There’s something special about a church that has a praise and worship experience that’s soul-stirring; where people greet you with a warm and friendly welcome; where smiles, laughter and love saturate the atmosphere. There’s something powerful about a praying church where the preaching and Bible studies are solidly rooted in Biblical doctrine.

Taylor Memorial Baptist Church is such a church, and the Rev. G. Lamar Stewart, the senior pastor, leads it.

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Taylor Memorial is a small church with a gigantic heart for praising and worshiping God, and it has a strong teaching ministry, as reflected in its theme: “A Church Powering Disciples to Make Disciples!” With a perfect balance of youth and senior saints, Taylor Memorial’s blended praise and worship experience incorporates a unique mix of traditional hymns and contemporary gospel music that doesn’t disappoint.

Stewart, 26, a U.S. Army veteran, will celebrate his one-year anniversary as the senior pastor at Taylor Memorial this Sunday. Prior to being called to that pulpit, he was a member (since 1999) of the famed Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church under the leadership of the renowned Rev. Dr. Alyn Waller.

When you hear Stewart preach, you quickly realize that he’s been thoroughly prepared to preach and teach the Word of God by one of the best preachers in America.

“The Lord has called me in a very unique way to this branch of Zion. I have a very intense passion around teaching. I believe every preacher ought to be a teacher. Every teacher may not be a preacher, but every preacher ought to be a teacher,” said Stewart. His ministry ethos is to offer strong Biblical teaching to develop and produce authentic disciples of Jesus Christ.

To celebrate the pastor’s anniversary, Taylor Memorial is hosting a fall church revival. The lineup of guest preachers for Sunday’s 11 a.m. service includes the Rev. Willett Burgie Bryant, the chaplain/director of student formation and seminary of Palmer Seminary;for the 3 p.m. service, the Rev. Dr. Waller; for Monday and Tuesday 7 p.m. services the Rev. A.L. Perkins, senior pastor of Tabernacle of Faith Missionary Baptist Church, San Francisco;.;  and Wednesday at 7 p.m. the Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Johnson, senior pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church.

Albertha Baily, 46, joined Taylor Memorial in February and now serves on the Deaconess ministry. She’s all about serving God’s people, “My role is basically service to the people in any way that I can, whether it be (serving) the people in the church or the people in the community.”

She said that after attending one service, she was hooked, “Once I got here I started feeling the Spirit of the Lord. I couldn’t sleep (at night), I couldn’t go anywhere else. There was nowhere else for me. Taylor is about helping the people.”

Connie Clanton, 49, a trustee, has been a member of Taylor Memorial for three years. “(I) oversee the finances of the church. We don’t believe in doing fundraisers. The challenge is having the people adhere to what God’s Word is, as far as paying their tithes and understanding what that means,” he said.

Clanton said the youth and wisdom of Stewart has the ability to reach a broad range of people, “He’s a person that follows the direction of the Holy Spirit. He has the spirit of an old person; he can reach all people, as far as our seniors and young people. What’s wonderful is that we’re having a new understanding about what God would have us to do. We’re learning a new thing about what missions need to be.”

Clanton said Taylor Memorial’s local missions work has included cleanup of a local Boys and Girls Club in Nicetown, visiting the sick and shut-in, and on the second Friday and third Saturday of the month, church members conduct street evangelism.

The oldest member of the church is Georgia Gonsalves, 86, and she proudly shared that, “We have a wonderful young pastor of this church and he brings the Word of God every week. I will tell anyone to come to hear him.”

With 50 years of membership at Taylor Memorial, Gonsalves is very impressed with how Stewart is drawing young and older members to the church. Gonsalves reflected on how she was originally drawn to the church via the ministry of the Rev. Walter C. Wynn.

“(Wynn) was the one that really built the church; he was here for 23 years,” she said. “He was a wonderful man.”

Wynn, as director of the Philadelphia Fellowship Commission and director of its Council for Equal Job Opportunity, battled racial discrimination in Philadelphia. Of note, he challenged the Philadelphia Gas Works to end corporate discriminatory practices of unions and companies that received contracts. He died in 1992, at age 89.

Robin McDaniel, 53, has been a member for three years and serves as the administrator for Taylor Memorial. He named some of the Church ministries. “We have our Women’s Ministry, we have our Men’s Ministry, we have our new and exciting Sanctuary Choir that is for all ages, and we do have a Dance Ministry…and our (Wednesday night) Bible Study is off the chain.”

Desiree Regina “Dezzie” Neal, 33, a radio personality at Praise Philly/WPPZ, 103.9FM, joined Taylor Memorial earlier this year. She is the minister of music there.

She said, “I instruct the choir, I do vocal assessment and guidance, lead Praise and Worship, and (oversee) all other music ministry duties." Neal added, "We are a grassroots church, we don’t mind getting dirty for the Kingdom, we go out! Our pastor believes in evangelism, he believes in hitting the ground running. (Pastor Stewart preaches a) relevant Word, a timely Word, and it is, I’ll say, (an) edible (Word)."

Most impressive was the testimony of Lamar Alexander, 29, who’s lived a hard life in the streets. Alexander is the leader of the young adult ministry at Taylor Memorial. He is a transformed man with a sincere and loving heart to serve Jesus Christ.

“I represent the young adults 30 and under,” he said. “I’m happy to be here.”

Alexander has numerous tattoos and he sports dreadlocks; he commented on his unconventional appearance.

“Like Grandmom used to say, ‘It ain’t how we look on the outside, it’s always about what’s going on on the inside,’” he explained.

Alexander has been a member of Taylor Memorial for seven months; he’s been saved for four months. He is the father of two lovely girls and works at Cooper Hospital in Camden. He aspires to get married one day.

Alexander was attracted to Taylor Memorial by his aunt and the youthfulness of Stewart.

“I was in the streets doing a lot of nonsense, ya know what I mean. My grandfather and my father are both in jail right now. My grandfather is doing life. My father has been in jail out of my life. I can’t get to Heaven with nobody but myself. So, I got to do what I got to do to turn my life around for my two daughters. There’s nothing like church…believing in God. The streets ain’t the same, man, ain’t nothing like believing in God, when God got your back, you’re good to go. Ain’t nothing like having God behind you.”

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Taylor Memorial Baptist Church

3819-21 Germantown Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19140

11 a.m. Service

(215) 221-6100

Pastor: The Rev. G. Lamar Stewart

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dalyn Montgomery, a bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with a congregation of more than 400 Philadelphia households, aptly known as the Independence ward, recently had his artwork on display at the University of Pennsylvania.

Montgomery, who is a graduate student at the university, drew from his personal biography for the “Mixed Messages: Stories Of Interracial, Intercultural, And Interfaith Relationships” exhibit at University of Pennsylvania’s Fox Hall Art Gallery at Claudia Cohen Hall. At 19, Montgomery, who is white, was called to serve a mission in Atlanta, which exposed him to a world of diversity and its dynamics.

“I think sometimes when you’re dealing with racial relationships, especially between Black and white, it’s very hard to get people to need to hear the message and to actually listen and engage in that conversation,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery described one of his favorite paintings that was on display. It was a church scene, which depicted his time as a missionary.

“What that showed to me is my experience growing up in suburban Utah which was very homogenous. Almost all the members of the surrounding community were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were almost all middle class. They were almost all white. So, that was the world that I knew and then I moved to downtown Atlanta and it was nothing like the world that I knew,” he said.

“And so part of getting to know where I was in the community involved going to other churches, people that weren’t of my faith and experiencing not just a different race in mind but a different worship style and that was an illustration of that experience.”

He felt that those who saw the artwork appreciated the imagery for what it was.

“What I really like about that painting is that there’s an added layer of difference. It’s not just two white kids in the back of a Black church,” he said.

“They’re just sitting up straight as opposed to everyone else who is very open and expressive and standing up. It just showed those two worlds coming together.”

Montgomery has been married to his wife Kahalia for 11 years and they have two children. She was very proud of her husband’s work.

“I really enjoy them. I like this latest set. He has been painting forever but I really enjoy the Greyhound piece. I think that one is probably my favorite,” she said.

Kahalia, who is Black, spoke of how she and her husband have encountered looks because of their interracial relationship, but that that has not deterred them or his ministry. It is this ministry that helped Donte Holland who has been a member of Independence ward for eight years.

“I was actually looking for a better way of life and when I was approached by the missionaries and I saw that they were Caucasian, I didn’t look at their races or anything. I just thought it was the answers to my prayers,” Holland said.

“It is based on fellowship and his willingness to help people get along in this life. It makes it easy when you look at people at what they need instead of looking at where they came from.”

Holland was also a fan of Montgomery’s paintings.

“They’re great. I have one in my home. He actually painted the cover to my first music album. They’re awesome and unique,” he said.

Montgomery does not have any upcoming presentations but said that his church doors are always open to those who want to know more about Christ and find a place to worship that looks beyond the surface.

“That’s one great thing about our church. It is the common ground,” Montgomery said.

For more on Bishop Dalyn Montgomery’s artwork, visit http://brohammas.wordpress.com/artwork/.

Contact Tribune staff writer Stephanie Guerilus at (215) 893-5725 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Over 2,000 years ago, in ancient Biblical times, the Christian church of Corinth earned a notorious reputation for its sexual immorality. The Apostle Paul documented in 1 Corinthians 5:1 that the Corinthian church members’ immoral sexual behavior was more notorious than their non-Christian counterparts. Then and now, fornication and adultery are tarnishing the reputation of the universal church body.

So, how are saved and sanctified church members confronting sexual immorality in the modern day church?

“Christians are also men and women, many of whom come to church with excess baggage from the prior week. Unfortunately, in this day of fast food, instant messaging, and high-speed internet, some Christians are allowing themselves to get ‘caught-up’ in instant gratification without considering the repercussion of their actions on themselves, their families, and/or their communities,” says Quibila A. Divine, a local committeeperson for the11th Ward/12th Division.

Many people from all walks of life visit and join churches for diverse reasons. Among the myriad of reasons, people are seeking healing, protection, hope, forgiveness, spiritual counseling, repentance, encouragement and unconditional love.

Is the church failing them?

“In the last 10 years we have had our share of sex scandals that have rocked the Christian church. Black and white — religion sees no color,” states Shirea L. Carroll, author of “10 Sex Scandals that Rocked the Christian Church,” which appeared in the September 2010 edition of Essence magazine. Carroll, web editor for Juicy magazine, offered the following comments when interviewed for this article: "Christian is just a title. The belief system, morals, values, and responsibility that come with that title isn't always practiced the way it is taught.

Religion doesn't stop ‘Christians’ or anyone else from answering to their flesh, In a real deal relationship with whatever higher power you answer to, that weighs in on the decisions people make."

The Holy Bible urges people to, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body (1 Corinthians 6:18).” It is believed that Biblical scriptures warn against Christians committing adultery and fornication, because sexual immorality has harsh mortal and eternal consequences. So, why do many Christians sin against their own body and God?

Col. Larry Boyd, U.S. Army, who is a married Christian, offered this response: “Christians do not have a special immunity to these lusts and temptations.” Boyd cites that there’s no such thing as “a little sin or a big sin. Sin is sin and we all fall short from time to time…None of us can cast any stone. We just have to keep one another in prayer and (examine our own behavior).”

Jillian Patricia Pirtle, the reigning Miss Black Pennsylvania and a native Philadelphian, offered this comment: “I do not know how much light I can shed to the subject…because I am still a virgin saving myself for marriage. So I am not an expert on being a (single) Christian that is sexually active and I tend to be very private…It is okay to be a virgin and not to give up. God has a plan.”

Confessing that he had sex before getting married, Ted Watkins, a member of Community Baptist Church, in Henderson, Nev., offered this candid testimony: “For me, [I] was seeking my own pleasure and satisfying my desires…[and] not accepting God's authority in my life. [Christians] still fight that battle, even to this day. We stand in opposition to Christ and his authority on many issues. We think we know it all. Imperfect vessels? For me, absolutely.”

“Sin is sin. One sin is no different from the other. Christians are people,” says Naja Killebrew, a marketing and public relations entrepreneur in Philadelphia. On the topic of Christians having sex before marriage, Killebrew pondered, “What if you never marry? Now what?”

Merwin L. McIntyre, a retired postal worker, said, “As a married Christian, I understand the ramifications of adultery (and) single Christians should never put themselves in a compromising position, the flesh is weak!”

The Bible teaches that faithful Christian disciples (single or married) should avoid sexual immorality (Exodus 20:14; Proverbs 6:32; 1Corinthians 6:9-10; Hebrews 13:4).

“Like a world class athlete, serving God takes constraint, self-sacrifice and a laser-like focus on God’s mission and will,” shared Derek Green, an airplane pilot and aerospace engineer from the University of Alabama.

Kim Barnett, a happily married graduate of Liberty University and Philadelphia Biblical University, stated that it’s sexual frustration that lures single and married Christians into sexual immorality.

“If the truth be told (sexual immorality) is not only a single’s sin, it’s a marital sin as well! When a Christian is sexually frustrated, being obedient to the Word of God is desired, but the pull of the flesh is desired as well. When we allow ourselves to be put in tempted situations, we need to know that God will make a way of escape.”

The key is, are most Christians spiritually strong enough to recognize and take God’s escape-route from the lure of sexually immorality?

Ideally, it is best for Christians to simply avoid acting on urges to commit fornication or adulterous sex. How? Peter David, author of “How Christians and Ministers Can Avoid Sexual Immorality,” on Ezinearticles.com, offers a few simple answers:

--If you’re single, get married.

--If you’re married, pay more attention to your spouse. Don’t take him or her for granted, and pay particular attention to your spouse’s sexual needs.

Do Christian couples date differently than secular couples? Both Christian and secular dating couples have many similar characteristics, but according to relationship experts, clergy leaders, faithful Christians and others, there are some unique nuances that distinguish Christian couples from secular couples.

According to Dr. Tony Evans, one of America’s top clergymen, “The fundamental difference between Christian dating and worldly dating is that you marry to date, not date to marry. The full expression of dating can be seen in a marital relationship. The contemporary American definition of dating where you bounce around from person to person in elongated relationships is foreign to the biblical perspective.” Dr. Evans is senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, in Dallas, Texas. Evans is also president of The Urban Alternative, and the author of the best-selling book, “Kingdom Man.”

Dr. Rita DeMaria, Ph.D., a.k.a., The Marriage Doctor, weighed in with this comment, “The focus and direction are different (for both types of dating couples) … secular dating couples do not necessarily acknowledge the presence of God in their relationship.” This is a core-fundamental difference between Christian and non-Christian dating couples. DeMaria is the author of the best-selling book “7 Stages of Marriage,” and she is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed social worker, and she is an expert in sex education and premarital assessment. Her websites offers a variety of helpful relationship tips and resources: www.marriagedoctor.com.

Philadelphia native, Judge Carolyn Nichols, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, does not dichotomize her Christian faith and dating; she offered this comment on the topic, “As a person of faith, I don’t divide my life: worldly vs. Christian. I strive to conduct myself according to my faith values, including dating, and to enjoy life fully because life is short.”

Hundreds of dating agencies are sprouting up to help niche Christian clientele stay true to their pursuit of a like-minded faith-based partner. There’s obviously a solid market for such services, because top agencies like Zoosk, Match.com and eHarmony, are the top three preferred match-making services for Christians in America.

“There is no singular biblical view (for dating),” states Dr. Jeff Black, chair of the Department of Christian Counseling/Philadelphia Biblical University. Black underscores a poignant point regarding dating connections, compatibility and culture, “Most dating for Christians and non-Christians is fundamentally connection through recreation. … I could point out that dating done by whoever is implicitly about discovering levels of compatibility and how to make strategic decisions about levels of compatibility and happiness … The Bible unfolds its message within a historical and shifting cultural context so that (it’s) about Christians living as God-centered people in the midst of any culture — pleasured centered, oppressive, socially liberal or conservative.”

Dr. Stephen Treat is a senior therapist and former director and CEO for the Council for Relationships, the oldest and largest relationship counseling agency in America, said that, “Depending on what version of a person’s definition of Christianity is,” that will dictate how liberal or conservative their dating boundaries and beliefs are. Treat earned his doctorate in ministry from Andover Newton Theological Seminary, and he’s a licensed family therapist. For over 30 years, Treat has counseled many Christians who have dated non-Christians. According Treat, the most common relationship issues that all dating couples experience are, “Communication, resolving conflict, and dealing with woundedness.” Treat is the author several books, his most recent, “Couples in Treatment” (by Weeks & Treat).

Angela Davis, a member of St. Matthews Baptist Church, in Williamstown, New Jersey (Rev. Raymond Gordon, senior pastor), offered the following comment on the difference between worldly dating vs. secular dating, “… as a (Christian) Believer, while you look forward to the time that your mate is revealed, it does not consume you. Your season of singleness is spent consistently improving every area of your life, so that you are a blessing and not a burden to your future spouse, all the while, becoming the best ‘you’ possible. You live your life in obedience to God’s purpose and will for you, never compromising, because you know that His rules, (and) His way are for your protection…” For many single-Christians, the waiting period until a compatible mate is revealed is the most difficult.

Terri Matthews, president and CEO of CCS Inc., and a resident of San Francisco, California, said, “First, I want to make it clear that dating or courtship wasn’t listed in the Bible, it (simply) did not exist. ...When it comes to Christian versus secular dating practices, there are several differences to be considered. One of the most important differences is that many Christians see dating as a step in the serious process of finding a life partner, not just a spouse. …”

What did Matthews have to share about the nuances of secular dating? “Alternatively, in the secular world, dating is often looked at as a way of getting to know many people, and marriage may not play a part in the mind of either (secular) person.”

Christina Eve Vidales, a model and executive Ddirector of Royalty Spa Collections, in Phoenix, Arizona, shared, “There is a tremendous difference, and no way a correlation between the two. Christians, in seeking the will of God on whom He chooses for one to marry, would begin (courting) once (they received) God’s confirmation, then they prepare for holy matrimony. In worldly dating, the world … (dates, just) to date …” Vidales believes that most secular dating couples make intimate dating connections based on their lustful, self-seeking, motivations and desires.

Dating can be a daunting task for Christians and non-Christians, alike. According to Dr. Treat, if you can maintain great communication, resolve relational conflicts amicably, and rise above your past relationship wounds — whether you’re a Christian or secular dating couple — you’ll be well on your way to a healthy and productive relationship.

Change — a one-word slogan that propelled a little known U.S. Senator from Chicago to the presidency of the United States. Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church is no stranger to change. From its humble start in 1961 as The Crawford Tabernacle Baptist Church, Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church has experienced 50 years of growth and renaissance.

In 1961, with only 30 members, the late Rev. Thorny C. Crawford organized The Crawford Tabernacle Baptist Church. In 1967, the Rev. Leo Graham legally chartered The Crawford Tabernacle Baptist Church as the Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church. 

In its 50 years of existence, Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church has had seven pastoral leaders: Crawford, the Rev. Alex Blake, the Rev. Robert Waters, the Rev. Leo Graham, the Rev. Theophilus Wright, and the current pastor, the Rev. Martin T. Wright. Theophilus Wright, who had the longest tenure of 39 years, retired two years ago, passing the senior pastoral role on to his son Martin.

On his role in succeeding his father, Martin said, “Excellent. (It’s) a blessing, (an) opportunity to learn ministry, and to share what I’ve been given with other people in the community of God, the kingdom of God. It’s been an exciting time. The Lord has, by his spirit, provided the impetus to vision things and to implement things.

“We have made great advances in expanding our ministry.”

Those innovative advances have included raising funds to make improvements to the church edifice, creation of a newsletter, weekly movie nights at the church, Saturday night worship services for the seniors and a Web presence on the Internet.

Church first lady Cynthia Wright, 52, is a hands-on leader who loves serving with her husband, Martin. “Being there, to help people along the way,” she explained, “is a real joy.”

Alice Williams, 75, one of the most senior members of Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church, said of Martin’s pastoral leadership, “He’s a loving man, he’s a good preaching man.  He’s not no sexy-man that’s running after other people. He’s a man that loves God.”

Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church has an array of ministries to appeal to youths and adults, including: Sunday school, men’s and women’s fellowships, dance, basketball and drama.

Minister Joshua Wilsher, 21, president of the Drama Ministry, described his leadership role, “Well, I write, direct and act in most of the skits that we do.” 

Wilsher’s vision for his ministry is to spotlight real-life issues that most churches shy away from, for example, “Something like, um, a crackhead mother that’s being abused by her husband, and the children are there watching the whole thing, and how that affects a child as they grow up, in school, and how that relates to bullying.” 

Wilsher is certainly cutting-edge. His next dramatic production will deal with an abused mother who puts her man above raising her kids. Visitors can catch his dramatic ministry productions the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

The Youth Ministry seems to be the most vibrant of all the ministries, says Mary Woodard, youth supervisor and superintendent of Sunday school, “We have a very exciting, vibrant group of young people here, ranging in ages from babies to college graduates. Some have gone on to college, striving for their doctorate degrees, and they’re back here, still coming back to the church, and being a very vital force in the church, teaching Sunday school and working with our youth in various ways.” 

Woodard, 59, has been a member of Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church for 27 years.

Keyanna Wilson, 15, revels in the fact that Forty-Sixth Street Baptist “(is) a very active church, we go on a lot of trips. And the youth here (are) always encouraged to do more, if they are not doing their best.”

Wilson, a ninth-grader at Penn Wood High School in Lansdowne, is eagerly anticipating the “hype-ness” of the upcoming Youth Anniversary celebration, set for next Sunday with 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. services. The youths will take a prominent role in serving and performing during the Sunday morning and afternoon worship services. 

Wilson’s favorite part of ministry is serving. She is an usher, sings in various choirs, is a praise dancer and she will soon become a junior nurse. She strongly recommends that today’s youths should attend church.

“When youths think of church, they think, ‘You’re coming to church, people gonna judge you, because you haven’t been coming to church a lot’ — Forty-Sixth Street is not that kind of church,” she said. “It’s a church that encourages you, they believe in you, they believe you can do better. It’s a really good church. I would never leave my church home.”

Deacon Howard Mills, 52, is one of Pastor Wright’s right-hand men. He is also president of the Men’s Fellowship Ministry.

Commenting on that ministry, Mills said, “We all have different talents; some of us may be talented in plumbing, some of us may be electricians, you know, but whatever you can do, you do that for the Lord. There are a lot of churches that you go to, and the women are the ones doing all the work. So, I’m just glad that I came to a church with a strong male presence. You know, that’s not something to take for granted.”

Howard Jackson, 64, has served as a member of Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church for approximately 22 years, “I have grown a lot since I have been here,” said Jackson, a deacon. “Being a deacon has helped me (to) grow.”

Jackson said some people get caught up in carrying a title, but he feels it’s most important to serve. Being called to the Deacon Board is one of his greatest life achievements.

As he speaks, Jackson’s raspy voice cracks with emotion. It’s obvious from his conversation that Forty-Sixth Street Baptist Church and the Deacon Board have transformed his life. Jackson said he is indebted to Christ and his church for turning his life around. As a result, barring sickness, he proudly proclaimed, “I don’t miss church…God has been good to me.”

46th St. Baptist Church

1261 S. 46th St.

Philadelphia, Pa.

(215) 386-8150

Website: www.46thstbaptistchurch.org

Pastor: Rev. Martin T. Wright

Sunday School — 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship — 11:00 a.m.

Prayer and Bible Study, Tues. — 7 p.m.

Poll finds discrimination since 9/11, but also satisfaction                           

Anniversaries are often remembered in 10-year intervals. And this one is no different, as the country braces for 10  years since two planes rammed into the World Trade Center; upsetting the very fiber of people throughout the country.

Americans around the globe will be glued to the television set, recalling every detail of this harrowing event. This includes Muslim Americans, who might have been more affected than anyone.

For many peace-loving Muslims, the pain of Sept. 11, 2001, is — and was — especially traumatizing.

“The attacks of 9/11 were definitely an attack on the American-Muslin Community,” said Moein Khawaja, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) Philadelphia chapter. “I think the attacks tarnished … the Muslim community. In the aftermath, it produced an unnecessary hatred. But I believe that with the death of Osama bin Laden, I am confident we have seen an end to the terror that plagued this nation and the Muslim community. I feel like al-Qaida attacked me twice, once by murdering so many fellow citizens, but the second time by smearing my faith.”

And while Khawaja believes the threat of homegrown terrorism is minimal, he is worried about how American Muslims are perceived by the public. He believes Muslim American leaders are working vigorously to change the perception among the masses. This has led him to encouraged members within the community to speak up, be active citizens and describe who they are and what they stand for, rather than being defined by a culture of fear.

Ten years after 9/11, Americans are wrestling with their opinions of Muslims.

A new survey found that nearly half of Americans would be uncomfortable with a woman wearing a burqa, a mosque being built in their neighborhood or Muslim men praying at an airport.  Forty-one percent would be uncomfortable if a teacher at the elementary school in their community were Muslim. And 47 percent of survey respondents said the values of Islam are at odds with American values.

The Public Religion Research Institute conducted the survey and issued a report in conjunction with the Brookings Institution, "What it Means to be American: Attitudes in an Increasingly Diverse America 10 Years after 9/11."

“Americans are wrestling with fear, but on the other hand they're also wrestling with acceptance,” said Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute.

In addition, new information from the Pew Research Center shows that 55 percent of Muslim Americans believe that it is harder to be a Muslim in the United States since 9/11. However, the new data shows that even though the cards are stacked against them because of anti-Muslim slurs, Islam phobia, and harsh attitudes, more Muslims in America are expressing a higher level of satisfaction with their lives here.

Of the more than 1,000 Muslim Americans who were interviewed by The Public Religion Research Institute, 79 percent said they are satisfied with their personal lives in the United States.

They were also were more satisfied with their communities, neighborhoods and the country’s overall direction on Islamic issues, the report stated.

The new poll, which comes just days before the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, paints an interesting picture of the Muslim population whose members appear remarkably content with their surroundings despite harassment at the airport and public discrimination during the last ten years.

For the past 10 years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, America’s uneasy, contradictory relationship with Islam and American Muslims has been on full display through congressional hearings, public rallies, websites and news headlines.

Jeffrey Haggray, pastor of Washington D.C.’s First Baptist Church, claims some organizations that monitor persecution of Christians around the globe are warning that the heated debates over Islam in the United States could have fatal repercussions for Christians living in majority-Muslim countries.

Needless to say, what happens in the U.S. could impact Christians in those Muslim countries in which they are already vulnerable.

“While we all celebrate freedom of speech in our nation, we would be engaging in denial if we did not acknowledge forthrightly that the acts of violence that are now surfacing against Muslims, mosques and other Islamic symbols are directly linked to the vitriolic and incendiary rhetoric and actions we have seen in recent weeks,” Haggray said to CNN. “We are duty-bound to publicly condemn these actions both as Americans and as people of faith.”

The latest findings about U.S. Muslim attitudes are broadly consistent with those of a major Gallup poll released earlier this month. That survey found that Muslims living in America are more tolerant for members of other faiths than any other major U.S. religious group.
Both surveys challenge efforts, primarily by right-wing Christian and Jewish groups in the U.S., to depict Muslims — and Islam as a religion — as fundamentally alien, if not actively hostile, to "Judeo-Christian" or "Western" values and U.S. society.

Mohamed Younis of the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center, which is affiliated with the United Arab Emirates' constitutional monarchy, said reports like these show optimistic American Muslims share certain qualities.

"Muslims who tend to be thriving seem to be more fully engaged in their religious life, but also strongly identify with the United States as a place to live," Younis said. "They show a picture of someone with less cognitive dissonance about being 100 percent Muslim and about being 100 percent American."

Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reformed Judaism says Jewish Americans trust Muslims more than any other religious group.

"Jews view themselves as the quintessential victims of religious persecution in the history of the world over the last 3,000 years and therefore often identify with those who are subject to persecution and discrimination," Saperstein said.

The Reason Foundation said there are Muslim scholars today who are also advocating revising their religious texts on issues ranging from women’s rights to blasphemy and apostasy. They are challenging the age-old clerical doctrine that the Koran’s earlier, more peaceful and tolerant verses are nullified by the later, more militant ones.

With Muslims accounting for nearly a quarter of the world’s population, the modernization of Islam and an understanding of the separation between church and state and what it has to do with democracy are the 21st century’s most urgent priorities.

"It confirms for us that as we reach out to Muslims, the community will reach back," said Paul Montiero, associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Imam Mohamed Magid, president of the Islamic Society of North America, says the recent polls show how far Muslims have to go until they are fully accepted members of American society, and that 9/11 was a setback for them.

"But the process has started," he said. "And I think it will bear fruit."

–CNN.com contributed to this report

Let me again remind you of that ever-present Christian phrase that God will never put more on you than you can handle.

Most, if not all of you have heard and, dare I say, repeated to yourself and others this supposed biblical fact. You may have heard it differently at different times of your life, but the meaning remains consistent. It may be God’s intent to test you, but it is not his intent to break you. 

Allow me to repeat what I believe is a spiritual fact. Tests come from the Almighty. Temptations come from the devil. Passing God’s tests and overcoming the devil’s temptations both lead to our individual testimony. Triumph over these kinds of adversity leads us all as Christians to render testimony for others. And without these pop quizzes in our lives, none of us would be able to testify as to the goodness and mercy of a God who has stood by us and seen us through it. And we all know if we live long enough, it happens.

I submit myself as an example. My ability to witness and perhaps help another believer is because my experience as a sinner allows me at some level to relate to the trials and tribulations of someone else who is catching hell here on Earth. No one is immune. As a matter of fact, did you ever think that it might just be a privilege for God to single you out to endure certain hardships?

If so, I believe we are obligated to share the triumph with another who, because you did, also can. They are able to overcome, persevere and join the fraternity or sorority of those who can say, “I’m here today as a witness to the mercy and kindness of Almighty God.” I guess what I’m trying to say is, when it appears that all doors are closed and you have run out of options, that is the best time to look for and depend on God for the answers you seek and the ones you need. There is a ram in the bush for all situations, but we have to have that mustard seed-size belief system that is guaranteed to move mountains.

Part of the reality of understanding this is the faith that God will never abandon any of us. In our darkest day or worst night, he’s there. I know this because I think I’ve had what I considered at the time to be many “worst days of my life” and several “it can’t get any worse” moments, only to survive to battle the enemy yet another day. God was with me then and truth be told, he is probably with me now and with you, no matter the circumstances.

I find peace in this because I know there is trouble ahead just as there was back in the day. But you see, back then I didn’t know the fight was fixed because I couldn’t always recognize my superstar teammate. For those of you who are wondering where I’m getting this from, I finally found the Scripture that guarantees what I’m saying is true. Corinthians 10:12-13, “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way so that you can stand under it.”

The key here is God will provide the ram in the bush, not you. So in all things you must keep your eyes and ears open to his solution. Once you submit to the fact that it ain’t you, then you open the door to God’s answer. And the possibilities of his answers dwarf the prospects of yours. When you begin to think and believe in the possibilities inherent in God’s power, anything, and I do mean anything is possible. God is in control. Be still and listen. May God bless and keep you always. 

Thirty years of evangelizing the lost, edifying the saints and exalting Jesus Christ, is a momentous and incredible missions legacy that has literally impacted thousands of individuals, locally and nationwide. Such is the pastoral career and life of Bishop Keith W. Reed Sr., the senior pastor of Sharon Baptist Church. On May 19, Sharon Baptist will celebrate Reed’s long legacy with a gala event at the Please Touch Museum–Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, in Fairmount Park.

In April and May, prominent national and local preachers have made guest stops at Sharon Baptist to honor their beloved friend and fellow clergyman. Reed has produced at least a half-dozen senior pastors who are shepherding their own congregations. Some of the sons of Sharon and locally renowned guest preachers have included: the Rev. Curtis Morris, Bethany Baptist Church in Chester; the Rev. Emanuel Lambert, Alpha Worship Center in Bear, Del.; and the Rev. Wayne Croft, Church of the Redeemer. One of several nationally known guest preachers included the Rev. E. Dewey Smith, senior pastor, The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga.

On April 28, Sharon Baptist held a free concert in honor of Bishop Reed. Superstar gospel recording artist Bishop Hezekiah Walker and his Love Fellowship Choir headlined the list of those performing before several thousand attendees

Walker, 46, a Stellar and Grammy Award winner, performed at least two hours of his past and current hits.

“When I think of Sharon and Bishop Reed, and all that he has contributed to the community, it was no problem for me to come in to do (a free concert),” he said. “I left there in good spirits … and it was a free event … People were able to come in without a charge and really enjoy themselves.

“I’ve been coming to Philadelphia since about 1989, and every time I come, it’s just mad love. It’s just been great every year. … Philadelphia is a place that really keeps Hezekiah Walker (and Love Fellowship Choir) on the map.”

Reed has many others who think highly of him.

“Bishop Reed has been a blessing to me and my family, he’s a good brother, he teaches sound doctrine and he’s just a good man,” said Mike Brown, 58, a deacon at Sharon Baptist Church. Brown has been at Sharon for 29 years and said Reed is both pastor and a friend. One sermon that has resonated with Brown for years was Reed’s message entitled “From the Pit to the Palace.”

“It was a series on Joseph, on how we can go from tragedy to triumph … at the time, I needed to hear that because I was having a valley experience in my life,” Brown said.

Marva Mack, 72, has been a member of the church for 31 years.

“I love Dr. Reed,” said Mack, who is active in the choir and hospitality ministries. “He’s truly helped me become stronger in my faith and my walk with God … I admire how humble he can be … and how he preaches on a level where from the youngest to the oldest can understand it.”

The Rev. Chad Hinson, 40, the pastor of evangelism at Sharon Baptist, met Reed years ago on the preaching circuit,

Hinson said he has been a member at Sharon for seven years. “(Bishop Reed) was always a trailblazer, and we, as younger preachers, always looked up to him. Hinson said he resigned from his senior pastor role at Lakeshore Baptist Church to join Reed.

“He was the one guy to reach out (to me), …” said Hinson, who credits Reed for restoring him back to ministry leadership and fellowship.

“After 30 years, my brother has been so impactful, not just in our family, but to Sharon Baptist Church and the communities,” said Rho Reed, the bishop’s older sister. “His legacy, his ministry, his teaching, his preaching is known internationally.”

“He makes the Word of God so portable, he breaks it down so that anyone can understand the Gospel,” said Rho Reed, who handles conference and concert facility rentals and public relations for Sharon Baptist. She also created the Rose Petals ministry to develop young women ages 12 to 18 to be responsible adult women.

Judge John Milton Younge, 57, was baptized at Sharon Baptist in 1961. He too has become an admirer of Reed.

“I met Pastor Reed when he first came in 1982,” Younge said, “but I wasn’t really active in the church until after I got married and had children in 1985.”

Under Reed’s leadership, Younge went on to rededicate his life to Christ and is a financial steward and a deacon at Sharon Baptist.

Younge marvels at Reed’s level of Bible literacy and teaching acumen.

“By teaching us the Bible, we’ve caught it,” he said. “We’ve caught his love of Christ, we’ve caught his love of the Bible. … He (teaches) the Bible and you can check it for yourself.”

Asked to name his favorite pastors, Reed responded, “Aw, man, I got a list of them.”

His short list includes, “A few that really made a difference in my life, ‘cause no man is an island … some of the guys who have been a blessing in my life, and still are a blessing in my life, the late Rev. Timothy Ruffin, senior pastor of Beulah Baptist Church, the late Rev. Dr. E.K. Bailey … he living legend, the Rev. Dr. Willie Richardson of Christian Stronghold Church; one of the individuals God has used in a mighty way is the Rev. Dr. A.L. Patterson, out of Houston, Texas.” Reed cites Patterson as his personal pastor and mentor to whom he is accountable.

In 30 years under Reed, Sharon Baptist has grown from several hundred members to several thousand. It has one of the largest African-American congregations in Philadelphia, and is a multi-million-dollar enterprise that includes real estate, an elementary school, an all African-American male academy, a community development corporation, and fiscal business operations.

Reed credits God and his entire team of leaders for the growth.

“(As a senior pastor, I am not) gifted to do everything,” said Reed. He and his wife, Lynne, have four children. “One of the key things that I’ve learned in these 30 years, every shepherd has a staff … the staff was there to assist.”

Sharon Baptist Church is located at 3955 Conshohocken Ave. For gala tickets information or ministry information, call the church at (215) 473-3000.

Sunday worship is at 7:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.; Prayer night is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays; Bible study is at 7 p.m. Tuesdays.

Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church is a small West Philadelphia congregation making a very positive impact in the community and beyond.

During last Sunday morning’s worship service, congregants of Calvary St. Augustine witnessed two milestones: the installation of the Daughters of the King and the sudden and official resignation of the Rev. Renee McKenzie-Hayward as rector (senior pastor).

As of Nov. 1, McKenzie-Hayward will be the vicar at the Church of the Advocate at 16th and Diamond streets. She was appointed by a bishop within the diocese to shepherd this congregation.

Calvary St. Augustine installed 14 women into the Fannie E. Wilson Chapter of the Daughters of the King order. This is a momentous occasion in that since 1885, there have only been 24,000 women installed as Daughters of the King throughout America.

Nationally, Daughters of the King operate as chapters within the Episcopal Church. Its headquarters are in Woodstock, Ga. The mission of the Daughters of the King is “the extension of Christ’s Kingdom through prayer, service and evangelism.”

Although the Daughters of the King is an order for congregants of the Episcopal Church, bylaws of the order include women from the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and Roman Catholic denominations. The 14 women recently installed at Calvary St. Augustine are: Inga Aikman; Judith Brewer; Alice Briscoe Brown; Sandra McFadden-Brown; LaVerne E. Gonzalez; Janet Harris; the Rev. Renee McKenzie-Hayward; Edith Johnson, who was absent due to illness; Halise McKinney; Jane McKinney; Barbara Robinson; Frances Upshaw; Juanita Usury and Kathleen Williams.

Asked how she was chosen for installation into the Daughters of the King, Deborah Rogers, an eight-year member, said, “It was a nomination.”

Rogers attended the installation ceremony as corresponding secretary for Pennsylvania and newsletter editor for the Pennsylvania Diocese. Her major responsibilities are sending correspondence to all Daughters in the Pennsylvania Episcopal Diocese, and doing the newsletter for the Pennsylvania Diocese, gathering information from the 12 Pennsylvania chapters for compiling the newsletter. 

Rogers isn’t currently affiliated with a church, but she frequently visits Calvary St. Augustine, and Trinity in Ambler.

“Service, love, and worship,” are the watchwords of the order, she said.

“The Daughters of the King for Calvary St. Augustine Church became an order back in June of this year. During that time, we had 14 ladies who were under instruction, who were being instructed in the way of the order,” Sharon Congleton said.

Congleton, rector’s warden at Calvary St. Augustine, said the Daughters of the King order was started in New York. The founder was Margaret J. Franklin, a member of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in New York City, known today as the Church of the Resurrection.  Congleton saidchu, “Over the years, the order has reached just about every part of the globe.” 

Congleton underscored that women of the order are “called by God” to serve, saying it’s not a sorority or a club membership. “You have to feel it in your heart that you’re being called to serve God through his people.”

Each Daughter must pledge a lifetime vow to be spiritually disciplined in daily prayer, service and evangelism.

Lillian Randolph, clerk of the vestry at Calvary St. Augustine and first vice president of Province 3 of the Daughters of the King, said she was installed as a Daughter in 1995.

“Whenever (we) go out into the streets, by being a child of God, people recognize you, they might recognize you by the (spiritual) glow of your face,” said Randolph.

After church service, the newly installed Daughters of the King were toasted during a brunch. A few Daughters offered feedback about their installation:

Alice Briscoe Brown, 58, said, “It was very exciting. I’m glad to be a Daughter of the King … it filled my heart with joy to be a Daughter.”

Jane McKinney said, “I am overwhelmed (and) I am filled with the Spirit, although it’s a little bittersweet … we celebrated something wonderful and we lost our priest.” 

McKinney was emotional about the resignation of McKenzie-Hayward, “But all in all, God is still good.”

“I really just want to thank God for giving me a clean heart, to help me do right to carry out my job to serve, to love my brothers and sisters,” said Sandra McFadden Brown.

On the news of McKenzie-Hayward’s resignation, McFadden Brown said, “Hurts my heart. God has a mission for her, she has to go on to do God’s will, and we must go forward also, to deliver the Word of God to the world.”

After the installation service, when McKenzie-Hayward announced her resignation it jolted the congregation, which reacted with a collective gasp. Some began to cry.

One of her main goals as vicar will be to increase the number of members at the Church of the Advocate, which currently has fewer than 100 congregants.

Concurrently, McKenzie-Hayward will also become the diocese chaplain at Temple University.

“Having the Church of the Advocate as a place where campus ministry is going to happen will allow us to do, I think, some interesting programming,” McKenzie-Hayward said. “I envision this as a place where the academic world can meet the laity, can meet the streets, can meet clergy and the congregation, as they actually get to go about doing the work of the church.”

McKenzie-Hayward has served as the senior pastor at Calvary St. Augustine for eight years. Her last day in this role will be Oct. 23. Her legacy at Calvary St. Augustine has included the activation of Sunday school, implementation of an after-school program, the creation of a community development corporation and the co-founding of POWER (Philadelphia Organized to Witness Empower & Rebuild).

“We’ve done some really incredible work,” she said.

Besides the work she’ll be doing at Temple University and Church of the Advocate, McKenzie-Hayward eagerly looks forward to her serve with POWER. The organization consists of congregations from all across the city coming together to address justice issues.

McKenzie-Hayward said POWER will hold its founding convention, bringing together its 2,000 members, on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, Broad and Fitzwater streets. 

The public is welcome to attend.

Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church

814 N. 41st St., Philadelphia, PA 19104

Phone: (215) 222-2070

Sunday Worship Service: 10 a.m.

Pastor: Rev. Renee McKenzie-Hayward

Website: www.calvarystaugustine.org

In 1938, at the close of the Great Depression, God inspired five committed individuals to give birth to a church that would eventually become the St. Paul Chapel Baptist Church. St. Paul is a vibrant church with a charismatic and Bible-focused pastor who has deeply rooted the congregation in practical Biblical teaching and doctrinal edification.

From its humble beginnings 74 years ago, when Rev. Paul Clifton Jackson founded the Community Baptist Church, along with founding members Alberta Brown, Bessie Jackson, Emma Jackson and Ethel Johnson, they conceived a good thing. In 1950, when the church was remodeled, the church was renamed St. Paul Chapel Baptist Church.

Today, St. Paul is drawing and adding young and old members to its congregation. The solid Bible teaching and preaching of Rev. Jermaine Heath, senior pastor, is transforming the lives of many new converts.

“I love my church! The first time I stepped into St. Paul, I knew that I was in the right place,” said Patrice Whitby-Allen. Whitby-Allen, 35, a divorcee and mother of two daughters (Cayla, 13, and Cameron 8), she admits that when she came to St. Paul, she had a lot of emotional baggage. She had some disappointing experiences at a previous church, and it discouraged her from pursuing her passion as a choir singer. “For years, I gave up my desire to sing. Now, at St. Paul, I’m back (singing) in the choir. I look forward to attending church services…the congregation is so supportive…I felt at home at St. Paul. I’m addicted to church,” Whitby-Allen gleefully proclaimed.

Lauren Nicole Moore, 19, is a sophomore psychology major attending Kutztown University. She’s been a member of St. Paul for 7 years. “I grew up at St. Paul, it feels like a second home,” shared Moore. Commenting about her beloved pastor, Moore shared, “I love Pastor Heath, I love to hear him preach!” She recalled one particular sermon that really resonated with her, when Heath preached about the Prodigal Son. Why did this sermon impact her so much? “God is willing to accept you back when you make mistakes. This is an important message for young people because we make a lot of mistakes,” said Moore. She boasts about St. Paul’s Vacation Bible School, because youth get to learn a lot about historical events and other unique Biblical facts that you may not hear during church service. She encourages youth citywide to attend St. Paul’s “Youth Explosion” the last Friday in October.

The Rev. John Croft, 59, is the uncle of Heath, and he serves as his nephew’s Associate Pastor. Croft has been a member of St. Paul since 2009. “My calling (to the pastorate) is to edify the people,” said Croft. He enjoys teaching Bible Study, and he is happy to witness the growth of the congregation in numbers and spiritually, “I see the growth of members’ knowledge of understanding the scriptures, some (members) are advancing their learning by attending (institutions of higher learning).” In 1997, Croft was ordained as a pastor by his renowned clergy brother, the Rev. Dr. Wayne Croft, senior pastor of The Church of the Redeemer Baptist, in South Philadelphia.

Andre Smothers, 71, has been a member of St. Paul since being baptized at the age of 8. “We go beyond the church walls to touch the lives of the people in the community,” shared Smothers. He’s proud that the mature saints of St. Paul reach out to mentor the newer members. When asked to explain why St. Paul has become popular with youth and senior saints, Smothers proudly replied, “St. Paul is a multi-generational church, we give the message of Christ! We deal with contemporary issues!”

“Pastor Heath is an awesome pastor, my husband and I have grown spiritually, my whole family is growing spiritually under Pastor Heath’s leadership,” shared Elizabeth Hayes. Hayes, 46, is a chef at the Hilton Hotel-Philadelphia Airport, has been a member of St. Paul since 2001. For Hayes, her spiritual growth is credited to better understanding of Biblical doctrine, “Pastor (Heath) breaks the Word down so easily ... I have learned how to demonstrate the love of God.”

The Rev. Jermaine Heath, 37, is an energetic man who’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves to take his ministry work beyond the church walls. Heath is one of Philadelphia’s most dynamic young preachers, for 13 years he served under his uncle Rev. Dr. Wayne Croft. Heath has been the Senior Pastor of St. Paul for 7 years.

Heath recalls some of his early challenges taking on the role as Senior Pastor at St. Paul, “Changing the mindset of the members (moving them from traditional beliefs) to building them up stronger in the Word (of God).” He also recalls other challenges like inheriting some church debt, legal church issues, and maintenance of the church properties that needed to be resolved. “Today (seven years later), the church, church office, church lot, our Family Life Center, the church legal issues and (the) financial debt (issues), are resolved,” shared Heath.

This year, the church theme is: “Great Expectations, Let the Journey Begin!” “God is expecting us to proclaim his message,” said Heath. His big concerns are edifying his congregation via active evangelism and discipleship of his members, and he’s very passionate about community activism. Heath recently hosted a community meeting of city officials, neighborhood residents, social service representatives and law enforcement, to discuss how the community can be better served and how St. Paul can become a better community partner.

St. Paul boasts approximately 19 different ministries, and according to Heath, “The Youth Ministry, Music Ministry, Men’s Ministry and the DIVAS (Women’s Ministry),” are probably the most prominent ministries at St. Paul. “When I arrived to St. Paul, we probably had 20 members, today, we have approximately 200,” said Heath. He is currently attending the Center for Urban Theological Studies to complete his degree in pastoral leadership.