Child, you oughta been there.

I believe that's the vernacular the saints of old would use when describing some wonderful event in their lives, whether that event evolved around an epiphany of some kind or a foot-stompin', service that put Satan in a headlock, so to speak, if only for a little while.

Recently, I had the privilege of being in a similar service at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary when The Association of Black Seminarians sponsored a day-long program celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The program was titled, "40 Years Later: Still Striving for the Promised Land." It was marvelous. Truly marvelous. I was invited by Minister Caffie Jeanette Risher, a seminarian and president of the Association of Black Seminarians at the school. I was told this was an annual celebration. The songs of Zion were wonderful, the fellowship, perfect and the food simply scrumptous. But the highlight for me was listening to the keynote speaker in the person of the Rev. Arlene Churn, Ph.D., a nationally revered minister.

This is Women's History Month so this column is right on time. This Philadelphia native came to the event with impressive credentials, i.e., named one of America's foremost female ministers by "Ebony Magazine," profiled in "Black Enterprise Magazine," served as Chair of the White House Conferences on Children and has delivered the invocation and meditation for the Miss America Pageant for eight consecutive years. She also is coordinator of the 3.5 million female members of the National Baptist Convention. And, there's more.

Believe me, I was more than adequately impressed with her legacy of accomplishments. But what singed my soul beyond this woman of God's achievements was the message she brought to us. Plagued with glaucoma, Dr. Churn then went forth to preach about vision which is an image that cannot be seen with the normal eye.

She reminded the rapt audience of seminarians and visitors alike that in many of today's churches, standards are a thing of the past. I'm paraphrasing this but the good reverend recalled how a dress code is no longer important in many churches today. Then she said, "When some of these people get tired of you and perhaps decide to become a Muslim, they will be required to wear a suit and tie." I thought to myself, "This is priceless." She was dressed beautifully with sparkling jewelry to match. "I wear this bling, bling," she said, "to show young girls that you don't have to sleep around to have nice things."

As far as I'm concerned she spoke the unvarnished truth about the condition of black people and lashed out against those who say they can't make their own children go to church even though those children are living under the roofs of their parents.

It was no-nonsense time in the neighborhood, y'all, and I was one of the beneficiaries of this great woman's wisdom.

On her way to the West Coast, she made mention of the fact that in many of today's churches, numbers have become an important factor in the house of God. She didn't seem to be a happy camper about this truth. This worldwide traveler and international preacher/speaker has preached in Russia, China and South Africa but her focal point was urging those who sat under the sound of her voice to live in the now, or in the present. In short, make every day count.

It was worth getting up early to trek down to New Brunswick to hear the profound but simple message of this titan of theology. I owe this experience to Minister Risher, who Dr. Churn refers to as, "my adoptive daughter in the gospel."

Caffie, you're blessed to have this surrogate mother. Caffie has begun to move mightily in the work of the Lord. She is an associate minister at Community Baptist Church in Englewood, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Lester W. Taylor. She currently teaches at Passaic County Community College, in Paterson, as a tenured-track professor.

Minister Risher is president and founder of Midnight Gospel, Inc., a non-profit evangelistic outreach ministry and will graduate from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in May. Kudos should also be extended to Minister Herb Thomas, Chairperson of the seminary's Black History Committee and all those who worked under his tutelage.

Lastly, the workshop I attended under the direction of Dr. Bernadette Glover-Williams, an adjunct professor at the seminary and associate minister of The Cathedral in Perth Amboy, was another moment to savor. Dr. Glover-Williams did not have the time needed to really expound on this matter but what she covered "fed" us thoroughly.

These are just a few of the women who make up the goregous mosaic of women of color during Women's History Month.

Listen to The Positive Community Hour on WKMB 1050a.m. Harvest Radio on Mondays, 1:30-2:30p.m.

Rev. Nance is pastor of The Church by the Side of the Road in Passaic, NJ. She is also a radio talk show host and documentary filmmaker.
t_nance@hotmail.com