Time is in God's Hands

Posted by Unknown Friday, December 30, 2011 0 comments

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God...For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." Psalms 90: 2 - 4


Like most people, I will watch the clock move from 11:59 p.m. on December 31st to 12:00 a.m. on January 1st. I will proclaim, "Happy New Year." 

It's an age-old ritual to sing, "May old acquaintance be forgot." In reality, very little changes within one's life by the simple movement of the hands on a clock; t change happens within one own spirit, mind, and soul. It happens when one makes a decision to either do something or refrain from doing something. It's not about New Year Resolutions. It's about changing habits, practices, and patterns. It's about adopting a new paradigm.  

What do you need to stop doing? What do you need to start doing? Well, January 1, 2012 is a Sunday. Why don't you begin your change by attending a Synagogue, Mosque, Church or a place of Worship?

2012 will be a year of miracles, if you only believe!

Three Men in Baltimore with Power

Posted by Unknown Thursday, December 29, 2011 0 comments


People in Baltimore may not quickly recognize the men in the picture. Left to right, they are Willard Hackerman, Chairman and President of Whiting and Turner Construction, Robert Embry, President, Abel Foundation, and Peter Angelos, Owner, Baltimore Orioles. 

The influence of these three men extends to all areas of our community. 

I met today with Bob Embry to review progress in the City for the past year and to identify areas for potential growth in the coming year. 

I left my meeting with a greater sense of urgency for members of the faith community to become more adept at navigating the waters of public policy and public financing. 

If Baltimore is to grow, it will need people from every social strata sitting at the table of economic opportunity. The protest era is long gone. This is the era of negotiating and brokering power relationships and alliances. 

The dreams and aspirations of a lot of people will hinge upon our ability to create change from within the system that benefits those who are outside the system.  

Faithful Prayer

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, December 28, 2011 0 comments

"Devote yourselves to prayer." Colossians 4:2


Like many people, I have friends from different faith communities. My Jewish and Muslim friends are devoted to regular prayer. When I'm in meetings with them at their appointed prayer hour, they stop and pray. For my Christian colleagues, I offer this suggestion that in 2012, we devote ourselves to more fervent prayer. Within the Christian, community can you imagine the effect of us stopping to pray five or six times a day? The effect would be powerful and demonstrate a belief in God that is unshakable. Therefore, I suggest we join our Jewish and Muslim colleagues and devote ourselves to faithful prayer in 2012. 

Mr. Michael B. Mitchell

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, December 27, 2011 0 comments


I met today with Mr. Michael B. Mitchell. We had an amazing conversation that was historical, practical and monumental. He is a deep and profound thinker with a unique grasp of history and the roles we must play to continue the race. I look forward to working with him in 2012.  I grew up in the shadows of him and his brothers. C3 is my political godfather. Keiffer is my physician. My prayers go out to George, my childhood playmate. Continue the struggle! The race is not given to the swift, but to those who endure. 

Going to the Movies with My Family

Posted by Unknown Monday, December 26, 2011 0 comments

Yesterday was absolutely fabulous. Today I'm going to the movies. Tom Cruise has a new film for the holidays - Mission Impossible 4. The experiences of life are made special when you take someone special with you. I'm taking my family to the movies. Time spent together is divine.

Also, movies provide a kind of escape from the routine of life. I never take a movie seriously. It's entertainment!

What I take serious is the strengthening of my faith in God.

Happy New Year and enjoy every moment of life.

The Gift of Salvation

Posted by Unknown Sunday, December 25, 2011 0 comments

Merry Christmas! This morning's sermon will unpack the most important gift that God gives: The Gift of Salvation. Matthew 1: 18 - 25 discloses that Jesus Christ came to save us. When you think about the moral, mental, and the man made dilemmas we face everyday, how can you navigate the quicksand terrain of this reality. I would argue you need a greater reality. The greater reality is that we come from God, we should live with God and that we go to God. The middle premise is the one that cause us difficulty. How to live with God? Jesus Christ provides the answer. We are to walk humbly  before the Almighty God.

Christmas Eve at Union Baptist Church

Posted by Unknown Saturday, December 24, 2011 0 comments

You are invited to share in a meaningful worship experience at Union Baptist Church. Our Christmas Eve Service which begins at 7:00 p.m. is led by the Youth of Union. They bring the innocence of their youth to the timeless interpretation of the Birth of Jesus Christ. The one hour service features the contemporary reenactment of the Christmas Story, sharing in Holy Communion, the audience lighting lites, and wonderful singing. The one hour service is always packed to capacity by persons who understand that "Jesus is the reason for the season." 

Review of "The Mountaintop"

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, December 21, 2011 0 comments


Broadway Reviews
The MountaintopTheatre Review by Matthew Murray - October 13, 2011
The Mountaintop by Katori Hall. Directed by Kenny Leon. Original music by Branford Marsalis. Set & projection design by David Gallo. Costume design by Constanza Romero. Lighting design by Brian MacDevitt. Sound design by Dan Moses Schreier. Hair & wig design by Charles G. LaPointe. Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett.
Theatre: Bernard B Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
Schedule: Tuesday at 7 pm, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm, Sunday at 3 pm.
Running Time: 90 minutes, with no intermission
Audience: May be inappropriate for 12 and under. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.



The Mountaintop
Samuel L. Jackson
Photo by Joan Marcus.
Few performers can truly make a bad play good, but great actors can always elevate a passable evening to the status of special event. That's certainly the case with Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, who are doing miraculous things with Katori Hall's less-than-transcendent playThe Mountaintop, which just opened at the Bernard B. Jacobs. The two stars may have derived most of their experience, and functionally all of their fame, from film work, but they navigate the script with such ferocity, precision, and size that you'd never guess they weren't stage pros.
That's no small achievement given the circumstances. True, Hall's play has as its subject a man and a time that would seem to inherently inspire adventurous, mezzanine-engulfing performances: Martin Luther King, Jr., on his last night alive. The setting is ripe for righteous examination of how far America has come in terms of race relations and how far it still has to go, and would enable a probing discussion of the very nature of prejudice. A true crusader confronting his legacy head on is a theatrical conflagration — and likely a Tony Award — waiting to happen.
Hall has provided something rather different and, if you can believe it, lower key here. King has arrived at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis following his landmark "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech on April 3, 1968, and is steeling himself for a long night of work. That requires coffee, so he calls room service to order some. It's delivered by a maid named Camae, who is thoroughly familiar with King's work, and more than a little in awe of the man. The two strike up a conversation, and spend the next hour and a half or so discussing the nature of the world and the people in it until it's time for King to face the assassin's bullet.
Okay, maybe there's a little more to it than that, as Camae is keeping a secret about who she is and why she's there, but that's the gist of what goes on. No adoring throngs, no history-sweeping action, not even a set that reconsiders King's accomplishments on an epic sale (though the hotel room David Gallo has designed is right for what it is). So subdued is the treatment, in fact, that if you didn't know who King was and why he was important, you might wonder from what Hall has written whether he really deserves a play at all. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's an unusual approach for one of the last half-century's legitimately titanic figures — and one that won't easily pay dramatic dividends.
That, of course, is where the actors come in. Jackson is famous for releasing a certain kind of fervor in his films, a heat that's always tinged by what seems to be rage at the existential nature of the universe. Yet here he displays not a trace of anger, infusing King's passion instead with a different slate of qualities we might more readily associate with the actual man: love, hope, optimism, exhaustion, and perhaps most tellingly of all fatalism. Jackson's King trudges through life with the gait of a man who knows he's walking a prescribed path, and maybe no longer wants to, but feels compelled because he honestly believes no one else could fill his shoes.

The Mountaintop
Angela Bassett
Photo by Joan Marcus.
So with his portrayal, Jackson effortlessly justifies Hall's decision to downplay King's impact. Jackson has carefully carved out the regality within the deceptive Everyman part he's been given, and thus makes King at once familiar and fresh. That he maintains this razor-edged duality up until the final second of the play, when he at last confronts his destiny head on, is central to the work's success, and reflective of the commitment and creativity within the fire that has characterized Jackson onscreen. If not for his unfortunately consistent reluctance to hold his lines until audience laughter abates, there would be no fault to find with his work here.
Bassett is every bit as good in a role that offers far fewer opportunities. She's an adept comedian who can turn the hoariest of gags into a theatre-bust-up laugh line (something Hall requires more often than she should, especially since these are variations on the same "simple girl doesn't know how to behave before her idol" theme), yet acquires a glorious stateliness when serious that can puncture lines that aren't intended to be anything like sermons. Her final speech, musing on the African-American relationship to both the past and the future is written as more slam poetry than a barn burner. But by the time she approaches the climax, she's whipped the audience — and most likely you — into such a frenzy you won't be able to tell the difference between the two.
Some credit for the production's success must go to its director, Kenny Leon. He's cut his teeth in New York primarily on the works of August Wilson (he was at the helm of the excellent 2010 Broadway revival ofFences), who built his career on bringing a sense of epic size to people who wouldn't traditionally be considered worthy of it. That's exactly the approach needed here, and Leon's ability to make as unremarkable a script as this one as affecting as it is should be considered one of his finest New York theatre achievements to date.
If one can't help but wish that Hall had made more emphatic choices for this unusual biography, it's difficult to argue with the results. Even if they're due more to factors outside the script, they're firmly present nonetheless and an energizing early salvo in the Broadway season. You can complain if you want to that, in this case, a great American did not get a great play written about him. But why not just be happy that Leon, Jackson, and Bassett have made The Mountaintop from a molehill?


Christmas Baskets for Our Families

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, December 20, 2011 0 comments

" I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat." Matthew 25:35


Please allow me to share a praise report. We received enough support to fill 300 Christmas Baskets on Thursday, Dec. 22nd. We will distribute them on Friday, Dec. 23rd. My deep appreciation to all those who gave, especially to Maryland General Hospital, The National Bible Association, The Downtown Partnership, and The Church of The Latter-day Saints

The opening of support has blessed my spirit this holiday season. 

Merry Christmas!


The Gift of Peace

Posted by Unknown Saturday, December 17, 2011 0 comments

Sunday, December 18, 2011, The Sermon is titled, "The Gift of Peace." In the world we have trouble, trials, and tribulations. We find ourselves always at our wits end. In the midst of our circumstance, God steps into our situation and speaks peace to the storms in our lives. The peace God gives is not external, it is internal and eternal. The Advent season reminds us that God gives us the gift of peace. Therefore, "be not dismayed whatever be tide, God will take care of you."

Mr. Rodney Bernard Williams

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, December 14, 2011 0 comments



Mr. Rodney Williams is one of my sons who is transforming marketing at one of the major marketing companies in the world. He is an inventor with a patent already on the shelf.

Keep your eyes on the prize and never forget we have young African-American males who are blowing up even in the midst of today's economy.

Rodney tells me that there will always be room for good ideas.

Follow your dreams!


Congratulations my son!

Police Community Relations

Posted by Unknown Monday, December 12, 2011 0 comments

I was asked today to generate some ideas on how to improve police and community relations in Baltimore City. I recognize we have a long way to go, but we must start somewhere. Share with me any ideas you may have, I will include them in my suggestions.

Do You Know

Posted by Unknown Sunday, December 11, 2011 0 comments

Isaiah 40: 28, 29 "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength."


My 2nd sermon of the Advent Season is titled, "The Gift of Knowing."

Knowing can be divided into two aspects: knowledge about something or being acquainted with something.

In God's divine universe, He wants you to have knowledge about Him and to be acquainted with Him.

Too many people have knowledge about Him, without probing the depths of that understanding to become acquainted with Him.

Being acquainted means that you know God intimately and personally. Being acquainted with him means you can denote the change; He has made in your life because of your close association and identification with Him.

God wants you to know Him intimately and personally. God wants to be your personal savior.

Christmas Baskets

Posted by Unknown Thursday, December 8, 2011 0 comments

Union Baptist Church is working to make certain that 300 families who live within the 21201/21217 zip code has a Christmas Dinner.


To accomplish that goal, we need concerned person to donate $30 to our Christmas Basket Project.

You may send your $30.00 donations to Union Baptist Church, 1219 Druid Hill Avenue, Baltimore, Md 21217. If you need more information call: 410-523-6880.

We will distribute the Christmas Baskets on Friday, December 23, 2011.


"The end of a matter is better than its beginning." Ecclesiastes 7:8


The Advent season introduces us once again to the Birth of Jesus. The Book of Isaiah would record, "He was despised and rejected of humankind; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." From this humble beginning, Jesus Christ became the Savior of the World.

That's the paradox of life. It is really not how you start it is how you end. The end can be better than your beginning.

You can become greater than your circumstances. Your context does not define your content. "Greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world."

Make today the beginning of a new start.

Finish life's race strong!!!

God is Your Help

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, December 6, 2011 0 comments

"Thus far has the Lord helped us." I Samuel 7:12


When I think about the goodness of God over the years, I am mindful through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health, at home, abroad, on the land, on the sea, in honor, in dishonor, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation, "thus far has the Lord helped me."

In examining the past, I can say, "thus far." Furthermore, as I look to the future, I'm not trapped by a past tense God. He is the God, who operates in the future in a "thus far" manner.

Therefore, if I have more trials, more joys, more temptations, more triumphs, more prayers, more answers, more toils, more strength, more fights, more victories, more sickness and more love. I can rest assured that the God of yesterday and today is the God of tomorrow. And He will be available to you and to me, 'thus far."

Pray regularly for your children

Posted by Unknown Monday, December 5, 2011 0 comments

"When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking. Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. This was Job's regular custom." Job 1:5


The greatest gift one can give their child is a life committed to devotion and prayer. I have learned that a child can live off of borrowed blessings. The faith of a parent or caregivers can sustain their children. Burned into my memory are parents who prayed for me. In return, I pray fervently for my children.

"The effectual fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much."

The Gift of Comfort

Posted by Unknown Sunday, December 4, 2011 0 comments

During the Advent Season, I will preach a series of sermons with the theme, "God's gift to the World."

Today, my focus will be "The Gift of Comfort." Isaiah 40: 1 - 11

When you think about the circumstances of the economy, political and social affairs, the news is most disturbing. The tension that is felt in the air creates for everyone a sense of "dis-ease".

Our society and world are sick. The actions by corporate and political interests are sickening. Where do you find peace in the world today?

Isaiah steps to the plate with a powerful word, "Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people, saith your God."

These prophetic words give us comfort for today and bright hope for tomorrow. He tells us that, every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

God gives to us the gift of comfort because in spite of it all, God is with you!

The Danger of Darkness

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, November 30, 2011 0 comments

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." Isaiah 9: 2


Wednesday, November 30th begins the Advent Season. The Community Churches of Upton will worship at Enon Baptist Church beginning today from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. Enon Baptist Church is located on the corner of Schroeder and Edmondson Avenue.

I have the honor of preaching the initial sermon of Advent. The text is above. The title is "The Danger of Darkness."

I invite you to share in this worship experience. After the service, lunch is served.

Pay Day

Posted by Unknown Monday, November 28, 2011 0 comments

"Call the workers and pay them their wages." Matthew 20:8


The unemployment situation is America and within local communities is causing stress and turmoil. It is stated that over 45 million people are receiving food assistance from the federal government. The President has submitted legislation to Congress with the intent to create jobs - but to no avail. As the holiday season is approaching the cries of those who are unemployed and underemployed are unheard.

In God's divine plan, there is still work to do in building His Kingdom. There is work to do. I'm convinced that you can find fulfillment in working in Kingdom Building. You can find a sense of contentment and achieve measurable results in building up the spiritual and physical lives of others.

Versus sitting home, or hanging out, join a local church with the goal of finding work to do in building God's Kingdom. I believe you will receive a pay day of immense proportions.

Young Men's Day - Nov. 27, 2011

Posted by Unknown Saturday, November 26, 2011 0 comments

Union Baptist Church's guest preacher will be Minister Chancellor R. Jenkins. He is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. He is active in many church and civic activities.


A 2011 Graduate of Morehouse College, he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion. He was a member of the World Renowned Morehouse College Glee Club. He currently is a graduate student of the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in the Master of Divinity program.

He will preach and the spirit may have him sing.


Occupy?

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"I have many people in this city." Acts 18:10


Yesterday, I visited the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. The park across from the Inner Harbor is full of tents. This is the place where Occupy Baltimore is located. The contrast with the glitzy buildings is striking. I was reminded of the Poor People's campaign and the vision to create a "tent city" in Washington. D.C. The tent encampment is symbolic of the conditions created by public policy and unchecked capitalistic goals. I applaud those who are willing to brave the elements and municipal scorn to make such a profound statement. The statement is that we must address the needs of the people whose faces are at the bottom of the well. We hold in high esteem the celebrities and the successful. We hold in distain the marginalized and poor.

God employs us to recognize that He was many people within the city. The City is the melting pot of human conditions. It is also the flash point for measuring the caring and concern of a civic community. How do we treat the poor and marginalized? How do we distribute the resources of our municipal government? Is there a place at the table for everyone?

On January 14, 2012, people of conscience need to March in a public way from a central location to the "tent" encampment of Occupy Baltimore. Their message needs to be expanded and people of good will need to join the struggle.

Happy Thanksgiving to My Family

Posted by Unknown Thursday, November 24, 2011 0 comments

"and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Genesis 12: 3b


The quality time that families spend together is precious; particularly, when it's your extended family. I long for the day when we are just family. No distinctive labels: in-laws, cousins, etc. Just family! Sister Sledge once sang, "We are Family." I truly love each member of my family, their differences that make each of them unique, their sense of unity that keeps us connected, and their love that strengthens us every single day. There is an internal joy when you meet and greet members of your family. It communicates to you that in God's grand design; he wants us to understand that we are bonded together in a mosaic of mutuality. May God continue to bless the members of my family: my biological family, my extended family, my spiritual family, my church family, my collegial family, my political family, my clergy family, my business family, my facebook family, and my family of friends. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pray for the City on Nov. 22nd from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Posted by Unknown Monday, November 21, 2011 0 comments

"...couldnest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit is truly ready, but the flesh is weak." Mark 37b, 38.


In partnership with the National Bible Association, an interfaith collection of people of faith will meet on the 27th floor of the World Trade Center to pray and read scripture for the City of Baltimore, State of Maryland, the USA and the world.

Baltimore began a day of prayer last year in front of City Hall as a part of the celebration of National Bible Week. This year's event will be held in center city Baltimore at the World Trade Center on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The public is invited.

From the 27th floor of the World Trade Center on Pratt Street, you can see a panoramic view of Baltimore City. Furthermore, on display are artifacts from the New York World Trade Center that was destroyed on 911. On Pratt Street in front of the World Trade Center are listed the names of the people from Maryland, who were killed in the attack on 911.

The people of faith who will assemble on Tuesday for one hour believe that prayer changes things and encourages people to read their Bibles regularly.

Commemorating Baltimore's Sit-In

Posted by Unknown Sunday, November 20, 2011 0 comments

A section of lunch counter from theGreensboro, North Carolina Woolworth's is now preserved in the Smithsonian InstitutionNational Museum of American History


Throughout America affected communities have commemorated the sit-in movement as an aspect of the Civil Rights Movement.

In Greensboro at North Carolina A&T a statue is erected on the campus honoring their four students who sat in at Woolworth's lunch counter.


At Winston-Salem Teachers College student who sat in at Woolworth's were joined by students from Wake Forest. This bi-racial action marked a new wave in the sit-in movement. The Late Everett Dudley, a member of Union Baptist Church, was one of the participants. Each year the City of Winston Salem issues a resolution recognizing their action.

Now Baltimore Maryland has the opportunity to establish its role as the leader in the Civil Rights Sit-In Movement by the actions of students at Morgan State College (now University) who staged sit-ins at Read's Drug Store and in the Northwood Shopping Center. Rightly so, Morgan State University has establish a memorial on its campus in the student's center.

Ideas are being solicited to determine the proper commemoration of the sit-in at the former Read's Drug Store site on the corner of Howard and Lexington Streets. Interested persons may submit their ideas and email them to Reads.1955@gmail.com c/o Dr. Michelle Harris Bondima. Persons interested in submitting commemoration ideas should do so by Nov. 30th.

Forgiveness

Posted by Unknown Friday, November 18, 2011 0 comments

"The forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7


In life there may be an unwillingness to forgive when people take positions and are unwillingness to yield. One may feel a sense of hurt and abandonment in those moments when weakness begs for forgiveness.

It is God's divine grace to forgive; to pardon one from the consequences of their sin.

That's good news! God is able and willing to throw your sins into the sea of forgetfulness.

The Proper Measure

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, November 16, 2011 0 comments

"Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel." Zechariah 4:10


God can raise up those who are actively engaged in Kingdom Building. When the plumb line is in good hands' God's work of building the "beloved community" commences. The building of community and character requires the straight line of discipline and devotion to God's way and will. The measure is not of man, but it is of God. When we line up to God's word, we eject tabernacles in our homes and communities that can withstand the winds of the evil one.

It is good news to know the plumb line is in good hands.

Your hands and your heart must work together

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, November 15, 2011 0 comments

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Ecclesiastes 9:10


The work of your hands is practical. The work of your heart is possible. A careful balance must be maintained between the practical and the possible. We should not devise schemes in our heart and ponder over them without executing those schemes. We should not overly invest in the pettiness of busy work that our hands may do. Continuous and monotonous activity gains little.

We have to learn how to do good deeds right now. To operate in the nowness of God and work while it is day.

It is a joyous day when the possibilities of our heart are combined with the practically of our hands.

On Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 11:00 a.m., The Men of Union Baptist Church will present Rev. Herman "Skip" Mason as their Annual Men's Day Preacher. Currently the National President for Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., he is the pastor of St. James C.M.E. Church in Washington, Georgia.


Thanks to Morgan Students

Posted by Unknown Monday, November 14, 2011 0 comments

(Daniel de Vise/WASHINGTON POST) - An exhibit unveiled this week at Morgan State University recreates the lunch counter at Read's Drug Store in Baltimore where black students held a series of sit-ins to demand desegregation.


Last Wednesday and Thursday people gathered on Founder's Day of Morgan State University to honor the 400+ students who staged sit-ins at lunch counters in Baltimore I offer sincere congratulations to Professor Larry Gibson and Dr. Wilson, President of MSU, for given long over-due recognition to these pioneers in Civil Rights.

We have to work diligently to ensure that development projects within Baltimore City incorporate the living history of its residents of all races.

Work Hard in Life

Posted by Unknown Friday, November 11, 2011 0 comments

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - and poverty will come to you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." Proverbs 24: 33. 34


The economy and joblessness are a serious problem throughout America. It appears that employers have cut back and laid-off workers to curtail the costs of doing business. The question on the minds of policy makers and governments is what we can do to stimulate business growth. They reason that by growing the economy you create jobs.

I take a bottom-up approach. Energy must be expended at the local level to engage in enterprises, and business ventures that put people to work performing services and producing goods that people need.

We can no longer wait for public policy, governments or businesses to create the massive numbers of job needed to put people back to work. We need to unleash the entrepreneurial energy and talents of people at the local level and back their efforts to engage in their own enterprises.

High Mountain Living

Posted by Unknown Thursday, November 10, 2011 0 comments

"Go up on a high mountain." Isaiah 40:9


Each of us should long to climb the high mountain that reaches up to God. Dr. Howard Thurman called it, "the timberline." The timberline is the point where the trees on the top of the mountain touch the sky.

While life has peaks and valleys, we should strive to live life at its highest points and to experience God when we are at our best.

High mountain living allows us to breathe fresh air, to see vast terrain, and to witness flocks of birds fly by. High mountain living places into perspective the shallow aspects of life. High mountain living eliminates people with low aim and low expectations. When we develop the habits of high mountain living, we are empowered by the challenge "to look to the hills from whence cometh our strength.” “Our strength comes from the Lord."

Avoid Foolishness

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, November 9, 2011 0 comments

"Avoid foolish controversies." Titus 3:9


Our days are few, and are between spent doing good, then in disputing over matters of minor importance. It seems that pettiness enters into our lives so easily. Titus informs us to avoid foolish controversies. This is good advice as each of us continues our journey to the destination God in store for us.

For me, I chose to deal with the real questions of life. Do I believe in God and Jesus Christ? Am I walking in the flesh or in the spirit? Am I demonstrating love for all of God's creation?

Anything less than higher thinking, is not really worth my time.

Mr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Jr.

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, November 8, 2011 0 comments

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22: 6

It's a beautiful thing for a father to watch his son grow up to be a man. God has blessed me to be a witness to the maturation of Alvin Jr. He has a beautiful wife, an exciting career, and a commitment to making a difference. Today is his birthday and I love him dearly and pray for his continued success in the Lord.

Men Who Stand on Holy Ground

Posted by Unknown Saturday, November 5, 2011 0 comments

"And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off the thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy." Joshua 5: 15


Sunday begins Men's Month at Union Baptist Church. The theme is "Through Faith and Service: Union Men are Repositioning for the 21st Century."

The Sermon Title tomorrow is "Men Who Stand on Holy Ground."

Dr. Freeman Hrabowski

Posted by Unknown Thursday, November 3, 2011 0 comments

Dr. Freeman Hrabowski continues to be recognized as one of the outstanding University Presidents in America. He wins the Carnegie Award for Academic Leadership. That's my man!!!!

Splinters can hurt

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"Whoever splits logs may be endangered by them." Ecclesiastes 10:9


Over the ages, the powerful interests of America have gotten their way with the poor and those in need. Much like splitting wooden logs, they need to be careful because splitting logs can be dangerous business. The splinters cause by the splitting of wood can be dangerous to the logger. Likewise, the economic climate created by unchecked greed is causing a backlash from all segments of our society. The powerful 1% is being called to task for their growing balance sheets, their disproportional tax rate, and their egregious bonus checks. At the same time, the misery index is rapidly rising and the cries of the innocent people are being heard in streets and cities across America. We are finding every day that the splinters are endangering the loggers.

That Was a Quick Marriage

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, November 2, 2011 0 comments

"If a man's wife walks out on him, and marries another man, can he take her back as if nothing had happened? Wouldn't that raise a huge stink in the land?" Jeremiah 3: 1 - 3 (The Message)


Here's a picture of the $2 million 20.5 carat diamond engagement ring given to Kim Kardashian by Kris Humphries.

The 72-day marriage of Kim Kardashian to Kris Humphries raises some interesting cultural questions about the meaning of love and being in love.

A Washington Post article offers the following quote:

Where is love in all of these calculations? “Love as distinct from ‘being in love’ is not merely a feeling,” C.S. Lewis argued. “It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both persons ask, and receive, from God.”

Thou Shall Be Fed!

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, November 1, 2011 0 comments

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Psalms 37: 3


In the divine providence of God, he feeds us through our ability to secure nourishment or the ability of others to provide nourishment to us. In a physical sense, we need the nutrients and vitamins food provides. In a spiritual sense, we need the vitality and sustainability that God's word provides.

God is available to us throughout life's journey to feed us until we want no more. If we avail ourselves to Him, he will sit at your table and dine with you.

The Stones Will Remember

Posted by Unknown Sunday, October 30, 2011 0 comments

"that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying What mean ye by these stones?" Joshua 4: 6


It's Youth Day at Union Baptist Church. The Youth of Union (YOU) will lead worship, pray, and sing.

I'm preaching from the above text. In life, you will need two memorials. One is public, and the other is private.

The private memorials remind you of what God has done for you. The public memorial reminds you of what God has done with you.

Each has its place, and each conveys a story to our children. Tell them what God has done for you and with you.

True Unity is Found in God

Posted by Unknown Friday, October 28, 2011 0 comments

"No branch can bear fruit by itself." John 15:4


The biblical depiction of God as the tree of life helps us to better understand the unity of all life. What is discouraging about the political debate going on in America is a sense that the parts are greater than the whole. "Meism" is the order of the day. Lost in the debate and discussion is the "we."

Throughout scripture, God continues to illustrate to us that all life and its abundance derives from Him. We are all connecting in a mutual mosaic that is relational and has commonality.

In some sense, it is foolish to think that you can sustain yourself independent of others. The spiritual balance of the world depends on God and not us.

The Ongoing Need for Water

Posted by Unknown Thursday, October 27, 2011 0 comments

"I will pour water on the thirsty land." Isaiah 44:3


One should constantly assess the source of your strength. That assessment is more than the recitation of words or lines from scripture. It is coming to know the source that provides you with the resources to prevail in times of despair and deprivation.

Land is a resource. For it to be fruitful, land needs water, which is the source of its strength.

Our bodies, our talents, our intellects, etc are all resources.

We need spiritual water, which is our source. It empowers our bodies. It enhances our talents. It sustains our intellect. Spiritual water is our source.

When you feel thirsty, take a drink of water from a source that never runs dry.

Peace in the Valley

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, October 26, 2011 0 comments

"I cared for you in the desert, in the land of burning heat." Hosea 13:5


The beauty of God's love and concern is that he is available to you when you find yourself in the dry places of life. When you are wandering, He's presence is the bright oasis in the desert.

Life has those inward moments when all seems lost. That's why God is described as a Shepard, who goes to find those who are lost. In fact, the scripture records that he is not satisfied, even if 99 are in the fold, until he finds the one that is lost. In those lonely moments, He will comfort you. In your darkest hour, He will be the light unto your path.

That's why you should rejoice whether you are on one of life's pikes or in one of life's valleys.

That blessedness of God is like this palm tree in the midst of life's desert.

Druid Hill and North Avenue

Posted by Unknown Tuesday, October 25, 2011 0 comments

In the "Baltimore Brew" questions are being raised about the contracting company that demolished a building on this site and left the property in an unsightly and hazardous condition. This site is a few blocks from the "Little Willie's Tavern" I posted the other day. It is imperative that we work within our communities in a disciplined and respectful way. To leave this site in this condition is deplorable. When our minority contractors perform work they should set the example of conscientiousness.

The Aftermath of 1968 riots in Baltimore

Posted by Unknown Monday, October 24, 2011 0 comments

After the riots of 1968, the National Guard was posted in places like Druid Hill and Whitelock Street in West Baltimore. To this day, a police car is still posted at this site. The property has further deteriorated from its 1968 condition. Why is that?

"Renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10


I use to hear the term "backslider" in my youth. As I grew older I became more aware of what it meant. In essence, the behavior one demonstrates on Sunday is significantly different on Monday. I wonder why that is the case in people.

Does a change of context affect your content? I mean, if you are in church, you are a better person than when you are on the job?

Can one's surroundings change their personality and affect their moral integrity?

It is important in your relationship with God to remain steadfast in your love for Him and your life with Him. Your condition should not change your disposition.

Just like there is nothing that will separate you from the love of God.

There should be nothing that separates you from steadfast love to live for him.

Men's month begins in November 2011 for the Men of Union Baptist Church. For our friends and family, I'm sharing with you advance notice.

Our guest preacher is, The Reverend Herman "Skip" Mason, Jr., Pastor, St. James C.M.E. Church in Washington, Georgia. For my Alpha Brothers, he is your General President.

He will be our Men's Day Preacher at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 20, 2011.

If you don't get there early, you will have to sit in the overflow section of the church.

Constant prayer in all of life's circumstances

Posted by Unknown Sunday, October 23, 2011 0 comments

"This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven..." Mathew 6:9


One of the first prayers we learn is known as the "Lord's Prayer." It is better stated as the model prayer. For through that prayer we learn how to model our prayers to God.

One thing is very clear. We need to be in constant communications with God. The purest form of communication is the sincerity of heart to heart, spirit to spirit, and soul to soul conversation - prayer.

Deep and abiding meditation that continues the relationship through the triumphs, and the tribulations of life is the essence of prayer.


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