St. James AME Church Pittsburgh, PA July 2013 Volume 34, Issue 1

Inside This Edition: Tidbits For Your Soul AME Response to Supreme Court Decision The Battle of Gettysburg Church Announcements

AME CHURCH DECRIES US SUPREME

COURT VOTING RIGHTS ACTION: Reprinted from The Christian Recorder Online 6/29/13

T oday, the US

Supreme

Court has

cast a shadow over

the landscape that

had been carefully

groomed to protect

the voting rights of

every American and

monitor any efforts

to disenfranchise voters. A deeply divided bench voted 5

to 4 to strike down Section 4. The bare majority ruled that

this section was outdated and based on progress made

over the years; a new formula needs to be used to deter-

mine which cities and states must get permission from the

federal government before changing their voting proce-

dures.

"The African Methodist Episcopal Church decries

this action, declares Bishop Reginald Jackson, chair of the

Social Action Commission. Eliminating section 4 and

keeping section 5 essentially guts a major provision and

protection for those who have been subjected to historic

and longstanding discrimination, including threats to life

and livelihood." In those fifteen states that are now being

monitored and others where new disenfranchising laws

are being crafted, the AME Church will increase its ef-

forts to register, mobilize and educate potential voter

(Operation EMR).

It means that the cities and states that have yet to

send approval requests to the Justice Dept, or those to

which the Justice Dept has not responded will be able to

enact those procedures. As Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the

NAACP LDF stated, "This is like letting you keep your

ALLEGHENY/SCRANTON DISTRICT

MAKES SIGNIFICANT DONATION TO THE

SUSAN G. KOMEN FOUNDATION:

T he "Awesome" Allegheny Scranton District, under

the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Eric L. Brown, Pre-

siding Elder Allegheny Scranton District, Third

Episcopal District selected Breast Cancer Research and

Awareness for their 2012-2013 District Outreach Project.

Lady Margo Brown, District Coordinator and Outreach

Project Chairperson, is a two-time breast cancer survivor

who desires to make a difference in the lives of others.

This initiative concluded on June 14, 2013 at the

146thSession of the Allegheny Scranton District Church

School Convention at St. John African Methodist Episco-

pal Church in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania where the Rev-

erend Linda Moore is the host pastor.

The Reverend Dr. Helen M. Burton, pastor Payne

Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Duquesne,

Pennsylvania, and members received the Outstanding

Supporter Award for the Outreach Project.

Mrs. Julie Philp, Sponsorship and Event Coordi-

nator for the Pittsburgh Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen

Race for the Cure Foundation joined us for a special

presentation. Dr. Eric L. Brown and Lady Margo Brown

were delighted to present a donation on behalf of the Alle-

gheny Scranton District in the amount of $3,800. This

donation will enable the Susan G. Komen Foundation to

underwrite “38” mammograms for women within the

Western Pennsylvania Region.

50 Ways the Bible Can Change Your Life

Conference Claims Facebook Campaign

Page 1 www.stjamesamepgh.org The Magnet

Disaster relief (New Orleans and Haiti) Educational Institution Support

Education Scholarships Community Clinics

Clergy Retirement Support Water Wells

Giving to the Church is a spiritual issue. It takes faith and discipline to trust that God will pro-

vide for your needs. As with any type of giving, we ask that you pray to God about what is being asked

of each member, and that you do your very best to reach this goal. It is only together that we can make a

difference.

Brought to you by the Hubert and Annie Mae Davis Lay Organization of St. James AME Church

Robert Gleaves - President Rev. Rodrecus M. Johnson, Jr. - Pastor

Just brea

the.

It will

be ok!

Are you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Foursquare, Tumblr, or

any other social media site?

Invite the your friends, family and community to St. James AME Church, the great-

est church this side of Heaven, by posting a message, like one of the messages

below, on Saturday evenings and/or Sunday mornings:

“Join me at St. James AME Church, where I am going to get my praise on!”

“I’m on my way to worship at St. James AME Church, won’t you meet me there?”

“Worshipping at St. James AME Church, all are welcome!”

“You are invited to worship with me at St. James AME Church!”

car, but taking away the keys".

The AME Church will

further advocate with the

members of Congress to expe-

dite the development of a new

formula based on current docu-

mented acts that would address

these concerns.

Finally, Operation

EMR will work in partnership

with other civil and human

rights groups to continue miti-

gating the damage done to mil-

lions over the decades. Our

commitment to justice will

continue with greater urgency

and vibrancy.

Jacquelyn DuPont-Walker

Social Action Commission

Consultant/Director

213-494-9493

JDUPONTW@aol.com

Members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, even prior to its official organization

date of 1816, have taken on the task of addressing issues faced by all of God’s creation; and not just

their local church. It is due to this sense of community with our sister AME Churches, as well as with

the rest of the world, that the AME Church motto is “God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, the Holy

Spirit Our Comforter, Humankind Our Family”.

The AME Church also believes that when the time, talent and treasures of each of its mem-

bers are combined, that the greatest good can be realized. It is out of this belief that each local church,

big and small, is to support the efforts of the “General Church”.

Here at St. James AME, we ask each member to support the General Church by paying their

Conference Claims in the amount of $14 a week, in addition to your tithes. The combined sacrifice of

AME members worldwide have been used for such items as:

Articles for the August edition of The Magnet are due

by Saturday, July 27th. Place articles in The Magnet

mailbox outside the Church Office, or use the Contact Us page on the

Church website

The Magnet www.stjamesamepgh.org Page 2

Being patient shows a willingness to cut people slack, even when they may not deserve it, withhold judgment

when people mess up and give people time to grow.

Patience allows us to look past people’s rough exterior to see what’s inside. Patience allows us to accept people

as they are - and to resist the urge to change them. To give someone the gift of your patience is to lay the

groundwork for a deeper relationship with that person. If you have trouble giving the gift of patience to others,

remind yourself that your loved one - the people who are closest to you - give you the gift of their patience eve-

ryday. Remember how much patience God exercises in your relationship with Him.

Give the Gif of Patience

“Love is patient” 1 Corinthians 13:4

Prayer is so mysterious. It gives us direct access to God and allows us to communicate with Him in a personal

way. Our praise and thanks reach Him; His guidance and direction reach us. One aspect of prayer in particular

- supplication, the requests we bring to God- defies easy explanation. Jesus gives us a starting point in \

Matthew 7:7.

Yet this is no blank check. God won’t give us something that will ultimately harm us, no matter how many

times we ask. What He will give us is an understanding of His will. According to the Christian faith, God has

given His Spirit to those who follow Jesus to help us reach that understanding.

God’s Spirit assists us in praying by helping us put words to our thoughts and desires. The Spirit also works to

align our thinking with God’s thinking, so that the things God wants become the things we want.

Here are some questions to ponder: We have access to God every day, why don’t we take advantage of that?

The Bible makes it clear that God is always available to anyone who seeks Him, so why don’t we seek God

more? Why do we too often remain strangers? How do we initiate a closer relationship with God?

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Find a place where you can focus on God - The ideal location would be someplace quiet and private -

perhaps even a little isolated - where God’s handiwork is on display. Local parks, hiking trails, and walk-

ing paths would be great places to start. Wherever you choose, make sure you free yourself from interrup-

tions while you’re there. Turn off your communication devices.

Learn as much as you can about God from people who knew Him well.- Everything God wants us to

know about Him can be found in the Bible. Read it to:

Get a sense of the things God has done.

Find out how God has interacted with different people

Discover clues as to what God likes and dislikes - anything that might help develop your own

relationship with God

Keep your conversations fresh and interesting - Pray often and creatively. Don’t settle for standard

prayers or words you think you’re supposed to say. Talk to God like you would to a friend - the greatest

friend ever is what you find God will be!

This is a series of 50 ways The Bible can change your life. Each issue we will have 2-3 ways that you can change your life.

We encourage you to read it, apply it and share it with someone your know.

From The Bible - 50 Ways It Can Change Your Life: Finding the Bible’s Solutions to Life’s Problems

By Time Home Entertainment Books

Ask, Seek, Knock “Ask, and you will receive, search and

you will find, knock, and the door will be

opened for you” Mathew 7:7

Don’t Be a Stranger to God

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African-American Involvement in the Battle of Gettysburg

J uly 2013 marks 150 years since the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg. In July, 1863, the American Civil War

was entering its third bloody summer. While winning most of the battles, Confederate general Robert E. Lee

knew he was in a war of attrition with the north and the union Army of the Potomac. With the South's limited

manpower and industrial capacity facing the seemingly unlimited manpower and industrial capacity of the north, Lee

knew no matter how many battles he won, he could not win a war pitting material and human resources of the south-

ern states against those of the northern states.

After defeating the Army of the Potomac at the battle of Chancellorsville in late April and early May, 1863,

a battle that cost Lee the life of the brilliant General Thomas

“Stonewall” Jackson, Lee decided that an attack into northern

territory north of Washington, DC, would put the entire war on a

different footing. Lee also knew a letter had been prepared to

deliver to President Abraham Lincoln, calling for a cessation of

the war and recognition of the confederacy by Lincoln, after Lee

had destroyed the Army of the Potomac.

With that in mind, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia

headed north, with the goal to attack and sack Harrisburg and

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, thus pressuring Washington into

abandoning the war.

On July 1, 2, and 3, 1863, General Lee’s army of Northern Virginia was locked in deadly combat with Union

General George Meade’s Army of the Potomac in the small farming village of Gettysburg, Pa. Gettysburg was ap-

proximately 3 hours from Harrisburg, Pa and Washington, DC, and Washington was already in a mild panic over

Lee’s invasion so close to the nation’s capital.

Lee probed and attacked both the left and right flanks of the Union lines, then decided on July 4th to attack

the Union center. Led by General George Pickett, the attack, preceded by an intense artillery barrage, came over an

open field and reached the union positions before faltering and being repulsed. Those union positions included the

farm of Abraham Bryan.

Bryan was one of 170 free black Americans who were living in Gettysburg at the time of Lee’s invasion.

After learning of the approach of the confederate army, Bryan and the other black Americans left Gettysburg, fearing

the Confederates would capture them and send them south into slavery.

The modest home pictured here was the home of Abra-

ham Bryan, and his fences were destroyed and his crops tram-

pled as first, Union soldiers used the area for defensive purpos-

es, and then Confederate soldiers attacked through them trying

to overwhelm Union lines. Mr. Bryan’s home was riddled with

bullets and shell fragments. His home nearly destroyed, Mr.

Bryan petitioned the government for $1,028 in restitution after

the battle, and received $15. Undeterred, Mr. Bryan rebuilt his

home and his farm and prospered until his death in 1879.

A plaque on the battlefield notes that he and James

Warfield, who lived near the southern end of Seminary Ridge,

were a part of a "small, unique group of farmers" who were free black men who also owned property.

WWW.ACRO SSTH E AF RIC AN DIASP OR A.BLOG SP ORT. COM/2 0 1 1 /06 /BAT TLE - OF- GETTYS B URGH -DESTR OY S -AB R AH AM.HTM L

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Uncover the Joy of You #2 of “101 Ways to Find God’s Purpose for Your Life”

by Natalie Gillespie

You are the only one who can do exactly what God has planned for you. The biblical

Queen Esther was an orphan, and yet she was put in the right place at the right time to save

a nation. Albert Einstein had behavioral problems, dyslexia, and was a poor speller, and

yet he formulated the theory of relativity.

Value what God has given you. Creating home-cooked meals that are nutritious is

a gift. Balancing roles of teacher, worker, parent, grandparent, spouse and friend is a gift.

Loving those around you is the ultimate gift. You have talents and abilities that are uniquely yours.

Thank God for them.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s

grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Look at your self in the mirror today without finding faults and flaws.

Recognize your uniqueness, and notice the difference when you smile.

Lord, I thank you!

How a $100.00 bill looks so big when you take it to church, but so small when you take it to the mall…

How long it takes to serve God for an hour, but how quickly a team plays 60 minutes of basketball…

How long a couple of hours spent at church seems, but how short they are when watching a movie…

How we can’t think of anything to say when we pray, but don’t have difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a

friend…

How we get thrilled when a baseball game goes into extra innings, but we complain when a sermon is longer than

the regular time…

How hard it is to read a chapter in the Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a best selling novel…

How people want to get a front seat any game or concert, but scramble to get a back seat at church services…

How we need 2 or 3 weeks in advance notice to fit a church event into our schedule, but can adjust our schedule for

other events at the last moment…

How hard it is for people to learn a simple gospel well enough to tell others, but how simple it is for the same people

to understand and repeat gossip…

How we believe what the newspaper says, but question what the Bible says…

How everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, or to think or to say or to do anything…

How you can send a thousand jokes through email and they speak like wildfire, but when you start sending messag-

es regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing…….

Funny isn’t it???

Are you laughing???

Are you thinking???

Actually it isn’t funny at all!!!

Spread the Word and give thanks to the Lord for HE is Good!!!!

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A Devotion for the Youth

Knowing God by Being Like Christ

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in

Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us

long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

At times you may feel like a perpetual “B-teamer.” If so, you

feel like you haven’t got much to offer; like there is always

someone who can do things better than you. Well, here’s a

newsflash for you - you are God’s masterpiece!

A masterpiece is an artist’s finest creation; his best work.

That’s you - regardless of how you feel! God made you in

His own image. That means you look like Him and act like

Him. You can do many of things God does like: love, for-

give, help, encourage. And when you ask Jesus into your

heart, you have even more of His fingerprints on you. Then

it’s even more obvious that you are like Him.

Challenge Point:

The cool thing about this is that the pressure is off you to

achieve anything. God made you. HE gave you gifts & tal-

ents. He wants to use you. You are God’s masterpiece and

you look like on of His creations. HE has given you what

you need to be more and more like Christ. From 365 Days to Knowing God (July 4) - Carolyn Larsen

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Join Us For Prayer Thursday’s at 12:00 pm, the St. James family comes

together on a conference call to be in prayer with

Rev. Johnson for the needs of the church, community and

world. Everyone is asked to be on the phone by 11:57am

and the call will begin promptly at noon. Please mute

your phone and all other electronic

devices (i.e. stereos, TV, radio, etc.).

Dial: 661-673-8600 Enter Code: 582405

Facebook, and other social media sites, are great tools to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As of July 1st our Facebook page has 118 “Likes” and we want to get it up to 500!!!

So spread the word! Make sure you clicked the Like button on our Facebook page, and also make sure to share the

page to with your friends. www.facebook.com/stjamesamepittsburgh

Church Anniversary 147 Years of ministry

and counting!! Sunday

August 11

Men’s Month October 2013

*More details to follow

St. James Food Service Ministry

EVERY 4th Sunday after 10:45 service

Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization Annual Meeting

Saturday, September 14th

Pittsburgh Conference YPD Annual Meeting Saturday, September

14th

Pittsburgh Conference Women’s Missionary

Society Annual Meeting

Monday, September 16th

Pittsburgh Annual Conference Tuesday, September 17th

to Saturday, September 21st

Wayman Chapel AME Church New Brighton, PA

1120 6th Ave New Brighton, PA 15066

St. James A.M.E. Church 444 Lincoln Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Website: www.stjamesamepgh.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/stjamesamepittsburgh