Leaderboard

First, I would like to share information about a church I've been involved in for several years now. I moved to Daytona Beach several years ago to help my wife take care of her aged parents and began attending their home church. As I was writing the previous post, this church was on my mind as what churches could do and should be doing. And with enough prayers of the righteous going up – they will be doing. This church epitomizes what Black churches could be with the right leadership. Allen Chapel AME Church (Daytona Beach FL), under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Nathan Mugula, is one such church. They (he and his congregation) are intimately involved in their community with ministries focusing on justice, mental health, generational poverty, school reform, as well as bringing people into a right relationship with God. Allen Chapel’s congregation are active with ministries like mentoring students at Bethune-Cookman University, visiting and witnessing to families in need of a variety of healings, and sponsoring the Restoration House – aimed at providing for the homeless of the community. My home church, First MB Church of Highland Pines (Tampa FL), under the capable leadership of Pastor Cleveland Lane is making a difference as well. While we have 20% of the membership of Allen Chapel AME Church, our slogan – A Little Church with a Big Heart - rings true. Before COVID, we had a clothing ministry for the homeless of our community, served Saturday morning breakfast and spiritual nourishment, and sponsored an annual Back-to-School event with food, bounce houses, and backpacks filled with school supplies. Are we are endeavoring to bring all of that back, and more. These are two churches I’m familiar with, and I’m sure there are many more doing “good works”. I feel that we, as a society, tend to go for the “low hanging fruit”. We focus on the negative that is portrayed and sensationalized in traditional media, social media, entertainment, and the like. Good stories rarely make for “good copy” or headline news. Unless it’s the annual 45 days of positive news (mid-November until New Year’s Day). Actually, people around this United States of America do “good works” 365 ¼ days a year. But it’s usually done in anonymity. You posed the question, sir, “who with the power to effect change, leads the Black community in 2023?” We are. We have the power to effect change – both individually and collectively. The ones who labor tirelessly and in obscurity, day in and day out, without nary an acknowledgement, compliment or shout out. The ones who share their talents, time, and thoughts with our community. The ones who may not realize they’re doing God’s work, but they are anytime they use God’s gifts for good. The ones who are continuing the “good works” of Black leaders of the past. We are the leaders of the Black community. Can I get a whoop-whoop, a hallelujah, and a Amen somebody?

Wow that's a lot of traction. People do need to hear other people's opinions especially when their faults so the truth can come out. I don't know how often mines are changed but if you can enlighten one person a day, you're making a difference.