Unless one goes on a guided tour of New York City, it is easy to visit the metropolis a good number of times and avoid ever showing up in Harlem.
The famous African-American section in north Manhattan was the location for a day’s round of activities for more than 100 attendees at the recent annual meeting of the interfaith group known as Religion Communicators Council (RCC).
A startled man at a subway station exclaimed, “Where did all these white folks come from?”
The RCC’s first session of the day was held in the impressive sanctuary of Abyssinian Baptist Church, which takes its name from an ancient name for Ethiopia. A well known politician of his day, the late Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and his father before him served there in the position of pastor for a total of 64 years, 1908–1972.
Current pastor Calvin Butts addressed the RCC group, describing the responsibilities of religion communicators, including himself.
“Communicators have an awesome responsibility,” he said, “to tell the truth as best we can.”
Brother Butts said it is necessary for religion communicators to interpret the world through faith.
He noted that too often it takes a funeral or some other difficult situation for members of a family to get together to talk.
The pastor said the same is true for the United States “family.” He pointed to the result of last year’s World Trade Center disaster.
“When ‘9-11’ happened, techno-babble stopped,” Bro. Butts said. Television news anchor Dan Rather “just broke down and cried.”
Brother Butts said, “We came together and embraced each other.” He added, “We need to keep on getting back together.”
The pastor noted the importance of communicating the truth. He said people can get “boxed in” by their preconceived ideas.
“Take their blinders off,” he urged the communicators.
Brother Butts said in addition to making sure people hear the gospel, communicators must tell them the truth “as best we know it” about other things in the world.
“We need to make sure this little sphere doesn’t explode,” he said. Friction between groups puts the world “awfully close to the fire,” he said.
“Keep others in your mind,” Bro. Butts said. “They want to do the right thing. Get people who can add something that can keep us from making mistakes,” he said.
After his message, the pastor was asked what gives him hope during the current world situation.
“What gives me hope? Jesus Christ,” he said. “My faith is rooted in the resurrection. At His appearing I shall be like Him.
“I hold onto that faith, because I have seen it work,” Bro. Butts said. “I have seen the power of that love. The expression of that love is Jesus dying on the cross. Faith always sees the star of hope,” he said.
The events of recent months have caused many people to become fearful and hopeless. We Christians can communicate our faith to them by word and deed. In this way we offer them hope.
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