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JANUARY 8, 1998
MLKIII: We’ll build SCLC chapter here
By Mark Oliphant
AUGUSTA FOCUS wt
AUGUSTA
When the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference (SCLC)
officially installs Martin Luther
King 111 as its new president on
January 15, it will mark a continu
ation of the leadership begun by
King’s legendary father who co
founded the organization 41 years
ago.
King made his first public speak
ing engagement in 1998 in Au
gusta last Saturday, Jan. 3, at the
African-American Summit 98. The
event was hosted by the African-
American Association, Inc. at Tab
ernacle Baptist Church.
King, a former Fulton County
Commissioner, promoted African-
American unity in the CSRA and
also took the opportunity to assist
rebirth of a local chapter of SCLC.
Members of the CSRA African-
American Association are spear
heading the local effort.
“The process of building an
SCLC chapter here is developing
quite well,” says King. “ I plan to
return to Augusta on occasion for
this endeavor after I officially as
sume office. Wherever there is an
effort to create unity in the Afri
can-American community, I will
be there to be a part of it.”
The SCLC was last active here in
1983 with the late Joan Blondell
Conley serving as acting president
in place of her mother, who passed
away while in office. Some of the
local African American leaders of
past and present who were active
forces within the local SCLC chap
ter include, Dr. Otis Smith, former
Augusta city councilwoman Mar
garet Armstrong, and Rev. J.S.
Wright, pastor of Macedonia Bap
tist Church,
Rev. Wright was brou ‘
from Denmark; Bouth Cargm
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to
v
B gkl
Rev. Alex R. King
1630 Fifteenth St. Augusta, Ga. 30901
(706) 733-9430
Sunday: Sunday School 9:30 a.m,
Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Ist Sunday Evening 6:30 p.m.
Wed: Praise Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
Thurs: Senior Services 10:00
Day Care Center:
6:45 a.m. - 5:30 p.m
oucasTi'S BEST GOSPEL ooe -
Sonshine 16 @
= o y Hm;ugmxfi
P.O. Box 1454
Augusta, Georgia 30903
“This is the
same philoso
phy my father
carried in his
work. Nothing
can be resolved
in our commu
nity without it.”
establish the local chapter in 1965.
At the time, he was pastor of Rome
Baptist Church there where he
met with Dr. King on many
occassions on SCLC matters,
“We lost a lot of our eager, active
members to death,” the Rev.
Wright explained. “We also ended
up in competition with the local
chapter of the NAACP. The SCLC
has always been my concern, but |
did not have the time nor the en
ergy to give the chapter the leader
ship it needed. There have always
been additional eager members
who wanted to serve, but none of
them wanted to take the helm to
lead the group.”
Rev. Wright says after Dr. King's
death, he brought King's SCLC
comrade and co-founder Rev. Dr.
Ralph David Abernathy to town to
speak and to work with the Au
gusta SCLC Chapter. The long
standing civil rights veteran and
local community and religious
leader says he’s still interested in
working with the SCLC.
A new generation of leaders who
haven’t seen much of the heyday
of the old-school SCLC have been
working tirelessly to revive the
civil rights organization here.
Terrence Dicks, along with the
Rev. James Reid, are steering this
‘endeavor. ' ' ' -
“We've been trying to get the
Williams Memorial
C.M.E. Church
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Martin Luther King lil plans a return trip to Augusta.
SCLC restarted in Augusta since
1995,” says Dicks, who also serves
as sergeant-of-arms for the CSRA
African-American Association.
“Our efforts have been on-going
with our involvement in commu
nity educational programs, voter
registrations, hosting economic is
sue forums and coalition building.”
Martin Luther King Il] certainly
has his work cut out once he takes
over on his father's 69th birthday.
King is looking forward to provid
ing, a proactive modern approach
while leading the SCLC into the
21st Century.
“I consider the work I have ahead
of me as more time-involved rather
than difficult,” says King. “There
is a need for a stronger mobiliza
tion in our community in reaching
our goals such as eliminating Afri
can-American voting apathy and
utilizing technological respurces
such asthe internet for our cause.”
We are reaching out.
Come and worship with us.
El ® *
Antioch Missionary
®
Baptist Church
1454 Florence St. (706) 724-2809
Rev. Kenneth B. Martin, pastor
Sunday School—9:3o a.m.
Sunday Worship—ll:oo a.m.
Wednesday Worship—l2:oo noon
Wednesday Praise and Bible Study—7:oo p.m.
SCLC, once known as an army
of door-knocking, street march
ing, get-out-and-vote field troops
duringthe height of the civil rights
movement, has continued fight for
such modern-day issues as hous
ing and employment under the
leadership of president-emeritus
Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery.
“In this day and age, I'm not one
who advocates going door to door,”
explained King. “Our organization
must identify certain key issues and
pursue them one at a time. That
way, our image can be easily identi
fied with these specific issues.”
King also plans to convert the
SCLC into a program-driven op
eration. Programs planned include
conflict resolution initiatives and
economic development.
King also looks forward to
launching a natiopal youth lead
ership movement once he begins
his term as president.
(706) 738-9191 Business
(706) 738-0044 Request
(706) 733-0044 Request
“
8 Greater Young Zion Baptist Church, 516 Forsythe Bt, in
Augusta, will celebrate Family Emhuh Month in January 1998,
Special sermons and workshops lboeondnctodby!hv.wfllhm
B. Blount, pastor and director of the Family Enrichment Ministries.
Sermons to be conducted at 7:30 and 10:45 a.m. every Sunday in
January will be: “A Godly Husband,” Jan. 11;“A Godly Wife,” -{m.
18; and “Christian Parenting,” Jan. 26. All Sunday sermon topics
will be the same topics during the following Thursday nights at 7
p.m. Bible study and lunch served each Thursday at 12 noon at the
church.
8 Timothy Baptist Church, 380 Timothy Rd. of Athens, will be
hosting the 1998 Statewide Singles Workshop on January 9 - 10,
This workshop is held annually through the Family Enrichment
Ministries in Augusta. The theme for the workshop is “Single and
Uvi:if.or the Lord.” Cost for the workshop is $25 per person which
incl a Christian Singles Social on Friday evening, a continental
breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and all materials. Churches
registering more than 10 people will receive a discount. Ifinterested
in attending, please send name, address and phone number of each
person attending to: Family Enrichment Ministries, P.O. Box 1864,
Augusta, Ga. 30903. For more specific information, call (706) 724-
1720.
B Bt. Alban’s Episcopal Church, on Lumpkin Rd., will be
hosting a Resource for a National Dialogue session to be held on
Saturday, Jan. 10, from noon until 3 p.m. Members of the Episcopal
anti-racism commission from throughout the state will be in atten
dance as well. For further details, call St. Albans at 798-1482.
8 The Historic Springfield Baptist Church will celebrate its
Sunday School Anniversary on January 11, at 2:30 p.m. Rev.
Radford Roundtree, pastor of Christian Fountain Baptist Church,
will bring the message. Rev. E.T. Martin is pastor.
B SBecond Providence Church, 1643 Summerhill Rd. in North
Augusta, will observe its Usher’s and Usherettes Anniversary on
Sunday, Jan. 11, at 3 p.m. Guest speaker will be Rev. Otis Moss of
Tabernacle Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Albert M. James is pastor.
®Broadway Baptist Church, 2323 Barton Chapel Rd., will host
the Stop the Violence “A Call for Drum Majors for Justice” event on
Monday, Jan. 19,at 11 p.m. Keynote speaker will be Rev. Otis Moss
111, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church. For more information, call
826-1961.
8 The Christian Coalition meeting will be held on Thursday,
dJan. 15,. at 7 p..m at 501 Winchester Drive. Host will be Richard
Arnold. For information and direction, call 733-8869
8 The Chiildren’s Missions Thrift Store, 1801 Central Ave.,
will provide free children’s clothing to needy families every Satur
day. For more information, call (706) 733-5437.
T&flb e rn&c]le
Baptist Church
1223 Laney-Walker Bivd.
Augusta, Ga. 30901
Church School 9:30 A.M. * Morning Worship 11
A.M. Broadcast Hour SVI’HB 1558} * Nursery,
Rot et sl 1 o o Lol
| P > Reopf es o sl
AAI 5 185 50 S
We Invite You To
BAPTIST CHURCH
Dr. Sam Davis, pastor
1434 POPLAR STREET E
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 30901
TELEPHONE: (706) 724-1086
Sunday Services at 7:45 am., 11:00 a.m., and 7:30 p.m.
gLo L
Bible Study 7:08' p.m. WOdnudag..and ;:30 a.m. Saturday |
Prayer Service at 11:00 Saturday morning
85 Christian Ministries
All Services Are Bible-based and Holy Spirit-led
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