4 Page 2- The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 27, 1986 Black students seek churches By EUGENE PAK Last year, Derek Lindsey, a senior economics major, left the University, because of academic and social problems. He returned this year with a new spiritual outlook. "I gave myself to the Lord last year," said Lindsey. "At the time, I was having big problems with school, and my life in general." ""WHEN PEOPLE have ptbblems in their lives, they run abound to different things. I tried just about everything, and finally I said, 'Lord, have your will.' "He joined the Labor of Love Ministry, a Christian group headed by Pastor Charles Hawthorne- a University alumnus- which meets at the Ann Arbor YMCA. Lindsey said his participation in the group's programs has helped him become a better student and person. For example, Lindsey said his GPA has "skyrocketed." The Labor of Love Ministry was one of several church groups represented at the "Completing the Circle: Enriching the Experience at the U of M," program, Friday night at the Anderson room in the Union. The program was designed to allow black students to meet representatives from local black churches and ministries. ACCORDING TO Janie Bowens, student services assistant at the Office of Religion and Ethics, one of the programs's sponsors, students need to complete the spiritual aspect of their lives, along with the academic and social lives. "Part of what this office and program are about, is the University should meet the total educational needs of the student, and religion is a part of that. Having some sense of ethics is a part of one's life," said Bowens. "A lot of people think the Bible is a book of do's, don't's, can't's, and ain'ts, but it's not," said Lindsey. "There's more to it than that, there are a lot of principles in the Bible which can be used to achieve success in your life," he said. BARBARA ROBINSON, the black student representative at Minority Student Services, which also sponsored the program, said black churches have been an important part of the black American experience, and that students should be encouraged to continue the tradition. Bowens said many students may find it difficult to become involved in a ministry or church, because of geographical reasons, especially students wishing to attend black churches, most of which are located off-campus. But most of these churches offer van services or will arrange rides to pick up students. "If you live in the Ann Arbor area or in Ypsilanti, it doesn't make any difference, we'll come and get you," said Robert Blake, a choir director at Bethel Bethel church in Ann Arbor. BLAKE, WHO attended the University in the early 1970s, said many students are so busy with school and their social life, and "a lot of time church is what is lax" Blake added, however, that he thinks it is important for students away from home to have a support base like a church. "When I was at Southern University (in Baton Rouge) I was able to hook up with churches down there, and it helped me out when some hard crunches came," he said. AND ACCORDING TO Prentice Tipton, head of the University Christian Outreach in Ann Arbor, "Black America in my opinion, is rapidly becoming a danger area, we are living in a state of emergency," said Tipton. Tipton, who spoke at the program, said, "the leading cause of death among Black males age 15 to 24 years old is not heart disease, it's not cancer, it's not any natural cause, it's murder. . . and the victims are killed not by rascists, not by the KKK, but by other young black males." "In 1981, over 6,000 people were killed in black-related deaths, which rivals the total number of black servicemen killed in the twelve years of the Vietnam war." "THE BATTLEFIELDS of America are more dangerous and treacherous than those in an actual war," Tipton said. Tipton, addressing students in the audience, said, "I am here tonight because I believe one of the places the preserved ones of God can be found are at university campuses. God has preserved them for an hour of crisis like this." George Williams, also a University Christian Outreach member, said, "A lot of people take the ostrich response, they say 'there's danger out there, I'll go bury my head over here."' BUSINESS f MAt"PuCli! ___ Fe4&-/ #AIIP*IM6ES U~ Es RE VIEWINTRODUCTIOK T ulRt\.