Faith in Action

Perhaps they didn’t think of themselves as Socialists. Perhaps they were just living in a hostile environment that made Community a necessity for survival and much less an optional lifestyle.

But even if they wouldn’t have thought themselves to be Socialists; at the very least they were exhibiting many of the ideals of Christian Socialism. There was no such thing as private ownership. They lived together. They ate together. They served each other. And as a result, Almighty God blessed their efforts toward a Beloved Community by performing miracles in their midst and adding to their community daily. Let’s look at Acts 2: 42-47 with fresh eyes:

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. [New Living Translation]

This, to me, is an awesome example of what is possible when Humanity commits to “being together” and trusts God to “dangerous” levels. When I say “being together” I mean intentionally working to chip away at the barricades that divide us like the Berlin Wall. This past Saturday, I volunteered with an organization called Baltimore Free Store. As the name suggests, it’s a store where everything is absolutely free. You walk in - see what you want and take it. Or you drop off something that someone else might need. I had great conversation and served alongside people who I wouldn’t get a chance to connect with in my normal daily routine.

They were White, republican, county residents, “Blue Dog” Clinton Democrats, etc. And we were all desperately trying to serve God and our sisters/brothers together…and no one surrendered their preciously guarded socio-political ideology, theological understanding, or world view. One sister said loud and proud, “Heck yea I’m a republican and I LOVE George Bush!” Another guy quipped, “Well, I wish we could go back to the Clinton years” and then he proceeded to criticize Israel for its foreign policy injustices against Palestine. Admittedly, I held my cards close to my chest. After all, this was my first time meeting these people, but on the inside I wondered if they knew if the Black guy in the room was a Pan-Africanist who holds Jeremiah Wright in high esteem, embraces Liberation Theology, and feels a little funny about interracial relationships.

That’s the point. We couldn’t have been more different. However, though we were different and proud of our differences we found the….courage(?) to break down the Berlin Walls in our cultural worldview and serve alongside one another. Not a “Kum Ba Ya” experience in the least, but I did see glimpses of what it would be like to really live out Acts 2: 45-47. The truth of the matter is that Community doesn’t have to mean Uniformity. I am proud of the distinctives that God deposited within me. I love my culture. I love…no you don’t understand….LOVE being an African man and I shouldn’t have to surrender that in order to be a part of the Community - and neither should anyone else. As long as we can look at each other as HUMAN BEINGS and regard the value in each other as Thee Divine does - we can start dislodging those things that divide us, serve each other, share all we have, and I believe experience the miraculous. TOGETHER.

TO BE CONTINUED.

For the record, I think that CNN’s “Black in America” special was abysmal. If you missed it, believe me - you’ve seen it before. If you watched Dateline NBC’s special on Black Women in Nov. ‘07, Tavis Smiley’s State of Black America, Real Talk with Al Sharpton, or Upfront with Jesse Jackson - you’ve seen the CNN Special before. More of the usual suspects (for the most part) sitting around talking about how bad Black folk got it with a sprinkling of how some Black folks pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and made something of themselves in spite of their blackness. Not surprisingly, there was no talk of institutional racism and how that plays a part in the current situation. Of course the acrobat of adjectives, the ringmaster of run-on sentences, the prime minister of pronouns himself - Michael Eric Dyson represented us “Black folk” real good to massa ‘nem. And keeping in line with a growing trend in mainstream media’s depiction of Black Women, the CNN special made sure to talk about how more and more Black Women are choosing White Men as mates - in fact, mainstream media is so obsessed with separating Black Women from Black Men that they covered African American Women and Families on one night and covered Black Men alone on another night! (:sigh: I can’t do it again. I already dropped my thunder on this issue when NBC did it.) Sorry, Mr. Media Men - no matter what you do, there are still many Black Women who deeply love and cherish Black Men. Likewise, there are many many many Black Men like myself who not only see royalty in Black Women, but who see love personified in them. A grade for CNN’s WACK attempt at telling OURSTORY? D-

Here is a link to Dr. Maulana Karenga’s commentary on CNN’s docu-drama entitled “Peddling Pathology in the Media: Selling Dream, Drama, and Dread.” Thanks Bro. Jahi!

Now let me find out that the Sultan of Surveillance himself, Martin O’Malley, is outraged by the recent findings released by the ACLU that peace activists in Baltimore were monitored over the course of 14 months and 288 hours for planning lawful, nonviolent, protests against war and the death penalty. Those in Baltimore know that Overseer O’Malley led the way in hanging Blue Light Cameras like Christmas lights all over the city keeping Big Brother’s Eye on Bmore’s Black and poor citizens. Illegal arrests skyrocketed under O’Malley’s iron grip and in the run up to the gubernatorial election he had sections of the city barricaded to restrict movement seemingly to decrease the likelihood of an embarrassing criminal event that his political opponent Robert Ehrlich could take advantage of during the campaign. O’Malley cares about First Amendment rights?! Oh stop it - I CAN’T BREATHE - BWAH HAHAHAHAHA (BTW - if you are a part of an organization that has planned a march, rally, protest in Maryland, the ACLU is offering to help you find out if you were spied on. Click here for more info.)

In other news, Maryland’s Speaker of the House, Mike Busch, is in a bit of a tizzy right now being that his wife was arrested on DUI charges shortly after midnight for driving through two flashing red lights in Annapolis. Busch brushes it aside as a personal family matter. No worries, Busch - mainstream media has your back. Your wife was arrested on Wednesday, but the Baltimore Sun chose not to shine its light on the issue until Friday at 3:32 PM - you know…a time when most folks aren’t even thinking about politics, world affairs, or drunk drivers who happen to be married to the third most politically powerful man in the state!

Closing on a…good note? The House of Representatives passed a resolution (boy, they love those non-binding resolutions don’t they?) Tuesday apologizing for Slavery. Great. Maryland expressed profound regret (along with many other states) and the U.S. House apologizes - fine. Now make the apology mean something. Bring on REPARATIONS! A nationwide, institutional effort to level the playing field between Africans and all other nation groups represented in these so-called United States of America. For more about reparations check out Dr. Ray Winbush’s blog and book.

About a year ago, I received calls at work on a storm-cloud filled day with news on the other line that one of Baltimore’s most historic churches had been struck by lightning. I jumped in the car and drove to the church and joined hundreds of others who gathered at the smoldering building trying to make sense of what happened. Tears, cheers, songs, and prayers went up as the faithful and the curious watched in amazement as the billows of smoke rose higher yet into the sky.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, news reports began to surface about the church’s financial struggles and gifts that the church had given their pastor - the most scrutinized of which was a bentley automobile.

One year later the smoke has cleared and in this WBAL news report, Bishop Oscar Brown talks about where the church is now - debt free and looking forward to a new building in 2010.

Too tired right now, but my full take on this is forthcoming. Stay tuned.

Click here for more information about Peer to Peer.

A few years ago I met an amazingly passionate woman by the name of Shirell Tyner. I wrote about my experiences with Shirell in past posts and this Saturday marks a big day for the vision that God gave her. After God delivered her from drug abuse, criminality, incarceration, and immoral behavior, The Almighty gave her a vision to start a ministry called Caring Through The Spiritual Eye, Inc.

This ministry involved feeding the homeless, housing those who are recovering, and supporting the spiritual, social, and economic development of those whom the world has disregarded. Shirell, with little structured support from outside entities, funded her own vision and persevered when it looked like no one would come to assist.

However, now a new chapter is starting for Caring Through The Spiritual Eye, Inc.!

On Saturday, June 14, 2008 11:30AM - until, the Caring Through The Spiritual Eye Outreach Center will open its doors in the Park Heights Community. Free Food, Music, Games, and Resources! Call (443) 449-7515 for more information.

Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to listen to Shirell Tyner’s interview with a local station.

Call To Action: We Can’t Let Our Young People Starve
By Lynn Pinder

As I watched the news last night, I was moved by the actions of a group of young people from Baltimore who launched a hunger strike as a last effort to force the City of Baltimore to provide $3 million dollars in support of a youth initiative called Peer to Peer Enterprises that would employ older youth in Baltimore to tutor young children. These young warriors – the epitome of youth development - are dynamic, articulate, and engaged in a righteous fight for justice. Their actions and behavior are in direct contrast to another group of older youth who also made the news last night for their vicious attack against a young barbering student last week.

As I sat watching the two stories, the urgency in the demands of the young people participating in the hunger strike pulled my heart strings as did the response of our City leaders. I heard the following comments from our City leaders: “The money has been allocated. We don’t have $3 million dollars. We’re willing to work with the young people if they will compromise.” And I wondered why should our young people have to compromise? These young people are our leaders today. Why can’t we – the adults – figure out a way to invest in them?

Although the City of Baltimore may not have the funds to support another youth initiative, it has access to wealthy business partners who might contribute financial support if they were asked. Corporations, production companies, developers, and investors - like the Ritz-Carlton, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc., the Marriott, Constellation Energy, the producers of the WIRE, and HBO - could easily write-off the expense of another youth initiative in Baltimore without it ever having to be a burden on the City’s “rainy day” budget.

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It is with great excitement that I share good news related to the next phase of my service to God and community. I have recently been called to serve as the Pastor of the Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland. (430 E. Belvedere Avenue, Baltimore, 21212) Pleasant Hope is a loving congregation situated not far from the intersection of Belvedere Avenue and York Road in North Baltimore City.

I am truly thankful to God for this opportunity to serve God’s people and the broader community in this way.

All are invited to attend my first Sunday at Pleasant Hope Baptist Church which will actually be this Sunday, June 1, 2008. Sunday School begins at 9:30AM and morning worship begins at 11:00AM. As we are anticipating a crowd, I invite you to get there a bit early if you do plan on coming.

For those who are unable to come, I certainly solicit your prayers for me and my family. I’ve had the distinct privilege of serving alongside many of you as we advocated for justice for Isaiah Simmons, III, the removal of liquor stores from Park Heights, a quality education for Baltimore City public school students, a peaceful remedy for the people of Darfur, Sudan, engaging in civil disobedience at the gates of the White House in reference to the American invasion and military occupation of Iraq, and so many other important issues. Now more than ever I need your support as I have become an heir to a great tradition in my family and community. The Black Church, in my estimation, is the most valuable institution in the African American community and I will strive to honor the legacy of the Great Ancestors and Elders who have gone before me. With your prayers and God’s guidance, I will be successful in my quest.

Let’s continue to work together in an effort to usher in the realization of the Beloved Community in this world - starting right here in Baltimore City!

May God’s Peace be yours,

Pastor-Elect Heber M. Brown, III
Pleasant Hope Baptist Church
Baltimore, MD

HAT TIP: Baltimore Sun

City Council panel rejects bid to use interest earned in ‘rainy day’ account

By John Fritze
Sun reporter
May 29, 2008

A Baltimore City Council committee rejected a proposal to use interest from the city’s $88 million “rainy day fund” for children’s programs during an unexpectedly passionate debate last night about the best way to ensure the city’s financial future.

In a blow to advocates who have lobbied City Hall for more money for youth programs, a majority of council members said the city should continue to build its rainy day fund in case of an emergency rather than direct the interest from the fund to youth programs.

Debate over the programs has become especially contentious because surplus funds used to finance them in the past have run dry. Mayor Sheila Dixon earmarked more than $14 million for the programs this year in the budget, and advocates are seeking an additional $4 million.

“To me, it’s a priority. It’s not fluff,” said City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, who has led the effort on the council to fund the programs and who voted in favor of using the rainy day money. “To me, it’s the first thing that should be funded every year.”

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Pretty interesting piece on Baltimore from Aljazeera English. They do a pretty good job of presenting news from a different perspective and I’m heartened by their Code of Ethics.

Part 1 deals more with stories from Baltimore.

Part 2 talks about Obama, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and race in America for the first 5:40. Remainder of the vid goes back to Baltimore.