From Pastor's Desk

On Color-blindness:
Recently, I sat with a white brother and he asked my initial thoughts on a question concerning race. “What would you tell someone who says, “God doesn’t see color and I think we should be color blind”?

God is not colorblind.  God knows and loves all Christians of different ethnicities and colors. He sees the shade of their skin and believes this is a part of His beautiful creation. God took great care in making each of us.  Reading Psalm 139:14 , “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” We were all made in his image, and nothing about this is a mistake. God wanted us each to be different and unique in our own way and intentionally chose traits for you. The smallest details about us matter to God, including our race.

Reading Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

Reading John 4 and Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman helps us to see that the Scriptures do see differences in ethnicity.  She is known by her ethnicity. Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman who most would not have. To Jesus, He saw someone struggling that needed a relationship with God. He understood her reality, someone that was hurting and in need, and He acknowledged her pain. He accepted her and came to where she was.
So is the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8, along with a myriad of other examples. So, it is both okay, and right to see ethnicity.

To say that God doesn’t see color is implying that God isn’t acknowledging a person for who they are or the struggles they have been through involving racism.
To say “I think we should be color blind” I believe what you are attempting to express is that you do not value me more or less, or treat me any different based on the color of my skin.  Because surely you cannot physically deny a difference in skin tone/ethnicity. 
 
The problem also is, we live in what has been called a racialized society where implicit bias abounds, and oftentimes expresses itself in very de-humanizing ways.  For example, even though African American’s make up less than 15% of Minneapolis’ population (Where our brother, George Floyd was murdered), over 60% of incidents of police brutality are directed at African American’s.
  
This is only but one scant example that we live in a racialized society that very clearly sees, and limits opportunities (and even lives) for people of color.  
If we are going to move forward in true ethnic unity, we must name these things, acknowledge them, confess and intentionally move forward.  Isn’t this the general sentiment of I John 1?  We cannot have true fellowship with God without first acknowledging the truth of our sins. Color blindness gets us nowhere.
  
I love my white brothers and sisters, but I cannot have true fellowship unless you see a significant part of who I am, a Black man, acknowledge, and dialog with me about it. 
 
Yes, my relationship with Christ is the epicenter of who I am but following Christ does not eradicate my blackness.
Be encouraged
                                             

              

                                            

 

Prayer Moderators Sister Marylyn Broxton and Brother Tracy Brown will be conducting a Conference Prayer Night on Thursdays from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm via conference call. This will continue every Thursday night going forward.

How This Will Work
We are going to provide you with the information to call in and join.
3 Steps
1. Dial (313) 209-8800
2. Enter Conference ID#: 720207#
You must hit the # (pound sign) after the seven at the end in order to participate.

 When you enter the conference, announce yourself: Hello this is: (Your Name)
At that point the moderators will direct you, you may pray or listen. To God be the glory.

 

                                         

People of Christ MBC Conference Call Bible Study

Pastor Garrett will continue holding Bible Study on Wednesday at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm via conference call.
Pastor Garrett will hold Men's Bible Study on Tuesday Evening at 7:00 pm via conference call

How This Will Work
We are going to provide you with the information to call in and join the bible study class. There are a couple of things we need to share as order of conduct to make this great for everyone.

3 Steps
1. Dial (313) 209-8800
2. Enter Conference ID#: 720207#
You must hit the # (pound sign) after the seven at the end in order to participate.

 When you enter the conference, announce yourself: Hello this is: (Your Name)
When you are not talking please mute your phone. 
When Pastor is speaking please wait until he has stopped before you begin to talk. (We do not want to talk over each other)

 

                  
              First Lady Garrett is inviting you to a scheduled
                                      Zoom Bible Study meeting.

                     WMU Bible Class will be on Zoom under this new email.
  Leadership @ P.O.C. Zoom is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

                                           Topic: WMU Bible Study
                                                  Time: 06:30 PM 
                         Every week on Tue, until August 11, 2020, 
                                                                   
                                                 Being Prayerful
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89846260462?pwd=QUM4ai9SVWRKVHVjdWFMQnkvQ0lvdz09
Meeting ID: 898 4626 0462
       

 

A: Romans 3:23 (KJV) ²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

B : John 3:16 (KJV)  ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
C : 1 John 1:9 (KJV) ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

                                           Our ABC memory scriptures.

REMINDERS:
RESPECTING THE SANCTUARY
With the exception of water, there is to be no eating or drinking in the Sanctuary, NO EXCEPTIONS
When inquiring about Baby Dedications please contact the church secretary at the church office.