your provider about any concerns you may have regarding your health. Stay Healthy Jessie M. Anderson, RN BSN https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html https://health.mil/News/Articles/2020/05/22/COVID-19-lifestyle-tips-to-stay-healthyduring-the-pandemic https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-there-more-than-one-strain-of-the-newcoronavirus#Researchers-find-mutations https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
Date And Time Sat, August 22, 2020 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT
Date And Time Tue, August 4, 2020 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT
Date And Time Tue, August 4, 2020 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PDT
The 2020 Virtual March on Washington, taking place August 27-28, 2020 on the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, will be a one of a kind event driving the movement from protest to policy to power.
In 1631, a publishing company published a Bible with the typo “Thou Shalt Commit Adultery.” Only 9 of these Bibles, known as the “Sinners’ Bible” exist today.
T
he son of drug dealer and an alcoholic, Steven Malcolm loved basketball, girls and Snoop Dogg, and slid by on barely-good-enough grades in high school in western Michigan. In 2010, the college freshman — his father long gone, and his mother having moved away — walked into a hip-hop worship service, and his life changed forever. Over lunch in a Hollywood restaurant, he recalls, “I was just a normal dude. I played basketball, and I would go out on the weekend, party. I was the party/ athlete guy. Didn’t have no kids. I wasn’t in and out of jail, wasn’t selling dope. I wasn’t in no gang. Me, I was like, ‘I’m a good guy. I’m going to Heaven. I’m good.’ “Then I walked into this hip-hop church, and it was literally the first service that I actually heard and paid attention to in my life. The topic was about sin, but there’s a difference between what’s good on this earth and what’s good from the perspective of the Lord. That’s what really convicted me. “All this time, I’m like, ‘Man, I’m good. I believe in Christ, so I’m good. I’m in there.’ But I’m not walking in the real world of my Creator. Jesus became more than just my Savior — that I didn’t want to go to Hell — but he became the Lord of my life. I realized that, and it convicted me, and I found purpose in that. “My story about growing up fatherless — I was always looking for a sense of purpose, a sense of identity. When you grow up without a dad, it’s like, ‘Man, who’s my hero? Who do I want to be like?’ But that’s gone, so God just became that owner. There’s a male figure that died and loves me, so I just accepted it.” Malcolm recently released a new album called under the 4 Against 5 imprint, part of Curb/Word Entertainment, called The Second City (the nickname for Montego Bay, Jamaica, where his father came from). Have a listen: Reference: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/kateohare/2019/04/christian-hip-hop-reggae-steven-malcolm-jesus/
Credit card holders and card theft protectors
Author: Bishop Dr. Wm. LaRue Dillard
Comments/Questions, Email us at: SBCBookstore925@gmail.com
F
Learning — and laughing — on the fly aced with the sudden move to livestreamed church services, many pastors and worship leaders had to learn new technology quickly during the pandemic. As they were “winging it,” bloopers and bobbles added levity to the tense time.
For instance, a fake tree fell on a drummer while a worship song was being broadcast from Georgia. After getting too close to a candle, a vicar in England had to pause to extinguish flames from his sweater. And several preachers appeared on screen with cartoon-like features after inadvertently turning on social media filters. “This wasn’t planned,” wrote the pastor about the falling ficus, which didn’t cause injury but quickly went viral. “But God used it to bring laughter to the hearts of many. For that, we are thankful.”