February 10, 2015 (Karen Hopkins Birthday)

Thoughts on Two Topics

1. Let me begin by wishing my Beloved a very happy birthday. I trust that her family and friends will let her know how  much they appreciate her. Once again, my commitment to her is to try to and be a little less irritating in the year ahead than I was in the year gone by.
2. Heading in another direction – In several settings in recent weeks the topic of reparations to the descendants of African American slaves has come up. It came up again today at a conference titled “Marijuana and Social Justice” where the impact of the War on Drugs on communities of color was under close consideration. It seems to me that there is the need for the United States not only to change racialized policies and practices but to make some restitution to those who have born the brunt of these. In her book, “Destiny’s Child: Memoirs of a Preacher’s Daughter,” our own Jewelle Taylor Gibbs writes of reparations, “My own opinion is that the reparations should not be doled out to individuals, but rather designated for five crucial needs in the black community, college scholarships, job training and  development, home mortgages for low income families, small business loans to entrepreneurs and affordable health care.” Her suggestions would seem to be a fair way to address the stubborn realities of institutional racism.

Peace,
Jim H.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Jewelle Taylor Gibbs as she mourns the death of her niece, Lei Lani Brent-Clarkson
• Virginia Damretzky – eye surgery on Tuesday
• Phil, Gloria and Mary Sue Meads for Jon (job)and June (need to sell home)
• Marie Johnson for Jamani, Marian’s cousin Marian, Marian O. recuperating from a fall, work colleagues, and herself
• Kay Baxter for Stacey as she looks for work, Jamie’s ongoing recovery, Thanksgiving for the blessings her family has received
• Teresa Hopkins for her mom as she faces open heart surgery, February 23
• Larry Sims for Leslie Sims
• Chuck Johnston for Kevin after a brief hospitalization
• Lari Musatti for Paul, Johanna and Evan Wilkinson and Gloria Joseph
• Cathy Glover for her neighbor
• Jeanne Robinson for the residents and staff of St. Mary’s Center Shelter
• Linda Tanner for the Morin family as the mourn the death of their daughter Monica
• Pastor Tanner for her sister Jenny and family friend Justin
• Karen Hopkins for Chris and family
• Paige Bence for the peace of the world struggling to respond to evil done in the name of faith
• Ruben Artery for his brothers Robert and Rick
• David Holly for the Johnson family as they mourn (Bakersfield)
• Patricia Butterfield for Gordon White and all the residents of Grand Lake Gardens
• Linda Earl as she remembers her daughter who would have been 36 years old this coming Sunday
• Thanksgiving for Mary Sue Meads and all who marched for Environmental Justice on Saturday
• Paul Templeton for his parents and all the members of Binkley Memorial Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, NC as they mourn the death of longtime member Coach Dean Smith
• Wally Bryen for Analise as she recuperates from surgery
• Myra Saxton for her family
• Alice Butler for parents of all ages as they relate to their children of all ages
• Doris Evans for Ted, the Evans family, the Leche Family, the Edwards family
• Ann Fields for her family
• Zondra Martin for her family
• Thanksgiving for all the clergy and faith leaders, including ABSW President Martin and Dean Flesher, gathered at the Samuel Proctor Conference in Virginia
• Warren and Camille Parker
• Angela Sherman for her biology teacher on the death of his father
• Abe and Mary Alice Cirimele  for Aletha
• Carol and Steve Leichter, Steve is recovering from a fall
• Al and Roy Johnson
• Jessie Guiton recuperating from surgery
• The Mueller family as they mourn the death of their daughter Kayla, who had been a captive of ISIL
• The  SF Kachin Baptist Church as it continues to work for justice and peace in their homeland

Announcements

All are invited to the Forever Young Chicken and Waffles Luncheon at 12;30 on Saturday, the Reverend. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble of ABSW will be our preacher on Sunday and the Stand and Sing for Justice, which was postponed last Sunday, will be held this Sunday from 2-2:30.