T E P TOR
this vision p th w y for a I
greater outreach to erve a
larger community as they look
forward to expand and build
educational and recreational
facilities that will adequately
"
ur
"
...
Following Matthew and Mark
By ROBBIE CRUMP-McCOY
Special to the Michigan CJtl� n
Rev. Dr r William Henry Mur­
phy Sr. organized the Greater
Ebenezer Baptist Church 22
y ars ago with 54 members.
Today that congregation has
grown to 2,500 members and is
located at 18751 Fenkell in up­
skale Rosedale Park. .
In spite of the ,$1 million facil­
ity, Rev. Dr. Murphy believes in
teaching the whole Bible accord­
ingto St. Matthew 28:19 and St.
Mark 16:18.
Rev, Dr. Murphy, is a native
of Tenness e and a graduate of
Lemoyne Owens College. Rev.
Murphy was called to preach 38
years ago, and has been married
to his wife, Ella, for 42 years.
They are parents of six children
and 15 grandchildren.
His positions are varied. For­
mer Gov. Blanchard chose him
as a staffer and a member of the
Appropriations Council of the
State of Michigan, advisor to the
military and a member of the
Pentagon.
AS WRITER HE has
authored fiv books "Let's Go on
a Treasure Hunt; Baptist Eccle­
siatical Church Member's Hand­
book; Pastoral Guideline &
I nstructions Concerning Mar­
riage; Church Administration
and Snatching them Out of the
Fire.
He is a member of the Council
of Baptist Pastors; the Fellow­
ship District ociation; the
Baptist Missionary and Educa­
tional Convention; nd of the
N atoional Baptistconvention
DSA, Inc and a board member of
the J. All n Caldwell School of
Religion.
Greater Ebzenezer has an in­
teresting brochure, free to all,
titled: "Hupolambano", a Greek
word meaning warm and tender
. love. All who go into the sanctu­
ary of Greater Ebenezer with
the wo hip in mind ar v ry
w lcom .
The p tor and m mbe m-
phasize unday a day of wor­
hip and they ezin it with
church chool thering at 9
a. m. followed by morning wor­
hip; N utur for Th Baptist
Church (formerly th BTU) at 6
p. m.; Bap i m and Holy wor­
hip; ev ning wo hip at 7:30
p,m. and in ring w k rv-
1
bring their children. During the
week there are group meetings,
"o u 1 ng , re rt? ·t . a:l'nd '0 her
nts, with sports as a main
event in the summer.
Tutorial programs in math,
english and career planning are
offered on Mondays. The church
has a variety of training minis­
tries. The entire church comes
together the last Wednesday of
every month.
Greater Ebenezer has a
school of Theological learning
with full accreditation, affiliated
and accredited by Evangelical
Training Assocaition. They are
offered in five-night week ses-
sions. ,
There is a new membership
requirement at Greater
Ebenezer; among ubjects are
The Baptist Church at Work,
the Baptist Doctrine and Stew­
ardship in the Modern Church.
There is a Political and Social
Action committee in the church,
a tape ministry and marriage
counceling ession. Feeding the
. hungry is a ministry of the con­
gregation and clothes and shel­
tering the homel , ministers
to the whole man.
The church owns a banquet
hall, 18845 W. McNichols,
known as the Rosedale House
which caters to banquets, family
reunions, wedding receptions
urn­
v n , honoring
rit ge and culture,
the ta for our tr dition I
tr ns r 0 knowl nd th
revitaliz tion of he Black com­
munity piri. Dr. eight ex­
plains:
"Th Black F mily Reunion
peaks to the aspirations, needs
nd con rns of African Am ri­
cans from all walla of life. It h
thrived b cau e we have cre­
ated a forum that has mad a
differenc not only in the lives
of tho who have participated,
but in th ho cities nd com­
munities aero the country."
With h r vision ofth pt·
her frame of reference, Dr.
Height has struggled to rebuild
and reinforce the communal
foundation that has held our
Black familie together through
the best i: ,-
Wh n Council
ace on
Johnny
"1 might be able to under­
stand how people can surviv
without going to church or read-
. ing the Scriptures, but I cannot
understand how anybody can
survive without being in com­
munication with God," ays the
Rev. Johnny Ray Youngblood,
who appears in a live call-in pro­
gram beginning Nov. 14 on
VISN (Vision Interfaith Satel­
lite N work).
He will di cu prayer nd
other' ue in a special 90-min­
ute edition of Fa on Faith on
VISN/ACTS, The Faith and Val­
ues Chann 1, liv on unday,
ov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. and re­
p ted Thursday, ov 18; at 3
p.m. (ET.
His work h be n d crib d
in Upon This Rock: Th Mir cl
ofa Black Church, which r 1 t
o Dr. Youngblood's chur h,
t.Paul Community B ptist
hurch in Johnny y Young-
bl d on VI . Bro klyn, h
orm d one of work'
� .... your
_to:
Michigan Citizen
P.O.Bax 03560
Highland Park. MI
48203
REV. DR. W.H. MURPHY
and business meetings. Cater­
ing is available.
I t has a Child Care Center
known as the Rosedale Chris­
tian Child Care Development.
Rev. Dr. Murphy finaliz the
interview with "Enter into His
gat with Thanksgiving and
into His courts. with praise: Be
thankful unto Him and bl His
name.
They invite all to participate.
o
·11 eatu
ngblood
Child
Wach
JOHNNY YOUNGBLOOD
m t pr d ar as into a vi­
ral, commi t d nd thriving
communi y
T UG UE forum .
information nd entertainment
wor ho , the BFRC " ims to
unify the community for con-
tructive action in th fa' of
n tional concern impacting
th Black family in education,
drug abu ,teen pregnancy,
h lth care, and the employ-
bility." Over the yea , Dr.
Height has u the tool of the
BFRC to reach out to over 10
million people in cities across
the nation
Dr. Height's lifetime 0 lead­
ership in the struggle for equal­
ity and human rights for all
people has taught her well the
challenges facing the Black
community.
Since her days as a case­
worker in the 1930's, she has
led a sustained effort to uplift
th poor nd pow rless through
the creation and promotion of
lf-h lp programs. She has
played k y rol in the estab-
li hment of N W-sponsored
nutrition, child care, hou ing,
and care r educational pro­
gram that embody the princi­
ples of self-reliance.
With the Black Family Reun­
ion Celebration, Dr. Height has
r a d -t �ft11t1' 'O'nrM4nrt
which Black folk can come
gether as e begin to help our­
selves and one another,
America is rich with Black pe0-
ple who have achieved on every
level.
There are those who may be
nationally recognized I de ,
like Dr. Height, and those who
teach by the pedal grace of
their liv th me that,
with hope, di cipline, hard
or and determination you
can uceeed. They teach u that
it' not what you have, but who
you are that ma you impor­
tant.
IT UP TO us to listen to
those lessons and to continue to
reach out to those who have yet
to hear them. "We must com­
mit ourselves to the year-round
effort of supporting our children
through family and community.
The Black Family Reunion
Celebration affords us a won­
derful opportunity to open the
line of communication as we
prepare ,to individually and col­
lectively re pond to our commu­
nity's needs.
E ch summer, as you attend
the celebration, rejoice and rec­
ognize the efforts of the year
past and prepare for another
sustaining nd thriving year for
1" ac famili
and Blac unities,