Events over the past two weeks have reminded me of the title of the old western “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” one of my favorite films.
Nationally and locally we have witnessed events incorporating all three elements in the religious community. I’ve summarized all of them as follows:
The Good
The Drive-by Prayer Vigil has finally received the citywide praise it deserves, with recent coverage on several local news stations since the sudden spike in homicides this summer. The Drive-by Prayer Vigil is a movement led by Pastor A. Thomas Hill of Healing Streams Word and Worship Center and City-County Councilman Paul Bateman.
For two years members of the movement have visited homicide scenes all over the city, where they sing songs of joy for the lives of murder victims and pray for the victims’ families, as well as the city at large.
In its short life span the Drive-by Prayer Vigil has already brought comfort to the lives of numerous families in grief and given hope to a city weary of a crime wave that has taken away too many innocent young men, women and children. The Recorder was among the first publications to write about the Drive-by Prayer Vigil, and I am glad that television media and the Indianapolis Star have finally joined us in honoring it as a true blessing.
The Bad
Our community recently lost Rev. C.V. Jetter, who died at age 90 and was laid to rest at Crown Hill Cemetary following a celebration of life service at his beloved Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. Jetter was best known as founding president of the Concerned Clergy, a civil rights advocacy organization established in 1960 that remains active today.
Recognized as the “Godfather” of the local Black Baptist community, Jetter had served as pastor of Shiloh since 1956, and came from a special generation of ministers that included such iconic figures as Rev. Andrew J. Brown, Rev. Mozel Sanders, Rev. R.T. Andrews, Rev. Stacy Shields, Rev. Arthur Johnson and Rev. James Williams.
By the time I got to know Jetter he was a cranky but funny old preacher who never hesitated to share his wisdom with young ministers. It was fascinating to hear stories about his youth, when he chopped wood for 10 cents a day during the Great Depression to help support his family, as well the years he participated in the civil rights movement.
Jetter’s death leaves Rev. Melvin Girton, who became pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in 1960, as the city’s oldest presiding Baptist minister. He leaves behind his wife Cleveola and several children and grandchildren. His son, Otis Jetter, is pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church.
The Ugly
Many people are still talking about Rev. Jesse Jackson’s comments wanting to remove Sen. Barack Obama’s private parts.
In off-the-record conversations I’ve had with local ministers the overwhelming sentiment seems to be that Jackson’s comments were actually harmless, but he should have known better than to say them in a television studio, especially one operated by the Fox network, which is notoriously biased against progressive political figures.
Jackson’s enemies have long tried to discredit him by reporting on his extramarital affair and other alleged discretions. This new situation is unfortunate, given that Jackson has been touring the county with promising new initiatives and was on his way to regaining momentum and respect.
Aside from his comments about Obama, I was more surprised by Jackson’s suspicion (expressed in the same controversial interview) of the federal government’s faith-based initiative office, which was established in 2001 to assist churches and faith-based organizations that operate programs to help individuals in poverty, people who are unemployed, ex-convicts, drug addicts and at-risk youth.
The Faith Based Initiative is one of only a few good ideas presented by the failed Bush administration. However, like the No Child Left Behind act, the administration has not backed it up with substantial administrative or financial support.
Obama has promised to expand, revamp and reorganize the office of faith-based initiatives so that it is more visible and helpful.
Many pastors across the country, including many in Indianapolis, want to make a positive difference but can’t do so on tithes and offerings alone, especially if their congregation or organization is small.
After seven years many pastors still do not know how to apply for the consulting and financial assistance offered by the federal government. Obama promises to change that, and it’s time for Jackson, a preacher of the Gospel, to get on board.
Times must be pretty hard when even the family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. can’t get along.
A newspaper in Atlanta reported last week that two of King’s children, Martin III and Bernice, are suing their brother Dexter King for allegedly mismanaging and taking funds from their father’s estate, which includes a valuable collection of his materials valued at millions of dollars and is recognized by the state of Georgia as a corporation.
Through their attorney, Martin III and Bernice have stated that they tried several times to reach out to Dexter, who has not commented on the case.
Until now the King family has been known to always present a united front, regardless of their personal or political differences. Let’s keep the King family in prayer as they go through this difficult impasse and pray that they will soon resolve this distracting dispute and get back to the outstanding work of keeping their parents’ legacy alive.
