Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 December 2002 — Page 13

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6,2002 PAGE B1

INSIDE

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SPORTS

Active anticipation My guest columnist this week is Re’Nita O’Bannon, a member of Light of the World Christian Church and a recent graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University.

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By RE’NITA O’BANNON To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. ’ — Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJ). This is the season of Advent; a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in his first Advent and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his second Advent. I recently witnessed a young child’s celebration and anticipation. On Thanksgiving morning, I boMnied a plane bound for Atlanta^ r» Seated behind me was a little girl about 6 years old who was experiencing her first flight. Her excitement was almost contagious. Before we left the gate, she repeatedly asked her mother, “When are we going to start movihg?” As the plane taxied out to the runway and began speeding to prepare for the takeoff, the child squealed with joy. Even before reaching our highest altitude she loudly exclaimed to her mother, This is the best day of my whole life and I want to ride this airplane forever!” I likened this scenario to Christians during the Advent season. Oh, how we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, at least those who are not consumed by the commercialism and materialism of this world. We sing those glorious songs of old like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger,” and others that focus on the Christ Child. While we are quite familiar with Christ’s historical, miraculous birth, it is time for us to move beyond the celebration of the babe of Bethlehem. Since Advent is far more than celebrating a 2,000-year-old event, we must also actively anticipate his second coming. How do we actively anticipate Christ’s return? The word anticipate is a verb which connotes action. To anticipate Christ’s return does not mean we cease all activity and stand idly by looking high in the sky. Like Christ’s disdples, as we anticipate his return, we are to be witnesses by carrying his message throughout the world as commanded in Mattfadw 28:19-20 KJ: “Go ye therefore, and teach all

‘LOVE DOCTOR’ Patterson offers Christian-based advice 7 think we as a race are in a relationship crisis’

By SYLVIA DUNNAVANT

Special to the NNPA From Dallas Examiner

Book chapter titles include: There is help for the hoochie,” “My baby’s daddy” and “When dogs confess they turn from

DALLAS (NNPA) - Rev. preying to praying." Each chapSheron Patterson has the same ter offers prescriptions for the message for hoochie mamas, church as a whole, for pastors preying dogs and straying min- and for individual members.

isters: Help is available. Patterson, in her new book,

The Love Clinic; How to Heal Relationships in a Christian Spirit (Putnam), serves up a

Patterson’s real-world love messages have made her a leading authority in the area of Christian relationships. She conducts seminars, revivals and

dose of spiritual advice mixed workshops across the country with common sense for people for numerous denominations who are searching for love in and national organizations, all the wrong places. Ebony, Jet, Emerge, and GosThis is the second book to pel Times magazines have cast grow from her six-year-old a national spotlight on her minLove Clinic sessions, where the istry. One of her monthly Love

love sick, broken hearted and downtrodden have been coming for six years for advice. “The Love Clinic is a state of mind that can heal whatever

Clinic sessions was taped by

Oprah’s Oxygen station. “We have a clinic; they are

not very long. There is no charge. You come in, get your

problems you have,” she said, information, and get up and Today society needs healing, move on,” said Patterson, seThey don’t often have the time nior pastor of St. Paul United or money to check into a hospi- Methodist Church in downtal. They need it quick and fast town Dallas. “We’ve learned

and to be on their way.”

See PATTERSON, Page B3 Rev. Sheron Patterson

Muslim’s fast endswKli Eid holiday Thursday Dec. 5 marked 7 the last day of the Islamic holy month Ramadan, a 30day period in which Muslims worldwide unite in fasting in service and obedience to Almighty G-d, Allah. Upon completing the fast Muslims unite in a special prayer service called Eid AlFitr held the morning following the completion of Ramadan. This year’s prayer will be conducted Friday at mosques and Islamic centers around the globe. The Muslim is happy on the Eid day, which means a recurring victory or a recurring happiness. Both, victory and happiness are cel-

Rev. Melvin B. Girton, of Christ Missionary Baptist Church, recently served as host for “Come Let Us Go Back To God,” a revival sponsored by the Missionary Baptist Ministers Alliance of Indianapolis.

Pastor Darrel L. Humphrey, pictured with his wife Liz and son D.J., was recently installed as pastor of Westalde Missionary Baptist Church. ft

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Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer (right), and radio personality WHHa Frank MkfcUetoaook (second i from right) serve e helping of food to Indiana Poet Laureete, Wendell Porker at this week's “Celebrity Cook-off,” s fundraiser sponsored by the Optimist Club of Mount Son Baptist Church. (Photoa/C. Guyim)

him said. The one who fasts has two (occasions) of joy. When he or she breaks the fast, they are glad with the breaking of (the fast), and when he meets his or her Lord, they are glad with their fast." The victory that Mushms celebrate, in addition to | having obeyed their Lord^ is the victory over their appetites. The re-establishment of themselves over their desires and passions. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an, “Nothing misleads mankind more than their appetites unchecked by knowledge." Ramadan is a month spent by the believers educating themselves with the revelation of the Qur’an. Each day the Muslim strives to read l/30th of the Qur’an, thus having completed the whole text by the end of Ramadan. For the Muslim there is no higher form of education than the revealed words of G-d. It is the words of G-d that enables the believer to keep their appetites in check. This is the victory that Muslims celebrate on the Eid day. After the prayer service Eid is a day for exchanging gifts, smiles, and sharing the excellent company of family and friends. Everyone is extremely happy gn Eid day. Eid Al-FRr is the first of Islam’s two eids. The second eki, called KdAl-Adha occurs approximately TO days after the EM Al-Fftr. This second eid is Fecognized as the bigger of the twq eids because it is observed in recognition of the willingness of prophet Abraham (peace be on him) to sacrifice his son. Eid Al-Adha corrBfponds