(Many folks at CUCC have heard Jo and me tell stories about our old friend "Ab" who we were blessed to spend much time with during the 1970s when Jo was living in Spartanburg SC. Master herpetologist, Vietnam vet, and many other things, Ab has always been a prophetic voice. His Facebook posting yesterday is something that must be shared. Thanks to Bill Broom, another old Spartanburg friend, for bringing it to my attention. -- Lavon Page)
GOD WITH US (posted on Facebook by Clarence Abercrombie)
"Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." REVELATION 11:15
I have never before quoted from the Book of Revelation, but today I must. Last night, 17 June 2015, a young white man walked into the Wednesday night Bible-study at Emanuel AME Church on Calhoun Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Of course the man was welcomed, as he would have been in any other Methodist Church, AME or United. He stayed for an hour—God knows his thoughts—then he killed the church’s pastor and eight parishioners. I cannot imagine the level of sadness and grief that must now permeate Emanuel AME. I do know that the murders have struck my heart with greater impact than any other event in my life: greater than the terrorism of 9/11, greater than my parents’ deaths, greater than the loss of my young comrades in Vietnam.
Most of my fellow South Carolinians understand the importance of Emanuel AME. For almost 200 years this church has been a beacon of freedom, shining with unquenchable grace upon my beloved Charleston, even when that city seemed a bastion of darkness. Furthermore, the ongoing, powerful presence of Emanuel AME transcends even the church’s singular historical significance. Empowerment, service, hope, and love: these heroic virtues abide in Emanuel’s outreach to Charleston and to the wider world, every day, no matter what.
Understandably some good people are already calling for the shooter’s death. But in my opinion this response to the temporal power of hate is short-sighted. Personally, I want the man to spend a very long life in prison. I want him to live to see that God always wins—not on our time-schedule, perhaps, but always! I want him to see what I know to be true: that the Lord of Life is already using this most evil act to magnify Emanuel’s power to transform Charleston. And when Charleston truly becomes a city of justice, freedom, and grace, she will transform South Carolina; then South Carolina will transform the whole United States, all the kingdoms of this world. Bet your soul on it; the Book of Revelation says it’s true.
P.S.: If I’m allowed a bit of irreverence, I can quote exactly what my daddy would say about the white-supremacist murderer who thought he could turn back the Kingdom: “Pray for that poor boy’s soul, ‘cause there are a bunch of people in heaven who deserve the opportunity to kick his sorry ass.”
P.P.S.: I do have a modest proposal. Why don’t y’all folks who are big on FaceBook, etc., consider a media blitz to get Charleston to rename Calhoun Street as Emanuel Street—because we sure enough do need God with Us.
GOD WITH US (posted on Facebook by Clarence Abercrombie)
"Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." REVELATION 11:15
I have never before quoted from the Book of Revelation, but today I must. Last night, 17 June 2015, a young white man walked into the Wednesday night Bible-study at Emanuel AME Church on Calhoun Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Of course the man was welcomed, as he would have been in any other Methodist Church, AME or United. He stayed for an hour—God knows his thoughts—then he killed the church’s pastor and eight parishioners. I cannot imagine the level of sadness and grief that must now permeate Emanuel AME. I do know that the murders have struck my heart with greater impact than any other event in my life: greater than the terrorism of 9/11, greater than my parents’ deaths, greater than the loss of my young comrades in Vietnam.
Most of my fellow South Carolinians understand the importance of Emanuel AME. For almost 200 years this church has been a beacon of freedom, shining with unquenchable grace upon my beloved Charleston, even when that city seemed a bastion of darkness. Furthermore, the ongoing, powerful presence of Emanuel AME transcends even the church’s singular historical significance. Empowerment, service, hope, and love: these heroic virtues abide in Emanuel’s outreach to Charleston and to the wider world, every day, no matter what.
Understandably some good people are already calling for the shooter’s death. But in my opinion this response to the temporal power of hate is short-sighted. Personally, I want the man to spend a very long life in prison. I want him to live to see that God always wins—not on our time-schedule, perhaps, but always! I want him to see what I know to be true: that the Lord of Life is already using this most evil act to magnify Emanuel’s power to transform Charleston. And when Charleston truly becomes a city of justice, freedom, and grace, she will transform South Carolina; then South Carolina will transform the whole United States, all the kingdoms of this world. Bet your soul on it; the Book of Revelation says it’s true.
P.S.: If I’m allowed a bit of irreverence, I can quote exactly what my daddy would say about the white-supremacist murderer who thought he could turn back the Kingdom: “Pray for that poor boy’s soul, ‘cause there are a bunch of people in heaven who deserve the opportunity to kick his sorry ass.”
P.P.S.: I do have a modest proposal. Why don’t y’all folks who are big on FaceBook, etc., consider a media blitz to get Charleston to rename Calhoun Street as Emanuel Street—because we sure enough do need God with Us.