Several Jefferson County-area residents, some with an Alabama Baptist affiliation, were honored recently at the third annual Hope Awards Banquet of the City of Hope Rescue Mission and Recovery Center (formerly Bessemer Rescue Mission).
The banquet which was held last fall at the Scrushy Center in Birmingham serves as a major fund raiser for the center. City of Hope is a nonprofit ministry receiving no state or federal funding. Seventy percent of the budget is raised by residents who work in the City of Hope businesses, which include an automotive division, a bargain center and a computer center.
The main speaker for the evening was Mike “Captain Crunch” Kolen, a former Miami Dolphins football player and Auburn University linebacker who played under Coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan. Kolen is now president of the Kolen Financial Team and long-standing leader and supporter of The Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Bill Heintz, pastor and executive director of City of Hope, presented awards in six areas.
Gerald Austin, pastor of New City Church, Birmingham, won the award for religious service.
“In 1974, I applied to my life what God did for me 2,000 years ago,” he said. “I am deeply appreciative of what God is doing through City of Hope.”
Austin is in partnership with Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills, in an attempt to build bridges between churches of differing economic, racial and social backgrounds. He and Charles Carter, pastor emeritus of Shades Mountain, put action to a resolution during the November Alabama Baptist State Convention that wanted to seek resolution in racial matters.
“We’ve become good friends and shared a lot of things — pulpits, families, friends,” Austin said. “Before I became friends with [Charles Carter], I’d never owned a pickup truck, and I’d never worn a pair of cowboy boots. And I taught him how to clap and step.”
Thomas H. Brigham Jr., president and CEO of Realty South, Alabama’s largest real estate company, won the HOPE Award for Business Service. Member of Mountain Brook Community Church, Brigham has held leadership and advisory roles with First Priority of Alabama Inc., Big Oak Ranch and Baptist Hospitals Foundation.
“The folks who have graduated from City of Hope,” he said as he accepted the award, “they’re the real heroes, and so are you, Pastor Heintz.”
The Honorable Pete Johnson, presiding judge of the Criminal Division of the District Court of Jefferson County and starter of the Jefferson County Drug Court, was awarded the HOPE Award for Civic Service. Judge Johnson is a graduate of Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law.
Jonathan Dunning, CEO of Birmingham Health Care, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the delivery of health care to the homeless, under-served and uninsured populations of Jefferson County, received the award for community service. Dunning has committed to opening a five-day-a-week clinic at the new City of Hope facility in Bessemer. Dunning is also the president of the Alabama Primary Health Care Association.
Henry Horton, a graduate of the program, helped Heintz give a surprise award — the Fruit of the Spirit award — to Margaret Vines, who taught Henry, now 44, how to read. Surprised and confused, Vines said, “But I am the one who’s blessed.”
Heintz started the City of Hope, then Bessemer Rescue Mission, more than 30 years ago.
“God looked down and said He needed a place, and He picked Bessemer, Ala., as that place.”
The center’s choir, band and Impact Team were leaders in praise and demonstration for the evening.
A moving dramatic presentation performed by City of Hope residents to Carmen’s “We Need God in America Again” began the program.
Ricky Todd, minister of music for City of Hope, led the choir and band in a time of making music before the Lord, singing a moving rendition of “Who Is Like the Lord?” and later the chorus, “I’m forgiven because you were forsaken and amazing love, how can it be?”
Slide shows of praise, baptisms, church services and learning that takes place at the City of Hope, as well as pictures of the homeless and prisoners, were presented during the singing. Members of the audience stood and raised their hands during this time of praise.
Assistant director, associate pastor and Impact Team director George King told about the Impact Team that works in schools across the state.
The team did its human drama to pop song “Total Eclipse of the Heart” to portray the effects of rejection and dancing with alcohol, drugs and premarital sex that may lead to depression and eventually suicide. It showed that intervention by friends who don’t give up can mean life or death in the lives of people.
Dinner music was provided by saxophonist and Christian recording artist Vann Burchfield.
Throughout the evening, many City of Hope graduates told their stories. Perhaps they can all be summed up best by the words of one graduate.
“When I entered the City of Hope, I could feel the love of God in the walls. I was a walking dead man, but God said He could put flesh on those dead bones and put a soul in it and make it rise.”
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