European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 25, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 12 the Staps and stripes religion saturday sunday december 25/26,1993 racial Bias facies As town rebuilds torched Church by Gina Holland the associated press Summit miss. A the 50 members of Springhill freewill Baptist Church will spend Christmas celebrating the rebirth of their Church. It was one of two churches set afire one night last april by three White teenage arsonists who targeted the All Black congregations. When apologies and prison sentences for the arsonists weren to enough to heal the pain of that fiery night in Rural Southwest Mississippi Whites picked up hammers and began building. More than 130 volunteers mostly White began construction this month. Quot they figure that they owe us something but a lot of those people done to owe us anything. They re just Loving christians a said Rosie Young financial Secretary of Springhill in Amite county. Quot they re trying to help us get Back before we scatter apart a she said of the Small congregation that meets twice a month. A a it a a big old Christmas Church members planned to spend the holidays worshipping in a Small temporary Sanctuary while remembering what they a had. The congregation had spent $12,000 on renovations this Spring Days before the Chapel was burned Down on april 4, the 25tn anniversary of Martin Luther King assassination. A group of businessmen stepped in. A Bank supplied meeting space until the rebuilding financed by donations is Complete Early next year. A we were in this rundown place with no heat no lights no nothing. Now we be got a warm place for Christmas a said Young. Building organizer Jack Honda said a boy scout troop is among the building volunteers. He said Many in the Blue Collar town of Summit have coins Forward with everything from nails to Cash. A some of it is to Bury the past. A lot is the desire to do something Good a Honea said. The arson fires occurring nearly 30 years after night riders unsuccessful 1964 Elt Orts to firebomb the Sanctuary resulted in prison sentences this month for the three White teens they used Spring Hihn a hymnals to ignite the first fire. At their next Stop in neighbouring Pike county 15 Miles away the teens screamed a Burn Nigger Burn Quot As flames raced through Rocky Point missionary Baptist Church prosecutors said. Both churches burned to the ground. A we just could t imagine that we had anybody still living Here that was that mean. We thought that we had lived through that Lime a Young said. Some Church members complain that sentences were too lenient but they re finding peace in the building efforts at both churches. A it violated our civil rights. It violated everything we stood for Quot said Uriah Collins surveying the ashes and rubble at Rocky Point. Bernice Dixon sits with her husband Stafford Dixon and Uriah Collins rear at the burned out site of their Church near Summit miss. A what we had Here was ours. We weren to bothering anybody else. For them to come along and destroy it is something else a member Stafford Dixon said. For most forgiveness has followed. A boys will be boys and we can to hold the whole City responsible. We have to live together Quot said the Rev. Leon Moore assistant pastor of Rocky Point which has 25 members and holds services twice a month. A they Whites regret whales happened and they re trying to right the wrong and fix the relationships. They done to want it to be a racial thing a he said. As the building program continues the three teens Wilt serve Federal prison sentences. Charles w. Mcgee he jr., 18, of Summit and Jerome a. Pelleio 17, of Franklinton la., were sentenced to 37 months. Roy j. Mcgovern 18, of Summit received a 46-month prison sentence. The teens who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the civil rights of Church members were also ordered to pay $138,000 in restitution. Church members wonder if they Ever will see any Money. Summit banker Frank Martin said volunteers Hope to raise. $50,000 and do All the work themselves a to Send a positive message out of something that should never have anti Pope billboard prompts protest . A the protestant minister behind billboards showing a caricature of the Pope with the words a a Man of sin Quot has defended the message. Roman Catholic archbishop Michael Sheehan complained last week about the billboards around Albuquerque saying they were put up by Quot a fundamentalist anti Cath och the Rev. Les Balsiger head of the Montana based printed word ministries said he Wasny to shy about calling myself a fundamentalist a but claimed he Isnit anti Catholic. �?o1 love the Catholic people dearly Quot he said monday a a it a the Catholic system in a Balsiger said the problem with catholicism is a the papal system a and its amalgamation of religious and political Power. Sheehan called the message offensive demanding an apology and removal of billboards. A a will never apologize just As Marlin Luther and John Wesley would never have apologized a Balsiger said Balsiger also said the messages which Cost $4,000 and were paid for by new Mexico supporters ministry would not be taken Down. Officials of Donkey outdoor advertising co. Have said the billboards will come Down at the end of the month when the contract with printed word ministries y. Churches plan ties with schools to halt violence from wire reports new York a seventy five churches in the City a Black Community will a a adopt local schools to try to steer children away from violence. Schools Chancellor Ramon Cortines the Rev Al Sharpton and the Rev. Wyatt tee Walker announced the plan during a recent meeting of about three dozen Black clergymen. Sharpton who called the Church the strongest institution in the Black Community said churches can help move Young people away from crime and violence. A the churches will adopt a neighbouring school where they will be available for counselling for crisis intervention. The ministers will be available to help a Sharpton said. A we Are disturbed that Over 50 guns have been confiscated already since september in the schools a he said. A the Chancellor said that a a More Metal detectors and More Security with teen agers is not the answer. It is starting with our Young children and helping them understand and develop respect for themselves and each for religion allowed Pensacola Fla. A Escambia will become the second county in Florida to give High school students the option of leaving Campus for an hour daily to receive religious instruction. The hour will come out of study Hall extracurricular or other nonacademic Lime under a policy the Escambia school Board adopted recently on a 3-2 vote. Participants would be required to take the Sarne number of credits including elective courses As other students when the policy goes into effect next August. Principals also will be Able to prohibit students from participating if that would interfere with their academic Progress school District spokeswoman Barbara file said. Classes will be conducted by churches or other religious groups on their own property. Brevard was the first of Florida a 67 counties to allow time off for off Campus religious education. State Law gives school boards the option of permitting such voluntary studies off school Cardinal irks priests Boston a Cardinal Bernard f. Law has asked the 400 pastors in the roman Catholic archdiocese of Boston to contribute up to 2 percent of their parishes income for his work. John Walsh director of communications for the archdiocese said the request was a a fund raising Appeal a but Many priests told the Boston Globe they consider the request a tax. Most Catholic dioceses in the United states impose direct taxes on parishes to support activities beyond the Parish level. Boston has not. The request for Parish help was made first at a meeting of pastors. That was followed by a letter asking them to pay specific amounts to help finance a my ministry to the Church in Boston and indeed to the Church parishes with schools were asked to donate 1 percent of income. _ the priests were told the Money will go to support the Cardinal s household and some administrative activities. Walsh said the Church for years has asked parishes to support the cardinals work As archbishop including household expenses and said those payments totalled $400,000 last nativity Pway Calif. A now people can enjoy the Christmas Story from the privacy of their own cars. Ror the second year the first Baptist Church of Rowan is offering a drive through version of the journey to Bethlehem told in eight scenes set up in the parking lot. Members of the Church portray the biblical characters. / music and narration Are played Over speakers As visitors Stop their cars to watch and listen. The scenes include live donkeys and sheep. I think its pretty Cool a said Danielle Arnold who plays Mary. A a lot of people who have come through have gotten the True Christmas Story from 1 he presentation has drawn about 80 cars a night since dec. 16, said Ron Hansen co director of the event
