Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 May 2000 — Page 13

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RELIGION

FRIDAY, MAYJ9, ?000 ■ PAGE B1

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INSIDE

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S E C T I O

EDUCATION*SPOR

Lawrence and Tri-City Singers deliver amazing show

ByRONNETTAS. ( SLAUGHTER ^+m PkHfflfrMk |

a reflection on various compo- message. “I love to just do what Toi nents of life including financial, feeling. What comes from the heart*

1 personal p»\yth. The tragbes the heart The heart never

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Celebration of Hope — 2000

An eager audience praised the highly energetic performance by Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers, as the group made an encore appearance at Eastern Star Church last week. The singers’ promotional tour highlights their latest release, .“tri-city4.com,*’ an inspirational gospel album that taps into urban beats, religious ballads "

LaWrence added.

audience members to “just remem- “We believe that. Donald ber at the end of the day, the favpr Lawrence is very gifted of God and of God can open the way” and that an anointed gospel song writer aid God’s concern and overall pres- producer, who has been a blessing ence is “more precious than life.” to members of our congregation

Sunday, May 7, at 4 p.m. Christians of all colors and creeds constituted one Congregation that celebrated the hope

of racial reconciliation in our and contemporary R&B.

community. The Indiana Fair- After two amazing musical se- Donald Lawrence and the Trl-CRy Singers grounds Blue Ribbon Pavilion lections ftom Eastern Star’s choir, delivered a show stopping performance last held a “blue ribbon” worship Lawrence and Tri-City took their week In Indianapolis at Eastern Star Church, event bringing together 10 di- designated spots on the stage. While , verse Protestant denominations Lawrence sported a pinstriped lime * 5een on t ^ ie ^ge. I would He s pa from Rregbyterian to Penteco»/green suit, the remaining members like to see my group continue to do Keeper, tal anofrom Mennonite to were vividly clothed in red gar- good fninistry, things that Help cueing Methodist along with many ments signifying ethnicity with heal, said Lawrence, noting unanifrom the Catholic church as we robes and matching head wraps, society’s “hunger” for gospel mu- mous remade. an attempt to answer Once the guest artists appeared, sic as well as the broader scope of sponse to Jesus’prayer in John 17 “that the congregation applauded relent- gospel’s artists. beats rethey all may be one.” lessly inanticipationofanexhila- \ LawrenceandtheTri-CitySing- sembling The profile of this praise rating cdncert, which Tri-qity de-V era encouraged audience partici- Janet Jackson’s “Black;Cat\,

3 gathering was “a little bit of Uvered without any hesitation. Ration through song and worship, rock and roll themes, ill design ® hhaven pn Earth” as we were • “We've been labeled as a cata- At times, Lawrence would shout to worship God through music.

- - lyst (for gospel music) that has out phrases such as “I Am” and The performance also provided

!

led into worship by the Celebration of Hope Children’s € Choir under the able direction t>Vpf Mrs. Tymika Payne. The ; Children’s Choir was 75 per- , o^nt African American and the «V audience %is 30 percent Afri- *' can American. The congrega-

tion Arne

the plal

j. the Scripture and fomales par-

ticipated freefy. * * It was * beautiful service of

praiite itfd worship. The spirit was high, the fellowship

“It was an excellent concert, said Tiffany McBride. “I love Donald Lawrence and have all of

their music. (The songs) ministered to me personally with my own situations,” she said, recognizing how other audience members welcomed inspirational messages of encouragement, perseverance

and faith.

Lawrence acknowledged the underlying importance associated with the group’s new release, and said he strives towards eliminating gimmicks while focusing on delivering gospel music with a heartfelt

and community,” said Rev. Jeffery Johnson, senior pastor of Eastern Star Church. “One of the things that I appreciate, is (Lawrence’s) appreciation for God and his sincerity. He tries to put a message in his music to help us understand what worship service is all about.”

Over the next two months,

Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers will perform in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. A New York appearance with R&B artist Angie

Stone is scheduled for July. “If you feel that you have a vi-

sion, stick with it until it comes to flourish. Sometimes, it takes longer than you’ve expected,” said Lawrence, observing his group’s determination and commitment to gospel music. “Longevity shows

that you have a passion for it”

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SMSES*

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Thaew^aspimof.h.s.sthe . f*. plac. Kwan., W be ,h, s after- . & Then, I imagined ho(dte(g ber while she was an » . ■* * *' - clothes, comb-

” Thts was a congrega-

12 years old i

noon

tioivof the Inspired and not the | /Z imposed upon. They came be- f { | cause they wanted to be there

at 4 p.m. in the afternoon on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The message was delivered

< by a tall Black pulpit master

named Dr. Alvin O’Neal Jackson, the senior pastor of National City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Washington, D.C. He preached on being “Obsessed with the Obvious.” He did a great job and

as many know, he is my “tallest,* , Timothy,” and my most accdm4 plished student. He went to I jL Washington from Memphis j where he developed and v

pastored the 10,000 member

Mississippi Boulevard Chris- -

tian Church (Disciples of Christ),! the largest Disciple congregation on the planet. .

£ ■ sp&e passionately of our

obsessHms with things that are obvious pr apparent while often mi^mg the substance beneath thefsurface. He indicated that is one of the racial hangups we^nave with each other.

(it love

you” although she shows me in her smiles.

1 love to kbs her hands and i

shoes on ber feet, everywhere we go, I treat Camille i steps, learning to the most precious baby in the universe. 1 her to read and strangers see me showing affection towards

agine her high school Camille, they treat her likewise. . ^

*e — maybe Yale or

Mount Zion Baptist Church observes pastor’s anniversary

haveadreamwedand she would live

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forher. I wanted she is perfect, but

up in p doesn’t everyone

God has entrusted nte*Wth Camille. I feel that it is a high honor to beher mother. I would not want any* " * " '»•

so special. Sheeame

l^lSdem ry forgiving, a swethS it

The faith community of Mt Zion Baptist Church celebrated their pastor’s 2* anniversary recently. Pictured during the celebration are from left: Rev. Dr. Charles E. Betts Sr., Mrs. Betty Betts, Mount Zkwi pastor Rev. Dr. Philip K. James, Mrs. damsel James, and Rev. Dr. Jeffery P. Kee. (Photo/Curtia Guynn)

with no instructions and I'm sure mistakes, but God and Cara|lle are

Morning prayer is better than sleep

someone special in yoiir life,

it seems

m’ttalk.Icould Jbatlchoose

———————-

m den.

someone very precicitH^ taylhat God. will

not being what guide you retake care ofthem and raise them

according to his perfect will

*0. iK.f*

G-d (God) via the Holy Qur’an in Chapter 7: Verse 205, teaches

in overwhelming bur- humanity, “And do thou (Oh

i VwL reader!) Bring thy Lord to remem

The forgotten commandment

brance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not thou of those who are unheedful.” Allah (G-d) created mankind for his worship. Not that our Cre-

AMskm

in America

Bytam NUkdSaahir

By FAMILY LIFE

MINISTRIES

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Honoryaurfatherandyour motber (Exodus 20:12)

Honor, according to Webster’s

in Egypt, into the wilderness of Sinai. He had promised them the land of Israel, but up to this point he had never given them any written directions. They needed instructions to govern their behav-

faith in God.

Look carefully at the commandment again. Whom did God command us to honor? Only perfect parents? Only Christian parents? Parents who are spiritually mature

ator has ever needed us - as we intellect obligates the human being know - Allah "is far above any to communicate with our Creator needs whatsoever. Yet we under- on a higher level than that of the stand that all that G-d created animal, or any other creation of

serves and honors him willingly Allah.

or instinctively through their na- The practicing Muslim is one ture. who obeys the call to pray five Mankind is the only entity in times daily, beginning with the pre-

njty Jljo/pathetier^iqdk dgthe original Hebrew language, dfvicfcw,%t Thtist make every iheteord for “honor” meant “heavy

We nesrer look beneath the sur- dictionary, is “a good name or pub- ior and preserve their identity as a and insightful? Only parents who .creamm that serves G-d wHlmgly sunnse prayer. That is the most face and make our assumptions lie esteem. A showing of unusual nation. - never made major mistakes in rear- w miwnhngly. silent hour of our day that anords on color rather than character, merited respect.” When God cpm- God gave them the Ten Com- ing us? W’ththecreation of mankind, the believer less interference from It was a great day and a great mands us to “Honor your father mandments. So you can best ap- No, God commands us to honor cr ^ ale i d a . w ![ h J™ msh and n80rs of the da y ,| 8 ht away to say, “I support racial and your motber,” however, he pro- predate the significance of the our parents regardless of their per- wmty ot a limited free will who hours, reconciliation.” In a commu- vides some additional meaning. command to honor parents. formances, behaviors'and dysfunc- ^1!° strive to serve and honor G- Allah teaches humanity the fol-

Note (hot the ftm foot con. ttan.Wltj7Becatuehonort.giMr- *bong tsnot saved tot™g about pnyer. Chapter 7: mandments dealt with hair man''nittntieriMidsthanve walkbyfaith, by nMtmct or nature. Hutmt, be- Verse 78 reads. Establish tegular - ... mgs have to stnve to correlate and prayers-at the sun s decline till the

darkness of the night, and the morn-

and plan of Allah. ing prayer and reading: for the This correlation of our human prayer and reading in the morning will, or individual will, to submit carry their testimony.” to do G-d’s divine will, is called We have been taught to rise ftom Islam. To follow G-d’s will, the our sleep to go to work, go to school, human being needs a special form or to get an early start going out of

tionalntoBeut* Think of the stt v mandment, and Idon’tthink that’s radio program. Family !#e Today, of ' V, I ^ 1 ^ rav a m US10 ting: God had brought this naron by coincidence . Honoring parents *hen you visit- http://2 ini* is why we must pray a from our sleep to pny. of people, held captive fot sajong should be a direct result oi^^wwwjamilylife.com/fltoday/. ^ conscious prayer. Our G-d given

the word for’

^t^ort to (affect change thMbiteBj^-of jjyeighC move us from isolation to rela- meant “f wi

To honor someone weigh you dowh with

tionshi^. Unfortunately, there respect and prestige. I place upon r^-are too many in our community you great worth and value.” . who want to criticize and never It is. fascinating to observe, as

imiIIUIHCIH.& UCttll W1UI Iltgp man ^ wwBUOTiaiiuauiai ww 101UI. . - ■ Wa • TViof xx/rMtlrl rri\tt» vmi dlVlIlC Will ftflu Dlftll 01 AllSll.

do anything but talk. Ood originally formed Israel into a If you feel Celebration of taatk*, that the ooncepi'of honor- <. Hope is not doing that much, ing parents was one of its fbunda

then you must ask, “what am I

the one who should be exalted Pray: That God would give you above anyone or anything els6. A the strength to trust him in this area nation’s life, and an individual’s and show you practical ways to

life, is defined by its relationship honor your parents,

with God.

Then comes the Fifth Com- Listen online to Family Lift's

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