BODY OF CHRIST NEWS
TABLE OF CONTENT 3
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Understanding the Israeli Crisis
Message from Rev. Dr. Thomas Mayes
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Ali J: A Man Always On AMission
Celebrating Christmas Amid World Chaos!!
7 What’s Happening In the Community
8 Syl’s Page
11 Black Women on Closing the Education Gap
12 Church Directory
A Note from our Publisher The Body of Christ News would like to thank the Denver Metro area, Boulder and Colorado Springs for another successful year. Your support during this transition to the Body of Christ News Magazine is greatly appreciated. For together we can take the word of God into places that will impact the masses.
December 2023
Cover Story
Understanding the Israeli Crisis: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Thomas Mayes and Dr. Syl Morgan Smith (Rewritten for the Body of Christ Newspaper by Sheila L. Smith and seen online BOCNews.com video)
Another exciting edition of the Body of Christ Newspaper as we talk to a father, son, husband, pastor, and an Air Force military veteran. Truly a credentialed leader. Not just a want-a-be leader but sure enough leader. He is the President of the Denver Metro Ministerial Alliance but stands with the NAACP (Aurora branch) and the Rocky Mountain NAACP. Welcome the Rev. Dr. Thomas Mayes Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: Rev. Mayes you are an advocate for spiritual and social justice causes. You are a busy man. Why are you concerned about what is happening in Israel? Rev. Thomas Mayes: I understand it’s a spiritual war going on. We as Christians love Israel. Israel is considered to be God’s people. Israel has not always been obedient to God. But they ae still his people. The Palestinian people and Israelis (Jews) are having difficulties. The innocent ones are being punished an annihilated on both sides. I am an advocate for non-violence. I work closely with the Dr. Martin Luther King non-violent curriculum. You are dealing with children, babies, senior citizens who are losing their lives. In the U.S., we have Black Lives Matter. But we have to get to the point where all lives matter. We are all the same. We call ourselves Christians. We are like Christ. He doesn’t’ have any preferential treatment. We are all the same. I am excited about being a leader but also a servant leader. We have servant leaders in Israel and servant leaders in Palestine who are leading innocent lives. We celebrate a great freedom here in the United States. But we are poor stewards of that freedom. We are unappreciative of that freedom. The Palestinians are ridiculed because the Hamas is considered Palestine. Hamas is a terrorist group. We don’t take a stand as the Alliance or NAACP for one side or the other. Our desire is Peace in the Middle East. That is what our desire is, our prayer is, or desire is, and our focus is. We realize that when there is peace, ultimate peace, is when Jesus makes his return.
Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: A lot of people are unaware that the Hamas is a terrorist group situated in Palestine. I am blessed to have gone to Israel and it was always amazing to see people acting like people. But then you see the soldiers with guns and see there are people who never who never want peace. Rev. Thomas Mayes: We should never classify every Black person with crime. We can’t always call every White person a Klansman. Se we can’t judge the Palestinians by Hamas. Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: What do you think ignorance has to play here? Rev. Thomas Mayes: Tolerance of ignorance is even worse. They tolerate that. There is always going to be war. And there will be differences that can’t be settled. Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: What do you see as an action that the Denver Metro Alliance, NAACP, and people of the world can do. What role can we play? Rev. Thomas Mayes: The world has evolved. People have evolved. Things have changed. People think differently. So, we have to adjust our methods by adjusting the message. Greater dialogue and more listening. Even in our Metro area, we have to listen to our children and build that trust with young people. We are dealing with a society with so many single parent family homes. Mothers raising children without fathers in the homes. Fathers raising children without the mothers. You have children now that say if you hit me, I will call the police. I have the freedom to make that choice. We have a generation that has difficulty helping young people know their history. The young people are dealing with drugs, promiscuity, the schools. We as adults have to plant a seed. What seeds are we planting? Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: Are we planting seeds of just having a good time? Seeds of every man and woman for themselves. Often, we say, I don’t want my child to go through what I went through. Continued on Page 9
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December 2023
ALI J: A Man Always on A Mission By Sheila L. Smith
Back in the 1980’s, Ali J was a product of the streets in Park Hill. Being raised in a single parent household, along with a brother and a sister, Ali admitted being in a gang and had friends in gangs. “Crime was bad back then, “he said but managed to overcome the odds of staying out of too much trouble in being in gangs. His mother actively made sure he and his brother engaged in playing ying sports while attending East High gh School. Ali J made something of himself mself and became a man who gave backk to his community. He went on to community mmunity colleges and Metro State Collegee on the Auraria Campus near downtown wn Denver. He also went to serve his is country by being in the Army likee his father, grandfather and great,, great grandfather did before him. “I felt it was hypocritical to enlist considering how the U.S. government treated Black men. Some of my family felt bad about me going into the military,” continued Ali, considering ing after the Reconstruction Era days ays of sharecropping and Jim Crow ow and World War I in the early 1900s 0s where Black men saw the military as a way of escape from the South. “Th Thee service was far better than anything ng you could get in the civilian world. You had to find your own narrative, and nd I found mine with those Black men who served before like the Buffalo Soldiers, dier di e s, er s, Triple Nickel and Red Tails. Many Bl Blac Black ackk men had it horrible so that I could d li live ive my life. So, I could not just leave that hat on on the floor, I chose to serve. “ Later after being in the military, ary, ar ry, Ali Alii dedicated his attention to workingg for for or the the Denver Public Schools for 19 yyears. eaars. “I “Itt was about change and positivity and d be b being i g in an attribute to my community and nd not o a ot detriment. I wanted to be about serving s rvin se rvvin ingg the th he people in my community,” he explained lai a ned need in working with youth and how hard itt was was a growing up in Park Hill and tryingg not to be involved in gangs.” Hee then started an all-boys school and nd
later closed it. Ali, however, said the school system is inadequate when it comes to preparing our young Black students. “You have more white teachers in the schools, who are more liberal, and it becomes more detrimental to the educational structure in our communities. He also pointed out that is why young Black boys are more disproportionally suspended from schools. And there therefore, the cycle begins… “You ha have a 23-year-old Caucasian female teacher coming in terrified of teaching but teaching our you young Black boys from a place of fear. Our children are intentionally being undereducated. Our children ch do not know these teachers. We do not see them in our community, our b businesses, or our churches. They come in like they are divine like heaven descent and think they have all the answers for our community.” He added that the A students in the class now have to be the student-teacher and work with those high at-risk kids with behavioral problems. This made the good students lose their focus from being neglected on academic progress. their ac “If you are a parent and your child is sitting next that behavioral child, then your child stops to tha learning. The spectacle (attention) is now on the learni kid you yo are trying to keep in the classroom. The more yyou try to keep them in the classroom, the more aaggressive and violent they become.” He used to constantly find guns, knives and other weapons on students and had to call the police, weapon which is still going on in the schools. For ex exam example, am the media attention blew up back on M March arcc 23, 2023, when two administrators at ar D De Denver’s env nver er’s’s East High School, were shot and killed aaft fteerr searching seaa se a student for weapons. It shook th the he community com co m and other school districts on the viol vi violence olen ol ence en ce going on in schools. Not only that, but it wass al wa also so the third shooting to happen at East High Sc School cho h ol ol tthis h year. Hearts still weigh heavy when a shoo sh shooter o teer w oo went into a school in Uvalde, Texas and kill ki killed lled ll ed d 199 elementary e school children and two adults. A teacher teacherr in Virginia was shot by a 6-year-old who brough brought ghtt a gun to school. A 15-year-old was arrested gh for fata fatally taall l y shooting s another student at a Dallas-area sc school. cho ool o . And the list continues with the violence going on in n sc sschools hoo around the country within the last year. That iiss wh w why Ali J is so adamant about having more Security Offi O cers in the schools. A
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Syl’s
Page
SAVE THESE DATES Greater Metro-Denver Ministerial Alliance’s Annual Inter-Faith Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Worship will be Sunday, January 14, 2023, at Restoration R Christian Fellowship Church 15660 E. 6th Ave, Aurora, CO 80011 53rd 5 Annual Colorado Gospel Music Academy & Hall of Fame Awards and Concert will wi be at 3 pm Sunday, February 18, 2024 New Hope Baptist Church 3701 370 N. Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80205
The New Hope Baptist Church’s rch’s Annual Christmas Concert is bigger and better that previous years, which is a huge statement of confidence. This FREE concert happens 6 pm, Saturday December 16, 2023, in the main sanctuary of New Hope Church at 37th and Colorado Blvd in Denver, CO 80205. Randy Norman, Minister of Music and Jennifer Ford Keel, Music Coordinator at the church said they are confident the concert will satisfy all church music lovers. Special guests Tara WashingtonEverette and Brian Tarver will be delivering their special brand of amazing praise music. Majestic music and inspiring performances will be presented by New Hope’s Music and Creative Arts Ministry, which includes the Angelic Choir, 3D Youth Choir, Men’s Chorus, New Hope Mass Choir, and the Multi - Generational Dance Ensemble. Doors will open at 5:20 pm. A
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Community Events
Don’t forget to send in your church calendar of events for the coming month by the 15th to info@bocnews.com A
Body News Bo dy of of Christ Ch h New ew ws Magazine Magazzine
BlackmansStreet.Today I hope you are enjoying the new Issues of BlackmansStreet. Today. SHARING NEWS THAT BLACK MEN NEED TO KNOW BlackmansStreet.Today covers issues that affect black men worldwide, with a commitment to getting the facts. You can check out more on BlackmansStreet. Today s website. Click on the link below: https://blackmansStreet.today A
December 2023 Continued from Page 3
Rev. Thomas Mayes: We are planting seeds through our actions. Seeds of selfishness. My dad used to say it doesn’t take much to forget where we came from. People need to understand we just didn’t arrive but went through some things to get here (as Black people). I am from that generation where they took prayer out of schools. We felt like taking prayer out of the school was giving the children the freedom to choose. You don’t need to be your children’s friend. You are their friend when they become adults. Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: If I am sitting around the dinner table every day or you hear me talking on the phone with a girlfriend and talking hate or making racist comments about ‘those’ people. They pick that up. It is a harvest we have not indeed planted. Rev. Thomas Mayes: We do need psychological help. We as pastors haven’t got the training on how to counsel. How to reach people psychologically. I said on the first Sunday jokingly that perhaps we should have wine and Prozac. Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: Not only do we have people confused about what is going on in their lives but confused about what is going on in the church. People don’t understand what the Lord’s Supper is about and sitting there watching us do our thing. We have done a lousy job of educating the next generation. So, what would your word be to all of us on how to better handle Israel, Ukraine, in Denver and everywhere. And let there be peace on earth. Rev. Thomas Mayes: As we come into the holiday season, I would advise us to focus not so much on religion but focus on salvation. Salvation sets us free in Christ and that is important. The relationship with God can’t be greater than the relationship we have with one another. My son told me one time that the best thing I did for him was to say no. You have to understand the value of that when God tell us no. But we still try to make it happen anyway. Dr. Syl Morgan Smith: As we go into the season. I want to thank you for sharing with the Body of Christ. Here for you. Always here for God.!!!
Message from Rev. Dr. Thomas Mayes I am more than concerned about the bombing of our Israeli allies. We, in the Christian community, recognize the importance of the relationship we have as a nation and as a faith community with Israel. We stand united in our payers for the nation of Israel and all who exercise freedom. We also recognize the perceived weaking of our Democracy here in the U.S. by the historic political divide that we’ve witnessed. And we recognize how the divide may have given Israel’s enemies the idea the U.S. is unprepared to defend our friends. But we as a people are strong and resilient and we are still the United States of America. In times such as this, as history will prove, we have and always will put aside our differences and stand against the evils of the world and the enemies of Democracy. The Christian community will continue to pray without ceasing for God’s people of Israel. A prayer for Palestine and Israel: Lord, help us to understand the power of our words… we lift all those people affected by the atrocities being inflicted on them in Palestine and Israel. Let us not attribute the wrongs to the Palestinians or to the Jews but to the terrorists and selfish hatred in the heart of all men. Le us love and pray for our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Let us pray for our Jewish brothers and sisters. For God is Love. Much as we cannot judge all White (people) in the U.S. by the actions of the KKK, or all Blacks by the violence and criminal minds of a few; we cannot judge all Palestinians for the actions of the Hamas. Help us Lord to stand in Love and for the peace of All People. Rev. Dr. Thomas Mayes A
Body of Christ News Magazine
Celebrating Christmas Amid World Chaos!! By Sheila L. Smith The time is near as we celebrate God’s ultimate Rev. Battle further states gift – the birth of Jesus that Christmas is a time Christ. that Christians should do as Christ as the Great But with the war going Commission commands us on between Israel and the to do and go out, teach, and Palestinians, Ukraine and baptize in the name of the Russia, disputes between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. political parties in our own country, mass shootings Matthew 28, verses 18-20: – it’s a wonder why “Then Jesus came to them people bother to celebrate and said, ‘All authority in Christmas around the heaven and on earth has world. However, despite been given to me. Therefore, whatever is going on go and make disciples around us, Christmas of all nations, baptizing should be about our them in the name of the Savior Jesus being born, Father and of the Holy according to Rev. Charles Spirit, and teaching them E. Battle, senior pastor of to obey everything I have The New Pearl Church in commanded you…” Englewood. “That is what we should be For non-believers, he doing,” claims Rev. Battle. expresses, Jesus is no big “Christmas is just a money deal and was just some guy grab and has nothing to born in Bethlehem and do with Jesus. Why should grew up to be a preacher I be concerned about that and later crucified. “We when you have people who rejoice that God had a say they love Jesus but game plan for salvation still raping, robbing, and for mankind even before pillaging. Millions of people the Cosmos was created,” don’t have enough food Continued on Page 17 explains Rev. Battle.
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December 2023
Black Women on Closing the Education Gap In 2021, a higher percentage of African American women (33%) were enrolled in college compared to White men (25%), White women (31%), Hispanic men (19%), Hispanic women (24%), and Black men (23%). Also, by 2021, 28% of African American women aged 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher. This was a big increase of 40% from the 20% in 2010. However, Black women still had fewer bachelor’s degrees or higher compared to White men (38%) and women (40%). In 2021, 23% of African American men went to college, which was the same percentage as in 2010. Additionally, 22% of Black men had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2021, which was a 48% increase from 2010, when only 16% had such degrees. Black Demographics (2023, December 2). Black Women On Closing the Education Gap. Https://Blackdemographics.com. Retrieved December 2, 2023, from https://blackdemographics.com/black-women-on-closingthe-education-gap/amp/
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Celebrating Christmas Amid World Chaos!! continued... to eat, millions of people don’t have proper health care. So how can you say you love Jesus.” As Rev. Battles shares historical knowledge that nothing has changed 1200 years after Jesus was on earth when Genghis Khan killed millions of people. The religious conflict and political divide and seeking independence that the Irish went to war with England. People died. Today, the Israel – Palestine conflict and war that dated back to the 1940s has risen its ugly head again and people have died. “There really has been no change, only publication of the change. Where it is easier to communicate what’s is going,” Rev. Battles points out about the chaos in the 21st Century where we are immediately made more aware of what is going on around the world. Pastor Paul P. Nelson with The Living Word Bible Church in Colorado Springs says despite all that is going on - God is still in control. “The war with
Israel goes back to the days of Isaac and Ishmael. America is trying to get involved before its time. You can never stop a religious war until Jesus comes,” says Pastor Nelson. For those who don’t know the story: Ishmael was born son of Abraham. Then years later, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, conceived their son Isaac. Isaac became Abraham’s sole heir and God made a covenant with him. Ishmael and his mother were banished to the desert, even though God promised that Ishmael would raise up a great nation of his own. Isaac is the patriarch link of ancestry to the Israelites. It’s not just the wars going in other parts of the world but the chaos going on here in the Unites States. Pastor Nelson alludes to the disarray and corruption in our own government. “So much corruption,” he explains. “Look at our former president Donald Trump. A person who has committed so many crimes. A person who is getting special treatment and still running for office in 2024 yet has all
these criminal charges against him.” Isiah 9:6, Pastor Nelson recites: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Even during Christmas time, Pastor Nelson conveys how all the talk and message is about Jesus being born in the manger in Bethlehem. “Jesus’s ministry was during his 30s. But we keep going back to when he was in the manger. Society takes Jesus out of the equation at Christmas. He was the gift that gave us the gift of life.” “The true Christmas is about thanking God for the tree we put up. Thanking God for the tree (wood) that was cut down that Jesus died on. John 15:13 says, no greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. That is what Jesus did.”
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