COVER STORY: A Victory at Christmastime
By g.r. mattox
One of the most heart-warming aspects of the Christmas season is the music. Taking the phrase ‘give the gift of music’ to heart, that’s just what Gospel impresario Dr. Albert Lewis and the City of Newark will do again this year. Victory at Christmastime—Part II will take place at Symphony Hall on Thursday, December 22.
A Shepherd's Corner - Reginald T. Jackson
By Rev. Jackson Pastor of St. Matthew A.M.E. Church, Orange, NJ
and Executive Director of the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey
We are in the season of the year that some Christians call “Advent,” which means “a coming” or “a happening.” It refers to the greatest birth that ever happened in the history of the world—the birth of Jesus, the coming of the Christ into the world. Most believers and people who don’t even accept or acknowledge Jesus, refer to this time of the year as “Christmas” which is a Latin term that means “a mass celebrated in honor of Christ.” This season is about Christ.
FROM THE HEART: Christmas Memories
By Rosemary Sinclair
Christmas has always been a joyful and wondrous time for me. Even as I approach the twilight years, I am amazed and grateful to feel my heart still stirring with the anticipation I felt as a child, but with a deeper awareness and appreciation of what the birth of Christ meant for humanity and for me personally
My View
By Rev. Theresa Nance Pastor of
The Church By The Side Of The Road
108 Hoover Ave., Passaic, NJ.
Our destinies are oftentimes locked into someone we’re supposed to meet or something we’re supposed to do. For years, I have put on the back burner, so to speak, a task I should have undertaken a while back. As the former Chief Chaplain of the Passaic County Jail in the City of Paterson, NJ, I came in contact with women who went back to prostituting after their penal release because they had no where to go.
Guest Editorial
By Rev. Dr. Arlee Griffin
It is interesting that the announcement of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would be an occasion for fear. But to the lowly shepherds who knew a world of confusion and calamity, of despair and despondency, of futility and fear, the angelic message was sheer Good News. This fear of the Lord that came upon them transformed them into creative personalities and caused them to take an adventure of faith. They journeyed to Bethlehem to see the Savior and Lord and we last see them returning, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen. The shepherd's fear was the gateway to life.
THE WAY AHEAD: Ethiopian Peace
By Mwandikaji K. Mwanafunzi
At this writing, mid-November 2005, The 2005 International Conference on the Bible and Its African Roots is wrapping up in Ethiopia. At the same time fratricidal violence is flaring up in that African country.
While we glory in our past, our present needs healing. We must pray and work to resolve this contradiction.
Great Roll Call To Progress:
The following clergy organizations, churches, community businesses and institutions have committed to the purchase ofat least one hundred magazines per month at $1.00 each (50% off the cover price) or support this publication through the purchase of advertising for their events, services or consumer products. This is only a partial listing.
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