Southside Scoop - 6.16.2024

Southside Church of Christ

800 Elmira Avenue Durham, NC 27707

info@sside.org | www.sside.org

919.688.3535

STAFF

Orlander R. Thomas Senior Minister

William A. Stephens Minister Emeritus

Candice P. Blount Church Administrator

Quentella Williams Executive Assistant

John Merriweather Online Campus Minister

Dineen Merriweather Online Campus Director

DEACONS

John Alcox

Anthony Green, Sr.

Arthur Hackney

John Mathis

Chester Mayfield, Jr.

Roger McDougal

Joe Williams

Keith Wright

W E E K L Y W O R D

What’s Next?

By RICKI FULLER

Approximately 11 days after the unbelievably heinous murder of George Floyd on the 25th of May in 2020, a white christian artist penned and recorded a song entitled “Honest.” The artist, Micah Tyler, stated that he wrote the song based on “the outcry for racial equality in America.” It was his attempt, at that time, “to honestly share his feelings with his black brothers and sisters” through song “because he believes music is of vital importance right now for all to find refuge, comfort, and peace while so many in the nation are in pain.”

“With the premiere of his new song “Honest,” Tyler wrote on Instagram, “I’ve felt sad, angry, confused, sickened, but more than anything I’ve just felt helpless.” Additionally, he said he “spent time asking God for the eyes to see what is going on and how I can represent the Kingdom in the middle of so much hurt.”

“After reading and researching to help educate himself on the plight of his black brothers and sisters in America, Tyler said he was led to the Bible (Ephesians 4:25): ‘…Stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.’ …It stopped me in my tracks. I was born and raised in the South and have seen the cruelty and the disgusting effects of racism firsthand. I’ve never used racial slurs, never hated someone because of their skin color, never tried to punish someone because of their race or tried treating someone different because of the side of the tracks they grew up on. But there have been times that I’ve been silent when I should’ve spoken up. I’ve looked the other way when others have been in pain. I’ve made a few posts, felt hurt for my hurt friends, but I feel guilty because I could’ve done more.”

Reading that article about Micah Tyler served to somewhat take-the-edge-off my mind’s displeasure/indignation regarding the abject/despicable/contemptible/degrading manner a great many American people of color are rampantly mistreated/disregarded. It is not clear how many other people of European descent experience similar thoughts and desires as shown by Tyler. However, I do recognize that it is high time for me/us, as Christ’s engrafted sibling(s), to pray not only for the mistreated but for those who are ignorant and/or content-with-the-U.S.status-quo.

So, prayerfully what’s next for us is to remember who we are in GOD’s eyes as detailed in Ephesians 1:3-8, Psalm 139, Ephesians 2, etcetera. GOD’s desire for us is to love Him through worship, gratitude and service, and love His people through prayer and sharing (Whew! Help us, Lord!).

This song by Joshua Miller entitled “Slow to Anger,” calms my mind: “Surely goodness, and Your mercy, Will follow me forever; Your loving kindness, sweet forgiveness, Are new every day; You are slow to anger, rich in love; Your kindness is pursuing us, You won’t condemn us, or discard us; Even when we’ve gone astray, … Hallelujah, You’re pursuing us”! Thanking Christ!