PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION A Bi-Monthly Newsletter Voice ISSUE No. 3 - November 2014 King Memorial Service To Honor Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker The Midwinter Board meeting will convene January 18-23, I urge all of our Progressive family to make this coming 2015 at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, 4535 Midwinter Board meeting a sacred pilgrimage where we will Commerce Street, Virginia Beach, VA. plan our social justice agenda and develop a strategy to implement it. The week will be kicked off with our Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebratory/Memorial Service. PNBC claims Dr. Our preacher for this service will be the inimitable King and his supporters in the Civil Rights Movement as the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Pastor-Emeritus of the Trinity founding spirit of our convention. As such, Progressive ought United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL. All of us know that for to have one of the most prominent, outstanding, and many years, Dr. Wright has been a trumpet of conscience in spiritually empowering services in the country. this nation. He will challenge us with his insightful, passionate proclamation. Providentially placed at the beginning of the year, PNBC's King service ought remind us of our spiritual DNA, what it is But the highlight of the evening will be that that distinguishes us from other denominations, and to be Progressive will honor one of our founding clear about our mission: to be the voice of the voiceless. fathers, Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, This is what Dr. King and the Pastor-Emeritus, Canaan courageous men and women Baptist Church, Harlem, NY. who stood with him and who marched with him Religious leader, activist, scholar and represented. This is the author, Reverend Walker is purpose for which Progressive internationally known for his was founded. contributions to the Civil Rights and anti-apartheid movements. A chief If we use this service as a call strategist for Dr. Martin Luther King, to be clear about our purpose Jr., Walker was one of the key and mission, we will stay on architects of the 1960-64 civil rights course and grow more campaigns and he is one of our own. powerful in our influence. Progressive family, make every effort By the time we meet in to be present. Let’s make the PNBC Virginia Beach, the mid term MLK Service the most outstanding election will be over. At this service in the country. It will be our writing, we cannot tell which call to mission. The highlights of the party will have a majority in week are provided in the Midwinter the Senate. But with the events Board Meeting Week at a Glance of the past year- past six years detailed in this newsletter. really- it is clear that there is a need for our prophetic voice and action. PROGRESSIVEVOICE "1 PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION I pray that this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the blessings of God From The in your life. President’s Desk Over the course of the past couple of months, I have had the wonderful A Word From President Perkins privilege of visiting many of you in your regional setting, sharing with many of you in your church services, responding to several requests for celebratory acknowledgements from PNBC, listening to many of you share your thoughts and concerns, and trying through previous emails to keep you abreast of some of the issues that we need to be aware of and to participate in. At the end of this whirlwind experience, I can only say that I am more excited about PNBC and our future than I've ever been. There is a sense of optimism for which I am grateful, but in order to capitalize on it, we must face the raw reality of the challenges that lie before us as well as to prepare ourselves to take advantage of the opportunities God has presented to us. I have come to feel that we really don't know what we have in PNBC! For example, we are blessed to have a and the powers that be will simply To address the challenge that we face, headquarters with staff that work for ignore us and do whatever they want to we have been able to cut spending in us on a day to day basis. This is unique do in that area without any input from some areas. But to address the issue of among the African-American us. Though not likely, it is conceivable eliminating past indebtedness, meet Baptist denominations. that if we don't take better care of our some pressing needs, and have some property, they could try to take it from monies for general operating expenses, Our headquarters is located on almost us. It is not out of the realm of I recently asked the Executive six (6) acres of land located in the heart possibility. We must be vigilant! As Committee to support a DEFICIT of Washington, DC. That's huge! What Jesus said, "Watch and pray..." (St. ELIMINATION CAMPAIGN that will that means is that we are one of the Matthew 26:41). conclude by the time we meet in largest African-American landowners in January, 2015 for our Midwinter Board the nation's capital! Don't take that DEFICIT ELIMINATION CAMPAIGN Meeting in Virginia Beach, VA. In this for granted. campaign, each church is asked to In the same vein, the first challenge we contribute $1,000 over and above their In the Lincoln Heights section of DC have is to become a financially sound 1% membership fee, with contributions which is the section of the city that our organization. In the two months that I made by the time we meet in January. headquarters is located in, we have have been in office, it has become clear tremendous opportunity to anchor any that PNBC is not generating the Our Deficit Elimination Campaign goal development that takes place in necessary income to sustain our is $300,000 which will be used to that area. operations. Each of the past two eliminate some past debts, do some months, we have had challenges needed repairs on the Nannie Helen We are a sleeping giant in DC! We are meeting our payroll and other expenses. Burroughs School, and meet some other an international organization, but This is due in large measure to the fact current obligations. nobody knows we're there! We must that we do not have enough churches change that! And we will change it! If who pay their 1% membership fee on a we don't do something to make monthly basis. ourselves known in the city, developers PROGRESSIVEVOICE "2 PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION If you can't contribute $1,000, give the TODAY! LET ME HEAR FROM performed in Newark, NJ was shut best you can. However, with at least 300 YOU PNBC! down because they were going to have pastors/churches committing to be a a Black man play the role of Jesus. part of the DEFICIT ELIMINATION THE CANCEL THE BLACK JESUS LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN Whenever He is portrayed in movies as CAMPAIGN, we could raise the funds being serious, He is never portrayed as needed to set us on sound financial I don't know how many of you have Black. But when He is portrayed as a footing provided we also commit to pay seen the show that airs on the Cartoon thug, a weed smoking, forty ounce our 1% membership fee on a Network entitled, BLACK JESUS. As I drinking, uzi carrying brother from the monthly basis. ask around, some people have seen it, hood, He is portrayed as Black. others have not. THE NEXT 30 DAYS!!! This is targeted to our youth and its If you have not seen it, go to YOUTUBE effect is to undermine their faith. All of We really need at least 50 pastors to and just look up BLACK JESUS. If you us are old enough to know that it is our commit to send their Deficit Elimination are at all a spiritually sensitive person, faith in Jesus that has been our only Campaign contribution to headquarters your sensibilities will be shocked! It is source of hope and empowerment to now or within the next 30 days so we offensive and blasphemous! endure all the horrifying experiences we will have some funds to operate. Be have endured in our past. sure to indicate Deficit Elimination In Wikipedia, the following storylines Campaign on your contribution. summarize episodes No. 1 - 6: Our foremothers and forefathers did not have fabulous estates, stocks and bonds, When Jesus and His “homies” businesses, or land to pass on to us. All fail to buy some marijuana, they had to pass on to us was a faith in they decide to grow it in the Jesus that encouraged us to believe that neighborhood garden. no matter how bad things get, the Lord would make a way somehow. We're Jesus and the crew find their having a hard enough challenge in garden but get into trouble getting that faith in our youth without with the local Mexican gang, the help of this blasphemous show. If who demand money our children don't have faith in Jesus, from them. they will have no future to speak of. After being extorted by I am asking every PNBC constituent Mexican gangsters, they are (clergy and lay people) to join the left with no money for campaign to sign a letter to Ms. President Perkins observes Nannie fertilizer for their weed plants, Christine Miller, CEO of the Cartoon Helen Burroughs School roof repairs so they execute a manure heist Network asking that she cancel this at the Compton Boarding outrageous show.