Pastor and First Lady Page 1 of 2 Pastor and First Lady's Messag Our Theme and Focus for 1998: "A People with a Passion for the Kingdom". "and Twill give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding". Jeremiah 3:15 Families in Crisis Especially in the African American Community As a pastor, my main business is to call sinners | to repentance. We acknowledge that our chronically sinful nature is not easily transformed, and nowhere is this chronically sinful nature more pronounced than at the point of our weak commitment to God's vision for the family. The lifelong struggle to transform our chronically sinful natures is not easy. So, as a pastor I want to see families coming to church, praying together, receiving communion together, and staying in Sunday School, having children christened, and listening carefully to messages which address biblically life's realities. Itis in aera . this ongoing nurture of aimless that our main work is done, not on the fringe in petty battles. The church is here to create an environment that supports successfull marrying. No pastor can be a ‘matchmaker, but every pastor can work to create an institution where single young adults have every opportunity to meet someone with similar Christian values and dreams. In this era of bitter cultural wars this is not easy. The model marriage is our desire and objective--husband, wife, and children abounding in love and fidelity. But, life is never so neat and simple, and the church has to address the realities with which we live. ‘The Gospel is meant to address all of life, but we rarely apply it. Where can one learn to be a husband? It's in the Bible. Where can one lear to handle one’s sexuality? Where can one lear to relate positively to life as a whole and to persons in particular? The Church, the Bible, not the talk shows, not the theaters, and not the television. All too often, however, the Church fails, in its idealism, to address the realities. Back in November 1997, [hear the Rev. John Bryant-- Bishop of the Tenth Episcopal District of the AME. Church--talk about the "Oughtness and the Isness", The Bible teaches us how families ought to be structured—a Christian father and mother pulling the load of nurturing children together. That's the oughtness. That's the plan of God-two parents. However, we brothers must apologize to our sisters because the "oughtness” has not been our reality. All too often, both functions--the function of the man, and function of the woman--have been borne on one back-the female back! Too often we as brothers have been missing from our rightful place inPastor and First Lady Page 2 of 2 the home. Our children--make no mistake about it--have suffered and are suffering. Asa pastor, Sunday after Sunday I watch sisters come through the Sanctuary doors alone with children in tow. They come! They try to dress appropriately, try to have the children dressed nicely, I now that all too often they come with heavy hearts, having been deserted and unloved. Im aware that they return to lonely houses, climb into lonely beds and try desperately to adjust to work, nurture, personal, emotional physical and spiritual health. The church has to speak to that reality. In our America, especially the African American community, 49% of our homes are female led. That reality is exacerbated by the fact that in the other 51% most of the time the father is absent in the child-rearing function, and our children are growing up in moral, spiritual and emotional poverty. Iheard Bishop Bryant say that we are stuck on the horns of.a dilemma. We live with one foot in the old world and one in the new world and the woman is caught in the middle, How often do Tas a pastor after preaching and ministering need to sit and listen as a burdened young ‘woman unloads. O for Counselors! O for seasoned Saints who can listen and guide! O for a programmatic design that addresses these realities! May God Richly Bless You, Bishop and Mrs Ithiel Clemmons Home | Welcome | Pastor | History| Weekly Service | Day Care | Prayer Clinic 1998] Calendar Events