National Day of Prayer “Champions of Change”

When One Door Closes…
LaDon G. McNeil
Recently, a friend shared a personal version on how to gracefully
accept closed doors and I had to add
my two cents as well. After reading
the article, please pass on, and if you
have experiences that you would like
to share with others, feel free to do
so.
We need to learn to thank the
Lord for closed doors just as much
as we do for open doors. The reason
God closes doors is because He has
not yet prepared anything for us at
that particular location.
If he didn’t close the wrong door
we would never find our way to the
right door. Even when we don’t realize it, God directs our paths through
the closing and opening of doors.
When one door closes, it forces us
to change our course. Another door
closes; it forces us to change our
course yet again.
Then finally, we find the open
door and walk right into our blessing.
But instead of praising God for
the closed door (which kept us out
of trouble), we get upset because we
“judge by the appearances.” And in
our own arrogance, or ignorance, we
insist that we know what is right.
We have a very present help in
the time of need that is always standing guard. Because He walks ahead
of us, He can see trouble down the
road and HE sets up road blocks and
detours accordingly. But through our
lack of wisdom we try to tear down
the roadblocks or push aside the
detour signs. Then the minute we get
into trouble, we start crying “Lord
how could this have happened to
me?”
We have got to realize that the
closed door was a blessing. Didn’t
He say that “No good thing will He
withhold from them that walk upright…?”
If you get terminated from your
job - don’t be down, instead thank
God for the new opportunities that
will manifest themselves - it might
be a better job, or an opportunity to
go to school. If that man or woman
won’t return your call - it might not
be them, it might be the Lord setting
up a roadblock (just let it go).
One time a person had a bank he
had been doing business with for
many years tell him “NO” for a $10,000
loan. The Lord led him to call another
bank. That bank approved a $40,000
loan for him at a lower interest rate
than his own bank had advertised.
Be grateful for the many times God
has closed doors, just to open them
in the most unexpected places. The
Mountain top is glorious, but it is in
the Valley where you will grow!
Always remember God gives
you...
Enough Happiness to keep you
sweet
Enough Trials to keep you strong
Enough Sorrows to keep you human
Enough Hope to keep you happy
Enough Failure to keep you
humble
Enough Success to keep you eager
Enough Friends to give you comfort
Enough Wealth to meet your
needs
Enough Enthusiasm to make you
look forward
Enough Faith to banish depression and Enough Determination to
make each day a better day than the
last.
Don’t worry about a door
closing;know that God has something better for you. As always have
a blessed week and remember only
what you do for Christ will last.
2012 Democratic Presidential Caucus:
It’s Time to VOTE for PRESIDENT!
Gerri Hall
Let there be no question, that
2012 is a Critical Election Year!!
There is so much at stake. Voter Registration and Voter Education are key
components this year, as it has been
in past years. We will vote three (3)
times this year. First, we will vote to
nominate Pres. Barack Obama for
President of the United States of
America, on Saturday, May 5, 2012
(Presidential Caucus). Secondly, we
will vote for all legislators on Tues-
day, August 7, 2012 (Primary). Our
final vote this year will be on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 (General Election), when we vote for our local legislators, Board of Education seats,
our local judges, three (3) Judicial
Seats on the Michigan Supreme
Court and of course, we will vote for
the President of the United States of
America.
On February 28th, 2012, the Republican Party held their 2012 Presidential Primary. It costs the residents of
Michigan, $10 Million dollars. Residents paid for the Republican Primary because we were assessed various taxes and/or by taking tax credits away, i.e., EITC (Earned Income
Taxes Credits). Also, Michigan residents are now paying taxes on our
pensions, for the first time! And our
Homestead Property Tax status may
soon be affected. We are definitely
VOTE
Continue On Page 8
National Day
of Prayer
Community To
Gather May 3rd
At Cleaves’
‘Revolutionary
Tree’
To Observe May Day/
Labour Day
Representatives of the Poverty
Roundtable, Sisters United and
Michigan Welfare Rights are inviting the community to join the Foundation for Mott Community College
at the Red Maple “Revolutionary
Tree,” located on the north side of
Ballenger Field House, for this year’s
Fifth Annual observance of May
Day/Labour Day, Tuesday, May 1,
at 11:30am. This year’s keynote
speaker is Kermit Williams, Councilman for the City of Pontiac. A Cultural Performance also will be presented by Yusuf Bauswell and The
Flint City Project.
The Revolutionary Tree was
planted May 1, 2008, in memory of
Frances Cleaves, well known for her
labor and community activism. She
was a champion and a voice for the
causes of working and poor people
in the Flint area and beyond. She died
Aug. 14, 2007.
May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is a celebration
of the social and economic achievements of the international labor
movement. Labour Day (or Labor
Day) was created to recognize the
economic and social achievements
of workers. It has its origins in the
Eight-Hour Day movement, which
advocated eight hours for work,
eight hours for recreation, and eight
hours for rest. The majority of countries celebrate Labour Day on May
1. The event is free.
On Thursday, May 3, 2012, members of Trinity Lutheran Church
will participate in the 61st Annual National Day of Prayer with a 12hour prayer vigil from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Members and guests
of the congregation have committed to pray for individuals, the local
community and our nation throughout the day.
As part of Trinity Lutheran Church’s Prayer Vigil, they are inviting individuals, organizations and businesses of the local community
to forward their prayer requests to the congregation via email at
[email protected]. All requests will be added to the prayer
list for the National Day of Prayer Vigil. Visit www.txinitydavison.org
for more information. Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 706
West Flint Street in Davison, Michigan.
Trinity Lutheran Church has been a part of the Davison community for more than 50 years. The members are committed to glorifying the Triune God and expanding His kingdom by Growing in God’s
Word and Sacraments; Serving God and one another, and Sharing
with all people the Good News of Jesus Christ. Trinity’s members are
always willing to serve the community of Davison through various
church-sponsored events and programs including numerous
fundraisers for Outreach East; a bi-monthly Red Cross blood drive, a
summer lunch ministry and a local Mothers of Preschoolers (M.O.P.S.)
group.
Contact Information: Sandy Isaacs, Trinity Lutheran Church, 706
W. Flint St., Davison, MI 48423 (810) 658-3000 or
www.trinitydavison.org
Plans For The Creation Of A
Flint Civil Rights
Historical Museum
On Wednesday, April 25, the Flint
Civil Rights Historical Museum Committee held a Press Conference to
share information regarding the creation of a Flint Civil Rights Museum
in the City of Flint. The Press Conference was held at the Flint Public
Library, 1026 E. Kearsley Street, Flint,
MI.
The committee will also announce
details of a naming and logo contest
for the future museum. The contest
will be open to middle and high
school students of the greater Flint
community.
Rosia Anderson-Murphy, one of
the founding members of the
committeesaid, “The City of Flint is
losing much of its civil rights history. We want to archive and preserve as much of this rich history as
we can, so that the community, for
generations to come, will know how
important the city has been in the
ongoing fight for equality for all.”
The Museum will house information on the city’s challenges and issues as well as highlight the contributions of its past and present civil
rights advocates. Our hope is that
the museum will serve as a teaching
tool for residents of our community
and beyond.
For more information contact
Rosia Anderson-Murphy at 810-3476972 or [email protected]
White House Highlights Leaders in Greening our Cities and Towns as
“Champions of Change”
WASHINGTON, DC – On
Wednesday, April 25th, the White
House will highlight nine individuals as Champions of Change for
greening our cities and towns. The
event will honor leaders who are using innovative approaches to promote energy efficiency, revitalize
outdoor spaces, encourage transportation options, and improve quality of life in our cities and towns.
“Healthy, sustainable communities support a strong economy and
better quality of life for Americans,”
said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White
House Council on Environmental
Quality. “The leaders we’ve selected
as Champions of Change are finding
creative ways to make their communities healthier places to live, work
and play, and demonstrating how a
healthy environment and strong
economy go hand in hand.”
The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama’s Winning the Future
initiative. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of
Champions, ranging from educators
to entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they
are doing to serve and strengthen
their communities. The White House
“Champions of Change” are:
Cynthia Barber, Tallahassee, FL
Cynthia S. Barber is the Director
of the City of Tallahassee’s Environmental Policy and Energy Resources
(EPER) Department. EPER is responsible for ensuring environmental
regulatory compliance for numerous
operations and facilities, as well as
developing and implementing environmental policies, programs and
initiatives that help to build a more
sustainable livable community.
Lindsay Baxter, Pittsburgh, PA
Lindsay Baxter is a Project Man-
ager for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC). Prior to joining PEC, Baxter served as the first
sustainability coordinator for the
City of Pittsburgh, in the Office of
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. In her role
with PEC she now works with communities ranging in population from
75 to over 300,000 to implement
sustainability efforts that reduce
environmental impacts, address climate change, help local governments
save money, and improve quality of
life for local residents. Key programs
she works on include the Pittsburgh
Climate Initiative and the Mon River
Town Program, a community and
economic development initiative
along the Monongahela River in
southwestern Pennsylvania.
Dr. Jackie Cole, Galveston, TX
Dr. Jackie Cole, a veterinarian, led
dedicated volunteers in Galveston
to start reforesting after Hurricane
Ike in 2008 flooded more than 75 percent of the buildings half of all the
trees on the Island. A former City
Council member in Galveston and
long-time environmental activist,
Cole founded the non-profit
Galveston Island Tree Conservancy
to educate citizens and raise funds
for replanting. In partnership with the
Texas Forest Service, City staff, and
volunteers, assessments were done
and plans made to replace the 100year-old trees that had graced the
historical neighborhoods of
Galveston. Through Cole’s efforts
and the efforts of other tree conservancy programs, more than 8000
trees have been planted, with plans
for another 3000 trees this year. Under Cole’s leadership, the Galveston
Island Tree Conservancy has won
the Arbor Day Foundation 2011 Excellence in Partnership Award, The
Texas Forest Service 2010 Gold Leaf
Award, Clean Galveston 2010 Quality of Life Award, and first place in
the Tom’s of Maine 2011 Good Community Sponsorship.
Brian Kasher, Charlotte, NC
Brian Kasher is the Manager of
Environmental Health and Safety for
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in
Charlotte, NC, leading efforts to reduce environmental impacts and improve sustainability across the district, which includes 20.1 million
square feet of occupied space in 630
buildings. Kasher leads cross-departmental teams that are working to
conserve energy, reduce waste, reduce fleet vehicle emissions, and
promote green purchasing and sustainable development. He also leads
the district’s indoor air quality program, which was recognized by U.S.
EPA as a National Model of Sustained Excellence.
Eric Mathis, Williamson, WV
J. Eric Mathis is the founder and
director of The JOBS Project. His organization has been at the forefront
of initiatives to bridge the gap between the fossil fuel and renewable
energy industries through the development and implementation of innovative finance and business models.
These models are designed to be
beneficial to both industries, creating mutually productive economic
links between the fossil fuel and renewable industries and the surrounding communities. Mr. Mathis
is an active board member of
Williamson Redevelopment Authority and Mingo County Diabetes
Coalition, where he is helping to develop a comprehensive project entitled Sustainable Williamson, which
emphasizes health and wellness as a
key component for economic revitalization. Using Sustainable
Williamson as a template, his most
recent endeavor is participating in the creation and implementation of the Central Appalachian Sustainable
Economies network,
which is an interactive
regional network of innovators cultivating
new ideas and resources in central Appalachia to grow
healthy communities.
Steve Montle, Flint,
MI
Steve Montle is a
Project Manager with
the Center for Community Progress in Flint,
Michigan. His work
there centers on complex urban redevelopment projects and the
Steve Montle
leveraging of governmental and community
assets to bring projects from the
planning stages to implementation.
Steve has previously held a variety
of leadership positions in governmental and non-profit organizations
with a focus on sustainability and
environmental stewardship.
Marian Robidas, Jonestown, PA
Marian Robidas has been the
principal of Jonestown Elementary
School in the Northern Lebanon
School District since 2005. Throughout her twenty-two years in education, she has been a strong proponent for active and authentic realworld learning, and for creating opportunities that allow students to do
their own problem solving. Mrs.
Robidas believes that a school cannot reach its maximum potential in
educating students without the help
of the community, and that it is never
too early for students to begin learn-
ing about their community and how
to best serve it.
Deborah Scott, Atlanta, GA
Deborah Scott is Executive Director of STAND-UP, a “Think and Act
Tank for Working Families” that supports community economic development through advocacy for community benefits, project work agreements, and other policies that increase equity and access to opportunity. She is the founder of TRADEUP, a prep-apprenticeship program
that provides a pathway for residents of low-wealth, disadvantaged
populations to 21 skilled trades
through the AFL-CIO multi-craft
training program. Deborah is the convener for Emerald Cities Atlanta, a
regional affiliate of the national Emerald Cities Collaborative that supports economic growth and job creation by retrofitting buildings to conserve energy, water and other re-
sources. Through her STAND-UP
and Emerald Cities efforts, Deborah
has been instrumental in developing
a model “Atlanta Regional
Workforce Pipeline” that seeks to
align the training efforts of labor,
educational, and community-based
groups with market factors such as
demand growth and shifting demographics. This pipeline concept also
t is being emulated and adopted in
other regions. Deborah is a leading
advocate for employing sustainable
principles in the effort to expand
opportunity and transform disadvantaged communities.
Jeff Shoemaker, Denver, CO
Since 1982, Jeff Shoemaker has
been the Executive Director of The
Greenway Foundation, the nonprofit organization that initiated the
reclamation of the Denver’s South
Platte River and its tributaries. Since
its founding in 1974, The Greenway
Foundation has collaborated with
countless public and private partners to create over $100 million of
environmental and recreational enhancements to these urban waterways, creating billions in economic
benefits to the surrounding area.
RELIGIOUS N OTES 2
AROUND TOWN 3
LOCAL CHURCH MINISTRIES
4&5
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Sunday May 6, 2012
The Bread of Life 6
SOCIAL SECURITY ISSUEs 7
CPSA COURIER INC.- Page 2
April 29, 2012
Religious Notes
Christ Fellowship MB Church
317 E. Hamilton Ave.
Rev. Dr. M. A. Jones, Sr., Pastor
The Ushers Ministry and Nurses
Ministry of Christ Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church cordially invites you to celebrate with them, our
Usher and Nurses Annual Day on
Sunday, May 20th at 4:00 P.M. The
Special Guest Speaker will be the
Superintendent Jerry Givens, Pastor
of the Prayer Garden Church of God
in Christ, Flint, Michigan.
Heavenly Host Full Gospel Bapt
2202 W. Dartmouth St.
Bishop M.C. Atkins, Pastor
The Heavenly Host Pastor’s Aid
Ministry will be having a Pastor’s
Love Day Program. Sunday, April
29th at 4pm with Pastor Ira Edwards
and Damascus Holy Life Baptist
Church as our guests. We invite everyone to come out to fellowship
with us. The W.O.F. (Women of
Faith) Ministry of Heavenly Host
Prayer Breakfast will be held on Saturday, May 12th at 9am. The Theme
will be “Walking in the Authority of
God” with Min. Michele McLaughin
as the speaker. For tickets contact
the Church Office. 810.767.6910.
New Creation Church
G3472 Lennon Rd.
Dr. Herbert L. Banks, Lead Pastor
Attention Women! You are cordially invited to a Mother/Daughter
Tea Sunday, May 6th at 4:00PM.
Bring your favorite tea cup & saucer
sets and wear your favorite hat &
gloves!
New St. James Memorial COGIC
2229 West Carpenter Rd
Elder Eddie Parrish Pastor
The New St James Memorial
COGIC Mass Choir invites you to
join us for our Annual Spring Musical on Saturday May 5th at 5 P.M.
Antioch MB Church
1083 E. Stewart St.
Rev. Lewis Randolph, Pastor
The Women of Antioch invite
you to their Woman’s Day Service
May 6th at 10:45a.m., Guest Speaker
Sis. Sharon Floyd, President of the
Wolverine State Convention
Women’s Department. For more information, please call the Antioch
Baptist Church at (810)-789-2931.
Mount Hermon M.B. Church
G-5283 Clio Road
Pastor: Rev. K.D. Yarber
The Mighty Men of Mount
Hermon M.B. Church will be hosting a Musical in support of their
Annual Scholarship Drive on Saturday, May 5th at 5:00 PM. Our guest
will be numerous Male Chorus
and Soloist throughout the Flint and
surrounding communities. We anticipate a great praise and worship service as some of Flint’s Greatest Men
come together to encourage, inspire
and pray for each other.
Southeast Christian Church
4171 Lapeer Rd.
Eld. K. M. Brown, Sr., Pastor
Southeast Christian Church’s
Missionary Department presents
their 19th Annual Women’s Day.
Women’s Day will be Sunday, April
29th. Our colors for the day are white
and any shade of blue. Our Morning
Worship Service commences at
11:30 a.m. and our guest speaker will
be Evangelist Rita Green from Greater
Grace Temple in Taylor, MI, with dinner following the service. At 4:30
p.m., we will have a closed session
for women with our guest speaker
Evg. Green and her husband, Assistant Pastor of Greater Grace - Taylor,
Elder Gary Green will instruct the men.
New Heaven M B C
Rev. Dr. F. S. White Pastor &
Founder
On Sunday May 6th & May 20th
at 4:00pm New Heaven B.C will
honor Rev. Dr. Fred S. White with a
Love Fellowship program. Theme:
“For thirty-nine years the Lord thy
God hast blessed thee in all the works
of thy hand” (Deuteronomy 2:7). May
6th the speaker will be Bishop John
Allen Carpenter Rd Apostolic
Church along with The Cross Baptist Church Rev. Albert Hare. May
20th Rev. Willie White will bring the
message from Evergreen MBC along
with Mt. Sinai Rev. Morris Collins,
and Rev. Henry L. Fuller Mt. Calvary
Baptist Church On Sunday May 13th
New Heaven Missionary Baptist
Church will honor their Mother’s&
Deaconesses at 10:45 AM. Mother
Lula Reed Chairman; Mother Eunice
Ingram Co-Chairperson; Sis. Lillie
Wilkes President of Deaconess
El Shaddai Ministries
Pastor Steve A. Hawkins, Pastor
NOW Open every Friday 9:30 –
12:30 p.m. The Ezra Community
Food Pantry, 1250 Roosevelt Street,
Please call: (810) 767-6029 or
(810) 767-4413 on Fridays.
Mt. Pisgah MB C
G-6415 N. Clio Rd.
Rev. Wallace Hill, III - Pastor
Saturday, May 5 at 12:00pm PreMother’s Day Lady’s Luncheon. A
wonderful day of fellowship, fun and
special attention! We have lots in
store for you. Please plan to attend
and bring your Mom, Grandma,
Daughter, Sister, Aunt, and Girlfriend. Speaker: Evangelist Janice
Hill of A Harvest of Souls Ministries
Enjoy singing, dancing, praising,
praying, poetry Special gifts, Tasty
treats, Delicious lunch Don’t miss
this Blessing!!! Contact Sis. Jackie
Chaney for tickets at 810-516-6225/
[email protected]
Foss Avenue Baptist Church
1159 E. East Foss Ave.
Pastor Reginald Flynn
Dr. Reginald Flynn and the Foss
Avenue family cordially invite the
community to the ordination ceremony of Minister Sean Payne
on Sunday, April 29th at 4:00pm.
The ordination service will be held
at Foss Avenue Baptist Church
and Pastor Wallace Hill of Mt. Pisgah
Baptist Church will preach the ordination sermon.
4th Year Appreciation Celebration of Pastor Reginald and First
Lady Deloris Flynn on Sunday, May
6th at 11:00am and 3:30pm! Pastor
Lewis Randolph of Antioch Baptist
Church and Moderator of the Great
Lakes Baptist District Association
will be the guest preacher during the
11:00am worship service. Pastor
Patrick Sanders of New Jerusalem
Full Gospel Baptist Church will be
our guests at the 3:30pm service.
Saints of God Church
528 W. Pierson Road
Alfred L. Harris, Sr. -Pastor
AJ Harris-Youth Pastor
SOG Women of Faith presents
their 2nd Annual National Day of
Prayer, “What happens when
Women pray!” Thursday, May 3rd
at 7:00 PM. Guest Prayer Warrior,
Thomasine Wortham; Guest Psalmist Artie Tyler Dixon & Kisa Lloyd
Holmes.
St. James CME Church
3116 Pierson Road.
Rev. Patricia A. Havis
St. James CME Church, where the
pastor is Rev. Patricia A. Havis, is
involved in a major building campaign. The church is renovating its
large and historic building located
at 310 W. Wood near downtown.
While the building project is going
on, the church temporarily worships
at 3116 Pierson Road. St. James announces the new website. Please
visit us at www.stjamescmech
urch.org. Keep track of our ministries as we stayed focused on the
Lord on this tedious and pilgrim journey. You may send donations toward
this project to St. James CME
Church. P.O. Box 416, Flint, MI.
48503.
Cathedral of Faith Ministries
COGIC
6031 Dupont Street
Supt.Christopher Martin, Pastor
Get ready Flint! The 4th Annual
Faith Conference last day Sunday
April 29th at Cathedral of Faith
COGIC the speaker will be Bishop
Samuel Duncan Jr., Prelate of SW
Michigan 3rd Jurisdiction of the
Church of God in Christ. Services will
start at 5pm on Sunday. All are welcome. For more information please
call 810-458~1718.
Peace Presbyterian Church
1521 N. Elms Rd. (at Beecher Rd.)
Peace Presbyterian Church would
like to invite you to Acoustic Gospel
Jam 6-8pm every first Friday of the
month. Come to play or come to listen. All styles of Christian music are
welcome. Church opens at 5:15 for
musicians to warm up.
Canaan Baptist Church
910 E. Gillespie
Rev. Charles E. Roots, Pastor
Canaan Baptist Church will host
the 4th Annual Mother/Daughter,
Sisters & Friends Banquet on Saturday, May 12th 3-6 pm. The theme
is God’s Masterpiece; emphasis,
“Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”;
scripture, Psalm 139:14. Our colors
for this occasion are shades of
purple. All are welcome, including
men. Great food, fun, fellowship, inspiration, love gifts and give-a-ways.
810.814 7957 or 810.210-7245.
Mt. Hermon MB C
5283 Clio Road
K.D. Yarber. D. Min., Pastor
You are invited and welcomed to
Late Night at Mount Hermon
9:00p.m. Second and Fourth Sundays. Come hear some of the nation’s
best choirs and soloist along with
dynamic preaching.
Morning Star MB C
2120 N. Saginaw St.
Pastor Keith J. Bigelow
Get Fit @ The Star! Morning Star
will be having a Health Fair on Saturday, May 5th from 11AM - 4PM.
For more info contact Kathy Jones
810-845-3673.
Greater Galilee Baptist Church
4418 Industrial Avenue
Pastor Latrelle W. Holmes
Latrelle and Suister Holmes
Happy 7th Anniversary Pastor
Latrelle W. Holmes, Sr. & First Lady
Veta Holmes on Sunday, April 29th
at 4:00 p.m. “Our Father’s Business”
Luke 2:49 And it he said unto them,
HOW IS IT THAT YE SOUGHT ME?
WIST YE NOT THAT I MUST BE
ABOUT MY FATHER’S BUSINESS?
(King James Version)
Ebenezer Ministries
2096 S. Center Road
Ebenezer Ministries presents,
“Help Is On The Way” a Community
Help Fair for all residents of Genesee
County. Help Is OnThe Way Community Help Fair will be held from 25 p.m. Sunday, April 29, at the
Ebenezer Ministries Community
Center. The free event will provide
information for housing, family and
child care, senior assistance, banking, health and life insurance, education and much more. Representatives from area agencies will be available to provide information, assistance and talk one on one about the
services they provide.
Mt. Sinai MBC
1215 E. Downey St.
Rev. Morris A. Collins, Sr. Pastor
On April 29th we will have our
Annual Ushers & Nurses Day Program at 3:30 p.m. Our guest will be
Canaan Baptist Church where Rev.
Charles E. Roots is Pastor and will
be bringing the message.
Living Word Ministry
2001 W. Carpenter Road
Elder Kirk Whitmore, Pastor
Living Word Ministry will be celebrating its’ Pastor’s Appreciation
Day on Sunday, May 6th during the
10:00 a.m. service. Reverend
Alphonso Williams of Ebenezer Ministries will be the featured speaker.
First Trinity MB C
1226 Beach St.
You are cordially invited to attend
the Mission Day program on Sunday, April 29th. at 4.00 p.m. The program theme will be “Tapping the
Power of Faith”, Scripture: Judges
4:10-24. Sister Izone Alston, Mission
President, and Sister Clarie Perkins,
Mission Advisor, extend to you a
warm welcome to attend this service.
For more information, please call 2342653.
Damascus Holy Life Baptist C
637 E Russell Avenue
Ira G. Edwards, Pastor/Teacher
The Victory in Praise (VIP) Chorale of the Damascus Holy Life Baptist Church will present a spring
“You’re All I Need” musical on Saturday, May 5th at 4 pm. Guests will
include choirs from True Life Baptist Church, Heavenly Host Full Gospel Baptist Church, First New Life
Baptist Church, and Gospel Temple
Baptist Church. All are welcome to
come and fellowship with us. Dinners will be available for sale in the
S.B. Harrison Training Center after
the service. (810) 787-1336.
Mt. Calvary M.B.C.
4805 N. Saginaw Street
Rev. Dr. H. L. Fuller, Jr., Pastor
Mt. Calvary will present its 5th
Sunday Mission Program, Sunday,
April 29th at 10:30 a.m. Come witness this observance in recognition
of efforts to support home and foreign mission projects.
Church WithOut Walls Min.
6202 Dupont Street
Overseer, Martez Warren Sr.,
Pastor
Praise Dance Concert and Empowerment Program Everything That Has
Breath Praise the Lord” Church
WithOut Walls invites you to a Praise
and Worship Experience on Saturday, May 19th beginning promptly at
6:00 pm. There will be a host of dance
ministries presenting selections of
Praise and vendors will be on site.
Women’s Day “Lord I Surrender”
Church WithOut Walls invites you
to a Worship Experience on Sunday,
May 6th beginning promptly at
11:30 am. The guest Speaker for the
evening service will be Kaisja Cole
from 5th Street Baptist Church in
Meridian, Mississippi
Baptist Minister’s Fellowship
Alliance of Flint, MI
Rev. W.Campbell, President
The Baptist Minister’s Alliance
will have an Appreciation Service for
President Wilbert Campbell on Saturday, May 5th at 4:00 p.m. This service will be held at the Prince of Peace
Missionary Baptist Church, located
at 1417 N. Stevenson St., where Rev.
Jeffery Hawkins is the host Pastor.
The public is cordially invited to
come and share with us on this joyous occasion. Contact Minister
Alcus Smith Sr. @ (810) 394-6767.
Greater Galilee Baptist Church
4418 Industrial Ave
Rev. Latrelle Holmes Sr., Pastor
Greater Galilee Baptist Church
would like to invite you to fellowship with us at Pastor & Sis. Holmes
7th Pastoral Anniversary on Sunday,
April 29th at 4:00pm. Our guests
for this program will be Pastor Lewis
Randolph & Antioch Missionary
Baptist Church & Christ Fellowship
Missionary Baptist Church.
April
29, 2012
15
CPSA Courier - Page 3
Crim Fitness
Foundation Host
Free Family Day in
Max Brandon Park
Flint Welcomes
Author, Baseball Great
and Native Son
Jim Abbott
Urban League Honors Black Scholars
Jim Abbott will appear May 5, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Pitch, Hit and Run
for Youth (7-14) and for the 2 p.m. Book Talk at the Flint Public Library
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater
Flint, the Flint Public Library and The
Horizon Group at Morgan Stanley
Smith Barney welcome home Flint
son, baseball great and author, Jim
Abbott, Saturday, May 5, 2012.
Youth ages 7-14 can participate
in a Pitch Hit and Run with Abbott
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and he will
present a book talk, benefit sale and
signing from 2-4 p.m. at the Flint
Public Library located on the Flint
Culture Center Campus 1026 E.
Kearsley Street. These events coincide with the release of Abbott’s
memoir Imperfect: An Improbable
Life.
A Pitch, Hit and Run for youth
ages 7 to 14 with Abbott will be
held May 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at
Broome Park, 3201 Hammerberg Rd.
Pitch, Hit and Run is the official
skills competition of Major League
Baseball. The event is designed for
youth who will compete in three
events: pitching at a target with a
designated “Strike Zone,” hitting off
a stationary tee for distance and accuracy, and a timed running event
from second base to home plate.
Awards will include certificates
for the winners and the possibility
to advance to a sectional competition. To register or for more information, visit www.bgclubflint.org or by
bnelson [email protected].,
and also the Boys and Girls Club of
Greater Flint, (810) 249-3413.
Abbott will visit the Flint Public
Library (1026 E. Kearsley St., Flint),
for a book talk, benefit book sale
and signing May 5, 2-4 p.m.
Proceeds from the book sale will
benefit the Flint Public Library and
the Boys & Girls Club of Greater
Flint. Only books purchased at the
Library ($20) will be signed.
Imperfect: An Improbable Life
is an inspirational memoir written by
Abbott along with Tim Brown.
Abbott, who was born without a
right hand, became a left-handed
pitcher.
After graduating from Flint Central High School. Abbott went on to
play baseball for the University of
Michigan Wolverines. He won an
Olympic gold medal and became a
major league ace, throwing a no-hitter in 1993.
“We are honored to be a part of
these events and are so pleased that
Jim Abbott will be spending time
with local youth sharing his inspirational story.”
“Jim has been a great supporter
of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater
Flint for many years and truly believes in supporting his home town,”
says Jamie Gaskin, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of
Greater Flint.
Urban League of
Flint’s 30th Annual
“Salute to Black
Scholars”
The Urban League of Flint will
hold its 30th Annual “Salute to Black
Scholars” Tribute on Wednesday,
May 23, 2012, 6:00 pm, at New
Jerusalem Gospel Baptist Church.
We invite you to join our distinguished list of tribute sponsors and
supporters.
Since its inception, community
members, professionals, organizations, foundations and businesses
such as the HealthPlus, Kettering
University, University of MichiganFlint, Mott Community College,
Baker College, Citizens Bank, and
others have taken advantage of this
opportunity to clearly state, yes!, we
support the academic achievement
of our local youth, we encourage the
pursuit of higher education and we
pledge our financial support in the
form of scholarships to assist students as they move beyond second-
ary education.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Urban League of Flint’s
“Salute to Black Scholars” tribute.
As you know, this event was designed to recognize and reward African American high school students
who maintain a 3.0 or better grade
point average during high school. In
1982, 88 students were recognized.
This year, there are 245 students eligible to participate.
In celebration of 30 years of saluting our African American outstanding students we are looking for
all former Black Scholars from 1982
to 2011 to help celebrate our 30th “Salute to Black Scholars”.
Please contact Janice Harden at
[email protected] or 810210-1085, provide your name, high
school and the year you were a Black
Scholar by May 4, 2012.
Genesee County Historical
Society to Feature History of
the Flint Golf Club
visit our website:www.cpsacourier.com
For over a century the Flint Golf
Club (FGC) has been part of the fabric of our community. Founded by
J. Dallas Dort in 1910, the Flint Golf
Club has welcomed many of our
most prominent community leaders
on its links and at its tables.
The Genesee County Historical
Society (GCHS) will hold its May
Heritage Dinner at the historic Flint
Golf Club on Thursday, May 10,
2012.
Flint businessman and former
GCHS president Christopher S.
Kelly, Sr. will present a program on
the History of the Flint Golf Club,
including a tour of preservation
highlights.
“The Flint Golf Club is a direct
descendant of the auto industry in
Flint,” Chris Kelly stated, “and like
the auto industry benefited and suffered from the highs, lows,
expansions and constrictions in the
economy. Both the auto industry
and the Flint Golf Club share a fascinating history.”
The public is invited to attend
this event. A dinner is available for
$25 per person. For more information
or to make a reservation please
call (810) 762-9661. Dinner begins at
6:30 pm.
Paces Day Will Bring Fun and Games
The Crim Fitness Foundation will
host PACES – Parents and Children
Exercising Simultaneously – to give
families an opportunity to show their
children that physical activity is
important, fun and can be shared
with the entire family.
PACES Day will take place from 1
PM to 3 PM Saturday, May 5 at Max
Brandon Park, located at MLK and
Pasadena Avenues in Flint. The
event is open to all ages and there is
no cost to attend.
PACES Day will include games
and activities such as jump rope,
hop-scotch, relay races, interactive
storytelling, basketball, balancing
games, yoga and Hula Hooping. All
ages are encouraged to participate.
One-third of children in America
are considered overweight or obese.
The Crim Fitness Foundation is
committed to fighting obesity by
providing health and fitness opportunities to children and families.
When parents exercise with their
children, it fosters healthy behaviors at an early age and teaches
children that physical activity is
fun.
The National Kidney Foundation
of Michigan will give a demonstration of Enhance Free Fitness classes
and local popular music radio station, Club 93.7 will provide promotion and entertainment. There will
also be health and nutrition information available for families.
For more information about
PACES Day contact Crim Fitness
Foundation staff Theresa Roach at
(810) 235-7894 or [email protected].
!Kids Korner!
Did You Know??????
Scott Jones and Marquise Love, members of First New Life Baptist Church
will represent the Great Lakes District Laymen at the Wolverine State Bible
Bowl, to be held Saturday April 28, 2012 in Pontiac, Michigan. Rev. Fletcher
Johnson is the Pastor of these two young men. Deacon Herman Miller
serves as the District Laymen President. Congrats to these young men!
Don’t miss the GLBDA Young People’s Dept. “Spring Retreat & FUN
DAY” to be held Saturday April 28, 2012, 11:00 a.m. at the Metropolitan
Baptist Tabernacle. Come share a fun filled time of fun, food, and prizes
And later that day don’t miss the Annual Debutante Pageant and Senior
Oratorical Contest, 5:00 p.m. Mt. Calvary Baptist Church.
Saturday is going to be an eventful day for our young people in Great
Lakes, make sure you give our young your support. BE BLESSED!
Cutbacks, Layoffs
Loom in District Court
Flint District Court Administrator
Paula McGlown said she doesn’t
know exactly what the city’s economic future will mean for her court
and staff, but she said she is preparing for cutbacks and layoffs. A budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 by emergency manager Michael Brown
shows that public safety, which includes police, fire and the district
court, will likely experience an 18
percent reduction in its staffing.
“As required by law, the City will
continue to financially support the
operation of the 68th District Court,”
the budget states.
“Recognizing the financial circumstances of the City, along with
the court’s decreased caseload and
offsetting revenues, court funding
is reduced in this budget.” McGlown
said she has made no official announcement to her staff yet as to who
and how many will be laid-off, but
she will be working in the next few
weeks to adopt a plan. “I’ve got
some work ahead of me,” said
McGlown.
The court currently has a more
than $5.2 million budget from the city,
according to McGlown. Brown’s
budget calls for more than $5.35 million to go to the court in the next
fiscal year beginning July 1.
McGlown said that she has yet to
see any final numbers for the court
in the upcoming budget. However,
McGlown did say that the more than
$5.2 million the court currently receives does not fully fund its yearly
operations, including a nearly
$100,000 shortfall for its rent.
Although she has not yet finalized the court’s staffing moving forward, McGlown said her employees are sensitive to the situation that
they are in. “Everybody pretty much
knows the state of the city.”
Tuesdays
Deadline for ALL
Articles & Ads
April 29, 2012
CPSA Courier - Page 34
LOCAL CHURCH MINISTRIES
April 29, 2012
CPSA Courier - Page 35
From Rodney King to Trayvon Martin: Let’s Not Miss Another Opportunity to Progress
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Ben Jealous march in Florida
Twenty years ago on April 29,
1992, four white LAPD officers were
acquitted of assaulting motorist
Rodney King despite the presence
of videotaped footage of the horrific
beating. The nation was fixated on
the case, much like we are now with
the tragic death of Trayvon Martin
in Sanford, FL. But what people often forget in Rodney King’s story is
that it was not about race — it was
about justice.
In fact, it was a man by the name
of George Holliday (of Argentinian
descent), who shot the infamous
footage of King’s beating. Holliday
knew instinctively that what he captured was troubling, and when police failed to do something about
the incident he videotaped, Holliday
went to the press and soon everyone saw the atrocity for him or
herself.
So when the not-guilty verdicts
against the four accused officers
were read some 20 years ago, all of
us should have been united in our
response. Race should not have
been a factor; we needed to rally
around the issue of police brutality
and injustice. It was a missed opportunity. We cannot allow that to happen again.
The notion of race in America is
complex, troubling and hopeful at
the same time. Blacks still struggle
with the remnants of slavery and
unequal access to educational, housing and job opportunities. Whites
still grapple with changing demographics, and immigrants work to
both assimilate and hold on to
their cultural heritage simultaneously. America is without a doubt
a unique experiment in the history
of civilization.
Yet while racial dynamics continue to create challenges and unfortunate miscarriages of justice,
there has been undeniable progress.
We’ve elected the first Black President, over 40 Black members to Congress, and watched people of color
break down barriers in virtually every industry and every part of society.
In 2012, we must ensure that we
continue to progress, and not get
caught in the divisive tactics that
some would like us to fall in to.
In the case of Trayvon Martin, we
have to unite and remember that it
isn’t about race, but rather justice
for a dead teenage boy whose only
crime was walking home with a bag
of skittles and an iced tea.
Rodney King to
Trayvon Martin
continued from Page 6
April 29, 2012
CPSA Courier - Page 36
S UNDAY S CHOOL L ESSON
Dr. Turner Hartfield
May 6, 2012
The Bread
of Life
John 6:22-35
Jesus said unto them, I am the
bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall never hunger; and he that
believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6:35
Lesson Outline
I.Seeking Jesus
John 6:22-24
II. Seeking Answers
John 6:25-30
III. Seeking Bread
John 6:31-35
Lesson Background
Near the beginning of Jesus’ third
year of ministry, He received distressing news of the death of John the
Baptist (Matthew 14:3-13). Jesus
took His disciples to an isolated location across the Sea of Galilee, somewhere near Bethsaida on the northeast shore (Matthew 14:13; Mark
6:31, 32; Luke 9:10; John 6:1) for a
time of rest and solitude.
But the eager multitudes would
not leave them alone. Thousands of
people came out of the cities and ran
by foot around the north end of the
lake (Mark 6:33, 34; John 6:2). Jesus
took compassion on the crowds,
teaching them God’s Word and healing their sicknesses.
At the end of the day there was
nowhere for the people to get food.
So Jesus took five small barley loaves
and two fish and fed 5,000 men in
addition to women and children (Matthew 14:21). Other than the resurrection, this is the only miracle of Jesus
that is recorded in all four Gospels.
The people were so excited about a
leader who could supply food miraculously that they wanted to force
Him to be their king. But Jesus refused to be a bread-king, so He withdrew to a mountain to pray (John
6:15). (This opportunity to take a
shortcut to kingly power bears a similarity to the temptation by the devil
in Matthew 4:8, 9). Later that night
Jesus walked across the lake to join
His terrified disciples in the storm
tossed boat (John 6:16-21). That is
the immediate backdrop to today’s
lesson.
I. Seeking Jesus
John 6:22-24
22. The day following, when the
people which stood on the other side
of the sea saw that there was none
other boat there, save that one
whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with
his disciples into the boat, but that
his disciples were gone away alone.
The phrase the day following indicates that what comes next follows
closely what is described in the Lesson Background.
Although Jesus had “sent away
the people” following the feeding of
the 5,000 of the day before (Mark
6:45), some apparently have remained in the area on the other side
of the sea where the miracle had taken
place.
These people are puzzled by
Jesus’ absence since they know that
(1) Jesus had not left in a boat with
His disciples (again, Mark 6:45), (2)
none other boat was there for Jesus
to have used, and (3) Jesus would
not have walked around the north
end of the lake in the dark of night.
Therefore they do not comprehend
Jesus’ absence. Where has Jesus
gone, and how did He get there?
A storm had arisen on the Sea of
Galilee the night before (John 6:18),
with the wind blowing against the
disciples’ boat (Mark 6:48). This had
kept them from making much
progress toward their destination.
This situation changed when
Jesus walked on the water during the
night and caught up with the disciples (John 6:19); they arrived “immediately” at their destination (6:21).
This is what the crowd does not
know.
23. (Howbeit there came other
boats from Tiberias nigh unto the
place where they did eat bread, after
that the Lord had given thanks.)
Boats from Tiberias travel the
other direction, since Tiberias is a
city on the western edge of the Sea
of Galilee. Those who are arriving in
these boats to join the search for
Jesus can confirm that they have not
passed Jesus traveling in the opposite direction during the daylight
hours of this new day. This place
where they did eat bread refers to
the location of the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 in John 6:11.
24. When the people therefore
saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took
shipping, and came to Capernaum,
seeking for Jesus.
The boats from Tiberias (v, 23,
above) are put to good use: when
the people realize that Jesus and His
disciples are gone, they use those
boats to head for Capernaum. Those
not able to secure passage on a boat
must travel by foot around the northern shoreline.
We are used to thinking of
Nazareth as Jesus’ hometown (John
1:45; Acts 2:22; etc.). But Capernaum
becomes the home base for Jesus at
the beginning of His public ministry
(Matthew 4: 13). Scripture even calls
Capernaum “his own city” (Matthew
9:1; compare Mark 2:1). Thus this
little fishing village, on the northwest
shore of the Sea of Galilee, seems
the most logical spot for the crowds
to begin their search for Jesus.
II. Seeking Answers
John 6:25-30
25. And when they had found him
on the other side of the sea, they said
unto him, Rabbi, when earnest thou
hither?
The people find Jesus on the
other side of the sea. The bookends
of john 6:24 and 6:59 confirm that the
location is Capernaum. The title
Rabbi is one of honor as a student
addresses a teacher. The crowd is
fickle, however, for they will dispute
Jesus’ teaching soon enough (John
6:41, 42). The question when earnest
thou hither? reveals puzzlement.
When-and how did Jesus arrive?
At least some people had seen
Him withdraw to a mountain (John
6:15), and the next day He simply was
gone. He did not have a boat (6:22,
above), and traveling by foot at night
is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Yet here He is the next day in
Capernaum! What is going on?
26. Jesus answered them and
said, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Ye seek me, not because ye saw the
miracles, but because ye did eat of
the loaves, and were filled.
Jesus provides an answer, but not
to the question the people ask. Instead of discussing His method of
travel, He tells them what they really
need to know. He tells them the uncomfortable truth about their real
motives. They seek Him not because
they have seen miracles that prove
His identity and message. Rather,
what motivates the people is the fact
they did eat of the loaves and their
stomachs were filled.
The people do not need to know
when or how Jesus arrived in
Capernaum. Instead, they need to
confront the ugly truth that they
want religion to be a means of gain
(compare those denounced by Paul
in 1 Timothy 6:5).
Jesus has no desire to attract
“soup line” Christians who follow
Him only to get food. Mark 6:52 tells
us that the disciples still have hard
hearts at this point in Jesus’ ministry.
27. Labour not for the meat
which perisheth, but for that meat
which endureth unto everlasting
life, which the Son of man shall give
unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
It is natural to labor for food in
order to stay alive. Indeed, the Bible
commands that we do so (2
Thessalonians 3:12). But working for
food is not to be our top priority.
People are not to fill their barns just
so they can take their ease, eat, drink,
and be merry (see Luke 12:19).
Jesus knows that the life of this
present world can be snatched away
at any moment. Why should people
focus on what will not last? Thus
Jesus challenges His would be followers to focus on securing the food
that endures unto everlasting life
(compare Matthew 4:3, 4).
This means submitting to the Son
of man, who can give it to them. Jesus
is the one whom God the Father has
sealed in this regard. Thus, He is the
one who carries Heaven’s own seal
of approval.
28. Then said they unto him,
What shall we do, that we might work
the works of God?
The crowd seems to sense that
there is something available that is
even better than yesterday’s miracle
of bread. Jesus has just said to focus on “meat which endureth unto
everlasting life.” So how should they
do that?
The crowd’s question What shall
we do, that we might work the works
of God? shows that the people have
missed the point. Although they correctly see that there is a kind of food
more important than ordinary food,
they do not correctly see how to get
it.
Like the rich young ruler (see
Matthew 19:16), they seem to assume that doing some kind of good
work is the answer. They do not acknowledge that Jesus has just said
that all this involves that “which the
Son of man shall give unto you” (v.
27).
29. Jesus answered and said unto
them, This is the work of God, that
ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
In response to the crowd’s somewhat confused question, Jesus answers clearly: the “work” God wants
them to do is to believe on him whom
he hath sent. The basis of salvation
is faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8), not
works of law (Romans 3:28). It is impossible to please God without faith
(Hebrews 11:6).
This faith is a working faith, to be
sure (James 2:14-26), but it is not the
works that earn salvation. Christ calls
on His hearers to believe in Him with
total confidence and loyalty, and He
will give them the life they seek. But
will they trust that He really can do
this?
30. They said therefore unto him,
What sign shewest thou then, that
we may see, and believe thee? what
dost thou work?
The people are not prepared to
put their trust in Jesus. Rather than
submitting in humble faith, they
doubt Him. The miraculous feeding
of the 5,000 is not enough for them,
so they request an additional sign.
No longer are they seeking answers; now they are issuing demands. Jesus has just told the crowd
to do God’s work by believing in
Him.
The people, however, throw
Jesus’ words back at Him. Caring
nothing for what they themselves
should do, they insist What dost
thou work? They have no interest
in satisfying God; the Son of God
must satisfy them!
III. Seeking Bread
John 6:31-35
31. Our fathers did eat manna in
the desert; as it is written, He gave
them bread from heaven to eat.
Israel’s birth as a nation came
when Moses led them out of Egypt.
One of the miracles of that exodus
involved manna in the desert. It happened just as God had promised: “I
will rain bread from heaven for you”
(Exodus 16:4). For 40 years the
people of Israel could go out each
morning (except the Sabbath) and
gather manna to eat. Now, centuries
later, the Jews are awaiting a Messiah who can do the same thing.
After all, Moses had promised
that God would raise up a prophet in
their midst, and that person would
be like Moses himself (Deuteronomy
18:15). God had provided manna for
six days every week, year after year,
for hundreds of thousands of people
during the time of Moses. Jesus has
just provided a single meal for 5,000
men (plus women and children).
Thus Jesus has not yet proven himself greater than Moses in the eyes
(and stomachs) of the people. If
Jesus really is the long awaited
prophet, even the Messiah, then He
had better produce lots more bread
for them!
32. Then Jesus said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses
gave you not that bread from heaven;
but my Father giveth you the true
bread from heaven.
Jesus needs His audience to
understand two vital truths. First, it
was the Father, not Moses, who gave
them the bread from heaven in the
wilderness. The people do not need
another Moses; they need to turn to
God. Second, God has a new kind of
bread that is far better than the ancient manna.
Jesus has come to be more than
just another Moses. Moses was the
servant of God; Jesus is the Son of
God (see Hebrews 3:3-6). Moses delivered the Israelites from slavery in
Egypt; Jesus can lead them from the
slavery of sin and death. Moses led
the people to the entrance of the
promised land; Jesus will lead believers to Heaven.
33. For the bread of God is he
which cometh down from heaven, and
giveth life unto the world.
Jesus himself is the bread of God
(also John 6:41, 51). The ancient
manna came down like rain from the
sky (Psalm 78:24), but Jesus comes
down from Heaven itself the manna
was for the body, but this bread from
Heaven is for the soul. The ancient
manna could keep people alive from
day to day, but Jesus can keep
people alive for all eternity.
Jesus comes to sustain life in
ways far beyond what mere bread
can do. But to accept His teaching
requires faith. Later in Jesus’ sermon,
He will instruct the crowds about
eating His flesh and drinking His
blood (John 6:51-57), demands that
are repugnant to them. Their forefathers had stumbled when they
needed to put their faith in God; how
far will this crowd go in trusting
Jesus?
34. Then said they unto him,
Lord, evermore give us this bread.
Like the woman at the well who
was eager to get an endless supply
of water (John 4:15), these people are
eager for the Heaven-sent bread.
They cannot pass up such a good
deal! But the people do not understand what Jesus is really saying.
Thus the need for the next verse.
35. And Jesus said unto them, I
am the bread of life: he that cometh
to me shall never hunger; and he
that believeth on me shall never
thirst.
Jesus affirms “I am the [something)” seven times in John’s Gospel. The first of these seven is right
here (repeated in 6:41, 48, 51); the
other six are in John 8:12 (repeated
in 9:5); 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6;
and 15:1, 5.
Here, in the first of these seven
affirmations, Jesus is offering himself as God in human flesh.
Jesus is the solution to all their
problems. As more than a mere mortal, Jesus does not come just to provide the bread of life, but to be that
bread. Anyone who comes to Jesus
in trusting faith will find satisfaction
for his or her deepest hunger and
thirst. This is an echo of Isaiah 55:1.
As long as the people think Jesus
is talking about physical bread, they
are quite ready to accept it. However,
when it becomes clear that Jesus is
talking about something else, they
back away. By the end of this story,
many reject Him and leave, unable
to trust Him and accept on faith what
He is saying (John 6:60-66).
No More Hunger;
No More Thirst
Deep in the soul of every person
is a hunger that is more than just
physical hunger. Just as our bodies
have an instinct for survival, so do
our souls. Only when we finally feed
on the true bread from Heaven will
we ever escape the gnawing dissatisfaction of spiritual emptiness.
Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this
day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).
These words, of course, are about
the physical food that we need to
live from one day to the next. But are
we as eager to pray each day for the
bread from Heaven, the spiritual
bread, that enables us to live forever?
It is only when we take Jesus into
our souls that the soul’s deep hunger can ever be satisfied. Jesus also
said that with the true bread from
Heaven we will never thirst (compare
John 6:53- 58). Therefore as we accept and embrace His atoning death
on the cross following the plan of
salvation in its entirety, we are consuming the bread that gives life. This
is how we do “the work of God” as
we “believe on him whom he hath
sent” (John 6:29).
Every time we participate in the
Lord’s Supper, we are remembering
and proclaiming that death (1
Corinthians 11 :26). As we digest the
teachings of Jesus and incorporate
them into our lives, we are consuming the bread that gives life (John
6:63).
Jesus is the bread of life. He is the
source of life, the giver of life, the
sustainer of life. His words, His atoning death, His very presence in our
hearts, these make up the true bread
that gives our spirits life.
Thought to Remember
Focus on the most important
kind of Bread.
Rodney King
to
Trayvon
Martin
continued from Page 6
For years, I have been discussing the issue of racial profiling, and
police brutality/misconduct. Fighting for reforms of the NJ State Police, and championing for fairness
in cases like those involving the
tragic deaths of Amadou Diallo,
Sean Bell and more, I’m not naïve to
the realities of society and race.
But I also understand that the
diligent work of activists even before my time paved the way for
change to occur and for us as a nation to progress forward. And that
is the key.
As we watch the case develop
against George Zimmerman, the confessed killer of Trayvon Martin, we
cannot get caught in the trap of racial division. Although race may
have very well led to young
Trayvon being profiled by
Zimmerman in the first place, we
cannot allow our reaction to be
based on race.
“We live in the middle of an
American paradox,” Rev. Al
Sharpton told the crowd. “We can
put a black man in the White House
but we cannot walk a black child
through a gated neighborhood. We
are not selling out, bowing out or
backing down until there is justice
for Trayvon.”
Trayvon was an unarmed teenager who was walking home when
he was killed. No matter what our
own background, we cannot in good
conscience accept the unnecessary
death of a young child, and we
should demand that his killer at
least go before the court and be held
accountable.
This weekend will marks 20
years since Los Angeles California
erupted in riots following the acquittal of the officers accused of
beating Rodney King. It was by far
a missed opportunity. We allowed
what was a grave travesty to be hijacked by those who wish to push
racial divides, and we all paid the
price. It was a case that should have
united America; not pushed forward
the worst within us.
In the generation since, I hope
that we can prove that we have
grown. As those with an agenda
work to divide us in the Trayvon
Martin case, let’s remember that
it’s about the death of an unarmed
young man who could have been
any one of our kids.
I’ve fought for justice for
Trayvon because I believe in
America and I don’t believe we
should burn it down. Let’s prove
that we are in fact the United States
of America, and let’s not miss another opportunity to show just how
great we can be.
Twenty years ago, our anger led
us to burn and loot, and when the
dust settled, we had changed nothing.
Today, whatever the outcome of
the Zimmerman case, let us channel
our anger to build. Let’s change the
infamous practices of ‘stand your
ground’ laws, ‘stop & frisk’ policies,
racial profiling and sentencing disparities.
We are 20 years older, let’s show
that we are mature and focused.
Change is the goal.
735 E.
Wagner Ave.
Church
Pastor James A. Waldon
Sunday School ................................................... 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship .............................................................. 11:00 a.m.
Evening Worship ................................................................. 6:00 p.m.
Midweek Service ............................................................... 6-8:00 p.m.
Tuesday Bible Study Morning 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday Bible Study Evening ............................................. 6:00 p.m.
“A friendly Church Exalting Our Lord And Saviour, Jesus Christ”
April 29, 2012
CPSA COURIER INC. - Page7
SOCIAL
SECURITY
Issue
By Cynthia W. Edwards
Public Affairs Specialist
“Ticket to Work” Inspires
Ballroom Dancer To Dance On
Megan Riggs was just like many other people in their late twenties: bright,
ambitious, and full of life. She earned Bachelor degrees in Forensic Science
and Biology, with a minor in Chemistry. Riggs started working and building
her career. In her spare time, she pursued her passion, competitive ballroom
dancing.
In January of 2008, Riggs had a major depressive episode. Her illness
caused her to lose her job, and financial struggles resulted. Riggs qualified
for Social Security disability benefits. The monthly payments helped keep
her afloat financially, but even then she had the desire to work again. Knowing she would need help returning to work, she looked to Social Security’s
“Ticket to Work” program and other work incentives for support on her
path back toward self-sufficiency.
Riggs learned that the Ticket program was free, voluntary, and designed
specifically for adults who receive disability benefits through Social Security. She decided the program was a good fit for her, as it would help her find
a career that could lead to a brighter future.
Once Riggs made her choice to participate in the Ticket to Work program, she decided to work with an Employment Network (EN) that provides
employment support and guidance. The EN helped Riggs develop a plan to
achieve her work goals and offered advice on career building, job placement, training, and counseling. “I could try work,” said Riggs. “I knew I
wasn’t going to be on my own.”
Using her Ticket, she was able to test her abilities, build her confidence,
and continue to receive her benefits while working toward becoming fully
self-sufficient. Through Social Security’s work incentives, she maintained
her health care coverage, which gave her peace of mind.
Riggs found stable employment. As a result of her hard work, she now
works as a document control specialist, earning more money than she received on disability benefits.
The Ticket to Work program helped Riggs achieve a more fulfilling life
by helping her regain the satisfaction of work. She now enjoys working,
reading, spending time with her Cocker Spaniels, and has even been able to
return to competitive ballroom dancing.
“With Ticket to Work, I’ve received the tools to excel and the help of
people to keep me going.”
Thousands of Social Security beneficiaries like Megan Riggs have earned
more money, begun careers, learned new skills, and met new people through
the Ticket to Work program. If you’re disabled and ready to change your
life through work, this program may be the ticket for you, too. To learn more,
visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work.
Grace and
Peace
We bring you greetings from the
Impact Network family. You are
reaching us at an exciting time in history. The founders of The Impact
Television Network, Bishop Wayne
T. and Dr. Beverly Y. Jackson have
just made history, by being the first
African Americans to launch the first
National Christian Network on April
6, 2011.
The Impact Network’s mission is
to provide inspirational programming
that positively impacts and empowers the spiritual, physical, financial
and emotional needs of its viewers.
We are confident that you will be
more than satisfied with the services
we plan to offer you.
I am forwarding you a television
media packet. Please take a moment
to look over the Impact Network’s
Media kit enclosed in this mailing/emailing. We hope this will be the
start to a good working relationship
with you and your ministry.
This media kit enclosure will help
you make the most of our services.
We are providing you with a copy of
the coverage (demographic and
qualitative) areas; mission statement
and other pertinent information. For
a limited time, we are providing media agencies and various ministries
with the most affordable comprehen-
sive media rates at the best times.
We are providing this proposal to
improve your ministry exposure, in
an effort to increase your ministries’
membership because this will help
make your name & ministry known
to people who have never heard of
you. We believe because many viewers will be watching your ministry
on the Impact Network, we believe
this will increase the likelihood of
more people coming out to your
weekly services.
Other benefits of airing your ministry with the Impact Network, it will
reach approximately 200 million
homes; The Impact Network provides a diverse program line-up and
we are offering you the most affordable rates over other media markets.
We want to personally thank you,
in advance for taking the time to review this material. It is our sincere
objective to provide you with excellent programming service throughout the duration of your partnership
with us, while making every effort to
make it most affordable to you and
your ministry endeavors. In effect,
it is the Impact Network’s desire to
be the vehicle to take your ministry
to the next level. Thank you again,
as we look forward to you becoming
our newest client.
Free Folk Music
Concert: Cairn to Cairn
Sunday, May 6th at 4 p.m., Flint
Public Library
The Flint Folk Music Society in
collaboration with the Flint Public
Library present a free acoustic folk
music concert with Cairn to
Cairn, Sunday, May 6, 2012, 4pm
(doors open at 3:45pm) at the Flint
Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St.,
Flint in the Reading Room.
Cairn to Cairn, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is comprised of flutist/vocalist Kelly McDermott, guitar-
Voter Registration Weekend
at OFA Headquarters
This Saturday and Sunday, we’re
organizing a big weekend of action
in Flint and across the country. Before you decide whether or not to
join, hear me out.
No matter what you’re thinking,
or what the polls say, this race is
going to be neck and neck. In a lot of
states, the margin of victory or defeat could be just a handful of votes.
It’s a numbers game.
But we’ve got something the
other guy doesn’t: a whole lot of
passion and a whole lot of boots on
the ground.
So this weekend, your fellow supporters are taking to the streets for a
massive voter registration effort. It’s
going to be bigger than any we’ve
had so far — and Barack and I need
you out there.
Can you help register voters in
Flint on Saturday, April 28th?
What: Voter registration weekend
of action in Flint
Where: 4400 S Saginaw St
Flint, MI 48507
When: Saturday, April 28th
10:00 amEvery vote is important,
and there are currently still too many
people whose voices will not be
heard on Election Day unless we get
them registered and ready.
We can’t wait on this one.
Say you’ll make it out to the voter
registration weekend of action in
Flint this Saturday:
http://my.barackobama.com/
Voter-Registration-Weekend-of-Action
Barack and I are working hard to
make this country better — from reforming health care to strengthening our economy — and millions of
Americans are counting on us to
continue this work. But we can’t do
it alone.
Together, we’ll win this thing.
ist/singer Terry Farmer, and bassist/
percussionist/vocalist Rob Crozier.
Originally formed in 2007 as a classical flute and guitar duo, Cairn to
Cairn soon expanded their exploration into traditional folk music and
beyond. For more information on
Cairn to Cairnsee www.cairntocair
n.com. For more information on the
Flint Folk Music Society go to
www.flintfolkmusic.org. For more information on the Flint Public Library
go to www.fpl.info.
Jobseeker
Workshops:
Flint Library,
May 3 and
May 10
Need help finding a job or preparing for an interview? The Flint Public Library along with Genesee,
Shiawassee Michigan Works-Career
Alliance will present free “Jobseeker
Workshops.” Learn tips to break into
the hidden job market Thursday,
May 3, 10-11:30 a.m. Learn how to
prepare for your interview on Thursday, May 10, 10-11:30 a.m. The workshops are free, but registration is required. To register call 810.249-2569.
The workshops will be held at the
Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley
St., Flint in the Training Lab on the
second floor. For more information
call 810.2327111 or visit www.fpl.info.
HelpWANTED
‹Ad
Person
to sale Newspaper Ads
on Commission
For more information contact the CPSA Courier Office at
(810) 234-8770
or apply in person at
109 Welch Blvd
at M. L. King Ave. or email resumes to
[email protected].
Address to Rev. Wilbert Campbell
PUBLIC NOTICE
REQUEST FOR QUOTES
Genesee/Shiawassee Michigan Works! Career Alliance, Inc. (GSMWCAI) is currently soliciting
individuals or organizations for the following services for Program Year 2012 – 2013:
•Job Matching Assessment Services
•Auditing Services
Requests for quotes (RFQ’s) will be available on our website www.gsworks.org after 5:00
p.m. on April 30, 2012. Copies will also be available at:
Genesee Shiawassee Michigan Works Career Alliance, Inc.
711 N. Saginaw Street, Suite 300
Flint, MI 48503
Inquiries regarding the RFQ responses may be e-mailed to: [email protected]
Quotes MUST be mailed to:
Genesee Shiawassee Michigan Works! Career Alliance, Inc.
Attention: Workforce Training Department
P.O. Box 528
Flint, MI 48501
Quotes must be received at the above address by 5:00 p.m. on May 10, 2012.
GSMW/CAI reserves the right to reject any quote received that
does not meet the specifications contained in the RFQ.
Equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary Aids and Services available upon request to
individuals with disabilities. Funded by the State of Michigan.
CPSA COURIER INC. - Page 8
VOTE
Continued From Page 1
paying!!! Remember, the Republicans in Lansing today, are the ones
who passed these laws which now
means we pay more taxes!! Let’s hold
them accountable!
On May 5th, 2012, the Democratic
Party will hold our 2012 Presidential
Caucus. It will cost $0 (Zero) dollars
for the residents of Michigan. Democrats feel Michigan residents, are
paying enough taxes right now and
they can’t afford more taxes. There
will be no cost to Michigan families.
We feel Michigan families have already been taxed enough.
The 2012 Democratic Presidential
Caucus will be held on Saturday,
May 5th, 2012. Residents of Genesee
County will nominate the Democratic
Nominee for President of the United
States of America, President Barack
Obama. Registration begins at 9AM
to 11AM. The 2012 Democratic
Presidential Caucus will begin
promptly at 11AM. LET’S GET OUT
THE VOTE!! We need all residents
of Genesee County to come out and
vote for our President, Barack
Obama. We have to come out in big
numbers to let our President and
America know, that “We’ve Got his
Back!”
The following five (5) Presidential Caucus Sites are the only locations which will be open for Voting
on Saturday, May 5, 2012.
Please Note: Your regular voting
locations WILL NOT be open.
Only the following five (5) Presidential Caucus Sites will be open for
VOTING:
(1) City of Flint residents who live
in Wards 1, 2, 3 and 4, Mt Morris
City and Mt Morris Township will
vote at UAW Local 599 (812 E. Leith
Street).
(2) City of Flint residents who live
in Wards 5, 6, and 7, Cities of Burton, Davison, and Townships of
Davison and Richfield will vote at
UAW Local 651 (3518 Robert T.
Longway).
(3) City of Flint residents who live
in Wards 8, and 9, Swartz Creek,
Clayton Township, Flint Township
and Village of Lennon will vote at
UAW Region 1-C (1940 W. Atherton
Rd).
(4) Residents of Genesee County
who reside in the Cities of Clio, Flushing and Montrose, Townships of
Flushing, Forest, Genesee,
Montrose, Thetford, and Vienna, Villages of Otisville and Otter Lake will
vote at the Clio Senior Center (2136
W. Vienna Rd).
(5) Residents of Genesee County
who reside in the Cities of Fenton,
Grand Blanc and Linden, Townships
of Argentine Atlas, Fenton, Gaines,
Grand Blanc and Mundy, Villages of
Gaines and Goodrich will vote at the
IBEW Local 948 (1251 W. Hill Rd).
Please share this information with
your family, friends and encourage
April 29, 2012
everyone to come out and support
our candidate, President Barack
Obama.
President Obama’s Genesee
County Campaign Headquarters is
now located in the Great Lakes Tech
Center on South Saginaw Street (Between Hemphill Rd and Atherton Rd.)
Please come out and support YOUR
president!
VisitOur
website:
cpsa
courier.
com
Emergency Manager to Include
Public Comment Portion
WithPublic Presentation of
Fiscal Year 2013 Budget
Flint’s Emergency Manager Michael Brown has decided after hearing
suggestions from the public to include a public comment portion with his
budget presentation scheduled for 5:30pm on Monday, April 30, 2012.
The meeting will last from 5:30-7:00pm. Individuals will be given three
minutes tocomment on the budget after it is presented.