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the-record-newspaper · 5 years ago

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Men In Christ Ministry hold 14th Annual MLK Jr Commemorative Breakfast at Stone Center

Rev. Graylin Carlton, (above left) a Wilkes native, who is minister at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Walktertown, was among those who spoke during the Reflection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during Monday morning’s, annual tribute to King held at the Stone Center in North Wilkesboro. Also shown are his parents, mother, Perry, and father, Evon, who are Wilkes residents. The event is hosted and organized by Men in Christ Ministry. Record photo by Heather Dean

By HEATHER DEAN

Record Reporter

The morning’s message was clear - do your best to continue the love and compassion that gives way to change, in every aspect of your life every day.

The room was full at Men In Christ Ministry’s 14th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Breakfast at the Stone Center in North Wilkesboro

Some came from as far away as Charlotte.

Rev. Winford Griffin, from Clarks Chapel Baptist Church in Statesville, said in the event’s opening prayer “Thank you Lord for this day that we have never seen and will never see again, and help us to do our best in your name.”

Dr. Rev Terry Hunt, from Life Center, in Lenoir read from Matthew Chapter 5, and admonished those in attendance to “keep in our hearts those that have gone before us.”

Brother Craig Tidline played the piano as the audience joined in singing Lift Every Voice and Sing, before breakfast was served.

After breakfast, Rev. Richard K. Watts from Rickards Chapel AME Zion welcomed the crowd. “We are here to reflect, not only on the man, but to reflect on his speeches, to reflect that today is a day is a day for change, inspired to be better, inspired to love, inspired to forgive, inspired to do justice, inspired to make all those dreams a reality.

Brother Kenneth Turner, from First Baptist Church, said “Just look at this crowd. We are so grateful to you. It was 24 degrees at my house this morning, and I’m sure it would have been a nice day to sleep in and stay home warm. But just look- as my daddy would have said, “who would have thunk it?” Thank you for coming out, and a special thank you to Wilkes Communications that donated $500 to go into our fund for those in need.” Turner then recognized North Wilkesboro Mayor, Robert Johnson, and Mark Byrd, Superintendent of Wilkes County Schools. The Men in Christ Ministry (MICM) presented Byrd with a check from the society and thanked him for taking care of the children in Wilkes. Turner said “We (MICM) are very passionate about the children of the world today. How we act as adults, and how we support the children and how we support the schools are our legacy.”

Byrd then thanked the MICM for the example they set for the kids, and he asked for the continued thoughts and prayers for the children and schools in of Wilkes County.

The Beulah Presbyterian Church Choir, led by Brother Craig Tidline, along with Rev. Steve Snipes from Wilkesboro Presbyterian Chapel, sang “Let it Start In Me” before the memorial ceremony. Brother Paul Robinson, from Rickards Chapel AME Zion led the memorial ceremony. He said “We are lucky and blessed to have three members who made it to 100. Sisters Gilreath and Barber, and Brother Howell…that’s what I call success! We need to sit with them and learn their wisdom. Things we now take for granted weren’t even invented yet. If you are lucky to have grandparents, great-grandparents, or just elders in your congregation- sit and talk with them, don’t let that wisdom be lost.” Last year’s memorial ceremony they called the names of members they had lost, but Robinson said they wanted to do it differently, and honor everyone, across denominations and the community. So he asked those who had lost someone to please stand and say their name aloud, and after all the names were spoken, he asked the crowd to stand with those grieving, and all took a moment of silent prayer and remembrance for them.

Ernest Coles, from Watco Cleaning, gave the MICM $500 in honor of his brother, Billy, who is a member, but was unwell and not able to attend the days ceremonies.

Reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were by Rev. Graylin Carlton, Wilkes native, now at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist in Walkertown; Rev. William Fulp, Jr., Beulah Presbyterian Church in North Wilkesboro; Rev. Elliott Boston, Liberty Grove Baptist, in Taylorsville.

Carlton said “I put a lot of prayer into this- I didn’t even know where to start. I listened to and read every speech I could find. But his last one, on March 31, 1968, not knowing that he only had four days left on this earth, was called “Remaining Awake through a Great Revolution.” He used Rip Van Winkle as an example of staying aware of our challenges. When Rip Van Winkle awoke after a 20 year sleep, he realized that he had slept through a revolution. George Washington now replaced King George.

King challenged us to stay awake, even though our human instinct is to hit the snooze button on many social issues, to wait, to not say anything until someone else does. We need to remember that Jesus did not censor himself, he confronted injustice, he fought the status quo, and he started a revolution. It’s time to put our differences away, religious and otherwise, it’s time to cross boundaries and love and help one another. We must stay awake and accept our community challenges. In Matthew chapter 22, Jesus was asked “what is the greatest commandment?” We were told to LOVE. Love thy neighbor, all of them, the revolution is not over!”

Fulp said “It was the day after Bloody Sunday. King said “A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right, for justice, when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true. Like Christ and Moses, King was spreading an unpopular message for his day. But we have to get over this notion that he did it for only one race- no, he did it for all- the underpaid, the poor, the woman, the children of all races. The definition of oppression is a prolonged cruel or unjust treatment. God only sees two races, his children, and those who are lost.

Complacency is a disease that is spreading now, through out lives and through the church, and it is as dangerous as being labeled a renegade. We have gotten to the point that we don’t stand up for anything unless it affects us personally. Complacency is being lukewarm, and you know what Jesus said about that. Psalms says that complacency is for fools. Complacency has no place in the Christian home or the Christian Church. We must walk in love, standing up for freedom, justice, truth, for all of our neighbors. When will you stand up?

Boston said “I listened to the memorial service of Dr Martin Luther King. And in it, you could hear someone shout “we’ve lost the last good one.” And that made me think: God is not asking us to be someone else. He is not asking us to be MLK. He is asking us to be our best that we can be and to keep doing good. Hate leads to fear, and we have fear because we don’t know each other. Kings sermon “A knock at midnight” was taken from Luke’s parable in chapter 11. King told us it was midnight in the social order, on the national order. . Friends, it is still midnight. I know that I must do my part to be practical, to live what I preach. And we can pray with confidence that he hears us. Keep praying and be patient, god will restore us.”

Brother Sonny Golden, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, introduced keynote speaker, Steve Snipes, from Wilkesboro Presbyterian Chapel. He said “This crowd shows that our God is at work.”

Snipes said “The path of friendship is a long and winding road, and it is one I have enjoyed one step at a time. I look different than the other speakers up here, but I thank you for seeing me as a friend, allowing me to be a friend, I am humbled to stand before you It is one of the greatest honors given to me and I have been excited to speak. Thank you for your reflections on Dr. King.

“Dr King had a dream for our entire nation, but I want to ask you a question. Are we still dreaming? Are we still trying to do better or are we simply sitting and enjoying other work that came before us? Are we still passing the torch? As recipients of his hard work and martyrdom, are we still seeking to influence society, to seek the well being of life, justice and equality?

“I am richly blesses in more ways than I can count or acknowledge. Yet I was raised in a culture and conditioned to be a certain way. It wasn’t until my teen years that I learned the truth- I was a racist. I have been fighting every day since, and making amends for what I had been conditioned to be. We see it everyday, the elitist, the violent, the arrogant, and it’s easy not to see it in ourselves. We have to reset the mindset. We have to challenge ourselves, to be kind, in all of our conversations and activities. When we serve the least, we are demonstrating kindness and compassion, We must convince ourselves and others to be the best and most authentic versions of ourselves we can be.

“We need to confront the sad actions of the past and to acknowledge that it was wrong. We must commit to see all human beings as children of God. There were centuries of bad theology and that created a hierarchy; we must fight though the centuries of systematic injustice. We have turned that page of history without saying how wrong it was to attack humans with fire hoses, to bomb a Sunday school class, to kill innocent children...” Then, with tears in his eyes, Snipes said “I have no authority but my own, but I want to tell you I am sorry. I am so sorry for everything that happened. There was so much that we (white people) brought about and it was so wrong.”

“We have a new day, and a new future together through Christ. And maybe not everyone will agree with me, but I’m at the point that I don’t care. We can change others through Christ.

The event ended with the crowd singing “We Shall Overcome,” and the ending prayer by Rev. Michael Gillespie, from Denny Grove AME Zion Church.

-We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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