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Sunday Intercessory Prayer 8:45 a.m. Christian Education 9 a.m. The Worship Experience 10 a.m.

Wednesday Intercessory Prayer 6:45 p.m. School of Transformation 7 p.m.

Joined Together Ministries (JTM)JTM offers practical and biblical wisdom for having a successful marriage, JTM also seeks to provide an outlet and opportunities for husbands and wives to share in fun and fellowship with other like-minded couples

Fellowship Of Certified and United Singles Ministry (F.O.C.U.S)Empower the singles of the MRC Community for preparation and transition through physical, spiritual and mental development in order to maximize their singlehood.

Fresh Fire Youth MinistryWe want our youth to learn during the tender years, to be so on fire for God that they can-not contain His word, His love and His mercy that He has for us all and share this with others.

Music and Performing Arts MinistryPurpose of the Worship Experience Ministry is to organize and lead the music and performing arts ministry of the church as well as assisting the Senior Pastor during worship services. It is our vision to exalt God, exhort the saints and influencing the lost through music from our band, singing on the praise team, worship team & choir, adult & youth mime, flag & dance perfor-mances. S.H.E Women’s Ministry

The King’s Fraternity (Men’s Ministry)The King’s Fraternity Men Ministry was established to create an atmosphere where men can grow in their relationship with God and with one another, without losing their manhood. For this reason, the ministry provides opportunities for spiritual growth as well as outlets that just allow “men to be men.”

Saved. Honored. Empowered. (S.H.E Women’s Ministry)Purpose of the women’s ministry is to teach, empower and facilitate spiritual growth among the women while building intentional relationships with one another. Our desire is two-fold and that is to see every woman walking in her kingdom purpose and for an atmosphere of great synergy to reside within the women’s ministry.

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Welcome to Millennium Revival Center! Where we are a community of transformed be-lievers anticipating the return of Jesus Christ.

I am so excited about what God is going to do in the lives of the true believers in the year 2013. Millennium, I am confident that if you master the 13 Pillars God has given our house that your days will be blessed.

We understand God’s Word is what you need, and are committed to practically teaching the infallible Word of God, so that you will experience powerful results. Because we a community that follows the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are also committed to delivering God’s Word uncompromisingly and with passion.

I encourage you to learn more about our different areas of ministry and to fellowship with us for all of our worship opportunities. Let’s stay connected! We are on Facebook, Twit-ter, and YouTube. You can also text ‘Alert’ to 22300 to receive updates about our weekly events.

We thank God for you and look forward to the great things the Lord is going to do with and through you.

Be blessed,

M. Lamont Cooper, Sr.CEO/Founder and Senior Pastor

From the Desk of

PASTOR

M. LAMONT COOPER, SR.

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“God’s WORD is

what YOU NEED”

From the Executive Office...............p. 4

From the Heart of First Lady.....p. 10

Features:Learning How to Pray ........................................................p. 12Pageants and Women of Color ..........................................p. 22Black Wall Street ................................................................p. 26

CelebrationsAnniversaries......................................................................p. 12Birthdays.............................................................................p. 13

Health and Fitness13 Pillar Challenge..............................................................p. 32Fitness Challenge................................................................p. 17Fit for Life...........................................................................p. 32

page 15....Invesment Guide

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Table of ContentsCredits:Publisher Davina ThrashEditor Davida E. WalkerGraphics Elton Benjamin

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Hey! Are you doing something in the community? Send us a picture of you doing what you do and you could be “Spotted” in next month’s publication of the Transformer.

Send your pictures to dwalker@visitmrc.org!

Marsha Guion and Davina ThrashBobcats - Heat Game

April 5, 2013

Kamiyah GrantMusic and HealthMarch 2013

Tiffany Jones and Talesha WootenMusic and Health Event

March 2013

Kenny Harding, (AP) Richard Thrash,

(Dea.) Anthony GuionBobcats - Heat Game

April 5, 2013

Shericka Sawyer and Davida Walker

Bobcats - Heat Game April 5, 2013

Jeremy Walker, IIMS Walk 2013April 13, 2013

Spotted

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Letter from the Editor

I remember the day I declared my major in col-

lege. I had actually done it based on an obser-

vation made by my older sister and inspiration

from one of my (now) favorite movies. For as

long as I would be studying at Savannah State

University, I would be focusing my studies to

obtain the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. There

wasn’t a specific degree program for the declaration, as SSU categorized journalism as a concen-

tration within Mass Communications, so Mass Comm...here I came!

I have always loved writing, even before I knew how to compose my first word, and certainly well

before knowing how to artistically combine words to paint mental imagery for those who would

either read or hear my masterpieces. Yes; I was born to write and not a day went by that I did not

find- or make- the time to make my craft an item on my agenda.

Even with all my passion, writing this letter is probably one of the hardest things that I have ever

had to write. It isn’t hard because I am very well aware of what must happen. What makes it hard

is the reality of what I am doing being surreal. I remember the day I told the Lord- and even went

so far as to write Him a letter detailing- future plans for my life at 15 years old and then again at 22

(and what’s really funny is that I still have the list I wrote at 15 in my Bible on Psalm 37). Included

among the list of plans were being the Editor of a magazine and then one day owning and publish-

ing my own magazine.

Trying to make things happen in my own time, never really quite worked out. It wasn’t until after

I noticed myself getting heavily involved that opportunities to achieve the desires I placed before

God at such a young age began to seemingly just fall into my lap.

I share these parts of my story to encourage you to always keep God first; His Word cannot lie and

in seeking Him and keeping Him first everything else will fall into place and the dreams and de-

sires of your heart will become your reality. Trust Him; I am truly a living witness.

---Davida E. Walker

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Hello Family!

With great pleasure in our accomplishments as a body of believers, I note that May 2013 will mark the 10th Anniversary for Millennium Revival Center Church. I want you to know how much I appreciate your love, support and investment in MRC. Because of your commitment, we have seen the Lord open doors and move in significant ways. New locations have opened. Lives have been touched, changed, and built to honor Him. Pastor Cooper and I have been co-laborers in the Kingdom of God for 22 years and the cornerstone of our ministry and relationship success has been teamwork. Togeth-er we have learned, adapted, and implemented the keys to building and expanding our ministry and personal lives with a mentality of teamwork and have woven these vital keys into the fabric of the culture of Millennium Revival Center Church.

“...Commitment, faith, and obedience...”

From theHeart of

First Lady

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In the past 10 years I have truly learned how to be a more effective Disciple of Christ. I learned that it takes commitment, faith, and obedience to answer His call.

Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. (Proverbs 16:3, NKJV). Commit your life to God. Whatever we do in life, we must do it as we would do it for God. If we do what God has called us to do, He will take care of the rest. Whether it be at home, at work, at school, or at the grocery store; we need to present ourselves to others as we are doing it for God. People will see this, wonder what you have, and ask about it. This provides an open opportunity to wit-ness to them about Jesus Christ.

Faith is possibly the single-most important element of the Christian life. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It’s impossible to please God without faith according to Hebrews 11:1.

Finally, the big O is what God requires for this walk with Him to flow well. In being obe-dient to God we have to simply hear, trust, submit and surrender to God and obey His Word.

As we are looking forward to the next ten years of walking with God as a church body, I would like to say thank you to all the staff and volunteers who work so hard behind the scenes to make MRC a great ministry. Let’s look forward to greater trans-formation and more life changing works in our next decade.

Serving Him,

First Lady Sean Cooper

“If we do what God has called us to

do, He will take care of the rest.”

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Mr. and Mrs. Alfonso BristowMay 4th

Mr. and Mrs. Ray PerkinsMay 22nd

Mr. and Mrs. Kenny BaileyMay 25th

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon LynnMay 28th

HappyWedding Anniversary

May

Jazmine RayMay 1st

Shenika BenjaminMay 4th

Davina ThrashMay 5th

Felisha ThrashMay 11th

Lafayette VanceMay 12th

Traci CarterMay 16th

Savina LessaneMay 21st

Tyrale SetzerMay 23rd

Jeremy Walker, SrMay 23rd

Travis BrockingtonMay 28th

Trashell BurpassMay 28th

Zachary Wilkins, Sr.May 28th

Kalitha LewisMay 30th

May

Make MRC your weekly standing appointment!Mid-Week Prayer at 12:15 p.m.

School of Transformation at 7 p.m.

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20 SomethingAs those in their 20s begin their professional careers, it is the best time to get their financial lives on track. To do that, they should:

• Invest in a 401(k) through their employer

• Map out their goals with the assistance of a financial plan-ner

• Start the homeownership process

• Build solid credit and saving for retirement

30 SomethingWhile still in the early stages of their careers, those in their 30s are no longer the freshmen of their workplace. With greater incomes and responsibilities than their younger counterparts, those in this age category should:

• Continue to build upon the financial foundation set in their prior decade

• Increase their contribution rates to their 401(k)s

• Consider opening an IRA or other investment vehicle

• Look to become a homeowner at this point

• Open college savings plans, if they intend to start a family

40 SomethingThose in this group are hitting their peak earning years, but this is also where expenses, such as home improvements, and college tuition, tend to skyrocket. Individuals in this category should:

• Look to maximize contributions to all their retirement accounts

• Ensure that emergency and college savings plans are well-

funded

• Become budget conscious and resist the urge to purchase unnecessary big-ticket, depreciating assets

• Make sure that they have begun the estate planning pro-cess, including the drafting of a will

50 SomethingKnown as the “sandwich generation,” they are squeezed by obligations to almost-grown kids and aging parents. Com-bined with the fact that they are staring down the barrel of retirement within the next decade or so, it becomes neces-sary to:

• Reassess their financial situation and determine if they’ll meet their retirement goals

• Look to combine retirement accounts and re-balance their portfolio depending on their situation

• Remember that the IRS has catch-up retirement savings provisions for people age 50 and up

• Consider at purchasing long-term care insurance

60 SomethingSeniors and retirees may be less concerned about contribut-ing to their retirement and more interested in getting distri-butions from those accounts. But generally they should:

• Establish a fund of safe, liquid investments, such as cer-tificates of deposit and money markets, to meet anticipated living expenses for the next three to five years

• Focus on investing the balance in bonds and funds with the twin goal of preserving principal while protecting pur-chasing power

• Review estate plans

The information written in this article was originally published in the May 2012 issue of Black Enterprise (magazine). The original article shares the story of an African-American woman who was seeking invest-ment advice and turned to Danny Freeman, author of “Building Wealth through Spiritual Health,” and a financial advisor. The feature was originally titled, “Investment Planning by the Decade” and was written by Frank McCoy.

Regardless of age bracket, there is something everyone can be doing right now to solidify or strengthen their financial outlook. This article provides insight for those as young as 20 and as seasoned as 69. For more infor-mation about securing your financial outlook visit www.BlackEnterprise.com

Investment Guide

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Black Enterprise Investment Guide

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13 Pillar Challenge- Fitness: Mental

Have what it takes to master this month’s challenge?

For the month of May, the Transformer challenges you to exercise your cognitive pro-cess by having the Philippians 4:8 mentality.

You up for it? Here’s all you have to do: If it isn’t true, noble, just, pure, or lovely...don’t think about it. If the comment that crosses your mind isn’t uplifting...then check it.

It’s called a challenge for a reason...can’t wait to hear the stories of the impact, changes, and successes the challenge has on you! Send your story to dwalker@visitmrc.org!

Day 1 - Day 7: Walk 1 mile (daily)Day 8 - Day 14: Walk 3 miles (daily)Day 15 - Day 21: Walk 5 miles (daily)Day 22 - Day 28: Walk - jog 2 miles (daily)Day 29: Jog 2.5 miles (daily)Day 30: Jog 3 miles (daily)Day 31: Walk 3 miles (daily)

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13 Pillar Challenge- Fitness: Physical FitnessChallenge yourself to achieve physical fitness. Need somewhere to start? Try our phys-ical fitness challenge to help you achieve your fitness goals this month. You can try all levels, or just pick one based on fitness level.

Day 1-50 squatsDay 2-55 squatsDay 3-60 squatsDay 4-RestDay 5-70 squatsDay 6-75 squatsDay 7-80 squatsDay 8-RestDay 9-100 squatsDay 10-105 squatsDay 11-110 squats

Day 12-RestDay 13-130 squatsDay 14-135 squatsDay 15- 140 squatsDay 16-RestDay 17-150 squatsDay 18- 155 squatsDay 19- 160 squatsDay 20-RestDay 21- 180 squatsDay 22- 185 squats

Day 23- 190 squats

Day 24-Rest

Day 25- 220 squats

Day 26- 225 squats

Day 27- 230 squats

Day 28-Rest

Day 29- 240 squats

Day 30- 250 squats

Day 31- Rest

No complaining! If it were easy then it wouldn’t be a challenge. Take the challenge and help yourself get fit. Make sure you take a picture of you before and after, and you may just find yourself featured in next month’s publication. Send your pictures to dwalker@visitmrc.org!

Intermediate-Advanced31 Day Squat Challenge

Beginner 31 Day Squat Challenge

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Greatest Prayers in the Bible:

Hannah

Learning How to Pray

Background:The story of Samuel’s birth is probably one of the most recounted Bible stories within the Old Testament of the Bible. The prayer, noted most for the proceeding birth of Samuel, was in fact a prayer that changed a nation. After all, it is Samuel who first introduces us to the kingship of Saul and sovereignty of King David. The prayer and long suffering of Hannah is a prayer counted among the most effective prayers in the Bible. Hannah’s prayer was the action that moved the heart of God to open Han-nah’s womb to birth children. The prayer simplistic- yet sincere- is one of the greatest examples of how to capture God’s attention and heart through prayer.

The story of the prayer surrendered by Hannah is usu-ally concluded with the birth of Samuel, when in all actuality the prayer and totality of the story is not concluded with Samuel’s birth, but with Hannah’s gratitude and worship after receiving the child she initially prayed for. Hannah’s actions and adora-tion provide glimace to the change in the governing structure in which the children of Israel would operate, first in her prayer for the king of Israel (not yet in existence) and second through her son, Samuel being the prophet that anoints both Saul and David. After receiving the child she petitioned for, Hannah returned to the temple to thank God, submit her son for King-dom service (as Samuel’s lineage is counted as noble in Levitical service).

SincerityBe sincere. God knows your heart. He knows if you truly mean what you are saying to Him in the same manner that He knows when you do not. Having a conversation with God void of complete honesty and truth is not only a waste of your time, but insulting of God’s. Worship-ping God requires truth ( John 4:4).

Entering into the Throne Room of God is an inherited privilege of His children. He is God and just as it is unlawful to enter any room in which governing bodies are assembled for the purpose of conducting business (or any monarchy’s governing edifice) without an invitation, it is crimi-nal to enter or invoke God’s presence to insult His time.

Think about it: how confidential are you with someone that you do not trust? If you trust God as you say, what is withholding your transpar-ency with Him? Don’t take His omnisciency for granted.

WorshipHannah did not begin worshipping God after the Lord granted her the petition of her heart; she was His worshipper well before. Worship was an already established part of her lifestyle and the foundation of Han-nah’s relationship with the God Whom she was expressing her heart to. Hannah’s worship in fact made room for her gift (Samuel) as well as for someone else to agree in faith with her.

This isn’t to say that her husband, Elkanah, did not agree with her, but it is very possible that he could not understand her heart. Although he loved her the more and thought no less- but more highly- of her

because she was barren, he couldn’t see the pain and frustration Hannah had within in because she could not provide Elkanah with children. However, when Eli saw her, her saw her intense passion while she was seeking the face of God, and after gaining clarity about her actions, he aligned his faith with hers, and Hannah conceived.

The Judaic law requires the testimony of at least two witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 2 Cor. 13:1). Although Eli may have been brief with Hannah, his verbal blessing of the Lord granting Hannah’s request, was the second verbal witness of the thing Hannah was seeking from God, therefore meeting the requirements of the Judaic law of determining life or death. Note: while it can be inferred that Elkanah was in support of impreg-nating Hannah, scripture does not directly state such, but rather states for Elkanah to have asked if he was better to Hannah than 10 sons.

TruthThe most interesting thing about prayer is praying and thinking the truth can be hidden. Here’s a news flash: HE’S GOD; He knows. So what is the point of not being honest? He knows and still cares. In all actuality, there isn’t a better or safer person to be completely honest with. When completely honest in surrendering the desires of the heart to God, you return to the pure state from which Adam and Eve fell. The truth makes one naked before the Lord, and it is only when you bare all to Him, without any part of us being hidden that we are renewed to the standing from which Adam fell, and that is open communion with God.

Practical Elements of Hannah’s Prayer:

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Greatest Prayers in the Bible:

JehoshaphatBackground:The prayer of Jehoshaphat is probably one of the most over-looked prayers that moved the heart of God. Discussions and sermons frequently elaborate on the words spoken by the prophet after the prayer was rendered, “This battle is not your’s but the Lord’s.” The results of the prayer are well known however, con-versation about the words Jeshoshaphat yielded to God that re-sulted in the Lord fighting on Jehoshaphat’s behalf is rare. After the reign of King David, the kings of Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, until the reign of King Asa. King Asa purged the land of all the evil and false gods in the land of Judah, however he failed to remove the high places of worship to the false gods but in all of his days his heart remained loyal to God. King Asa

reigned over Judah for 41 years from Jerusalem, and was suc-ceeded by his son, Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat continued in the steps of his father, and remained steadfast in living a life that was pleasing before God. The story and surrounding events leading up to the prayer Jehoshaphat prayed that moved God to fight on Jehoshaphat’s behalf are recorded in 2 Chronicles 20. Being a man and leader that sought the Lord’s direction before making any decision, Jehoshaphat found himself sud-denly faced with the challenge of war from three of his enemies. Not being moved by initially innate emotion of fear, he turned his face to seek council from the Lord on how to move forward with his crisis. Beyond that, he then moved for the nation he was steward over to replicate his actions in seeking the Lord as well.

Get over selfJehoshaphat was king. That gives the implication of fearlessness, yet when he first learned of the vastly approaching events, the first thing he felt was fear. After getting over himself he acted on his second initial reaction, and sought God.

As he set his heart to hear from God, he had all of those who were involved in the process to replicate his actions: fasting and praying.

Call out to GodAccepting the reality of an approaching war, Jehoshaphat moved to do what he knew best to do: call out to God.

Know the promise God made youNot as if the Lord forgets His promise, but as he clay of His workman-ship, it is very easy to forget the outcome promised when all that is being focused on the different moldings required to create the Potter’s desired outcome. Remind yourself of the promise and hold to it. God doesn’t need for you to remind Him; you repeating the promise to God in prayer is another way of encouraging yourself and letting God know that you still trust His Word.

Praise God (for His mighty works)The works God did in the past were created for the moments when fear arises. God isn’t in the business of simply doing something for you without there being a significant reason. He is constant; He does not change. Remember what He has done for you in the past and take

comfort in knowing you are serving the same God that delivered and provided for you in the past and is therefore not limited by the present or future.

Know your relationship statusWhen you know where you stand in your relationship with God, mak-ing mention of it in your prayer is not only a way of reinforcing your trust and commitment to God, but a great way of showing your God your full reliance in Him to come through for you because of the estab-lished relationship you have with Him.

Give God your enemiesWhen you give God your enemies you demonstrate your total reli-ance on Him to handle the situation before you. When you make your enemies God’s issue you make room for Him to show His might an to avenge you as only He can.

Total relianceWhen you whole-heartedly submerse your trust and faith in God, you stroke His ego and force Him to prove Himself to be the Almighty God that He longs to be in your life.

Without total reliance on God, a surrendered prayer is an impartial plea, telling God you don’t need all of His help and that you ultimately don’t trust Him to take care of you the way you feel is best.

Key Elements of King Jehoshaphat’s Prayer:

Learning How to Pray

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Isn’t She Lovely....

Pageants and...

Women of Color

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The importance and historical prevalence of such pageant scholarships remains ever-increas-ing.

As a larger bulk of the media’s attention is given to the sexual personifications of women, the need for celebration and praise of a woman’s intellect, elegance, and ambitions in addition to a her beauty are essential. Such royal role models are the solution to the advancement of the African American woman’s aspirations and cultural achievements.

The history of scholarship and beauty pageants within the African American community and among women of color is one of physical beauty, scholastic excellence, and achievement.

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The history of beauty pageants dates be-yond Biblical times with King Xerxes hosting a nation-wide search for a queen to replace Queen Vashti for refusing to come before him when she was summoned by the king.

American beauty pageantry dates back to 1921, with nine newspapers looking to increase their circulation by soliciting photos for a photo-popularity contest, to increase readership among east coast newspaper circulation. The winners of the newspaper sponsored contest were awarded a trip to the Atlantic Businessman’s Fall Frolic, with the newspapers paying all of the expenses.

It was during the 2nd Annual Fall Frolic, that organizers of the event placed young women in an “Inner City Beauty” contest. The judging was based on the contestants general appearance, personality, interaction with the crowd, and the conversations the contestants shared with the judges. The winner of the contest was Margaret Gorman. To increase the interest and excitement, pageant contestants competed for the Golden Mermaid trophy which was to be given to “The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America. The competition was won by Gorman, and by 1922, she was known as Miss America.

While American pageantry dates back to decades prior to the 1950s, African American women were not able to compete in the Miss America pageant until the 1970s, that African Americans were able to compete, the first being Cheryl Adrienne Brown (Iowa).

The early 20th Century’s negative disposi-tion on the beauty of people of color, caused the African American community to respond through the creation of homecoming and other college campus queens, as well as J. Morris Anderson’s development of the Miss Black America Pageant in 1968. The pageant was created to provide a positive platform of the African American wom-an’s charm, poise, and beauty through a first-in-class event which not only celebrated the contes-tants’ African heritage, but talents and standards.

National history was made in 1984, with

Vanessa Williams being the first African Ameri-can woman to win the title of Miss America. Since Williams’ win in 1984, other African Ameri-can women have gone on to garner the nation-ally coveted title. Those women include: Suzette Charles (1984), Debbye Turner (1990), Marjorie Judith Vincent (1991), Kenya Moore (1993), Kimberly Aiken (1994), Erika Harold (2003), Eri-ca Dunlap (2004), and Caressa Cameron (2010).

While African American women have gone on to obtain national notoriety through Essence’s annual publication of Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) Campus Queens, as well as winning the title of Miss America, another historical feat in pageantry was made in October of 2012, at Ole Miss (an institution that did begin granting admission to blacks until 1962) in Mis-sissippi when Courtney Pearson became the first African American to be crowned University of Mississippi Homecoming Queen.

As of 2012, only four women of color have gone further to win the title of Miss Universe: 1. Janelle Commissiong (Trinidad and Tobago, 1977)

2. Wendy Fitzwilliam (Trinidad and Tobago, 1998)

3. Moule Kweladobe (Botswana, 1999)

4. Leila Lopes (Angola, 2011)

Kweladobe, not only set record by being the third woman of color to win the title of Miss Universe, but she is also the first delegate to represent the country of Botswana, and first black African to win the Miss Universe title.

From a history of reigning as queens in lands that are now identified as foreign, to reign-ing as queens in the United States of America; Af-rican American women and women of color have been creating and blazing the trails of beauty and intellect for centuries, and are continuing to do so today.

DEW

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Congratulations to all Contestants!

COMING THIS SUMMER

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This Month in African American History

Black Wall Street:Tulsa 1921

May 31, 1921, is a day in history many African Americans in Oklahoma will never be able to forget. What may have began as a normal day in Tulsa, Oklahoma lead to a night that would change the lives of hundreds of successful black entrepreneurs, and thousands more people of color resid-ing in the mid-western state. The all-Black community, home to (the prominent) Greenwood Avenue, was segregated from white communi-ties by Pine Street in the north, Archer Street and Frisco train tracks in the south. The Greenwood District consist-ed of 35 blocks and land-marked one of the nation’s most affluent and wealthy business districts with 100 percent of the community under Black ownership. Establishments included two of the nations best movie theatres, an airport with six airplanes, 30 grocery stores, and many other en-terprises of international notability. South of Archer, the existence of Greenwood Ave-nue was not so. The district was so wealthy that during the times of economic struggle beyond its borders, the Green-wood district was not effected. African Americans having no other alternative than to patronize the businesses of other African American-owned enterprises resulted in the wealth and success of the community which was started by O.W. Gurley. Gurley, a native of Arkansas, was a wealthy entre-

preneur and land-owner that participated in the Okla-homa Land Run of 1889. Positioned as an incentive for Native Americans to continue to move west, the initia-tive also provided an opportunity for people of color to purchase land. The legacy of Black Wall Street was born with Gurley’s purchase of 40 acres of land which would only be sold to people of color. His dream became a real-ity with the support of other wealthy African American entrepreneurs like J.B. Stradford, who believed blacks had a better chance of economic progression if people of color pooled their resources, worked together, and sup-ported each other’s businesses. The renowned district’s demise would come from the actions of the era’s legal and political injustice be-tween whites and blacks. Harbored sentiments of hatred

and disdain that exploded the evening of May 31st, would not only change the lives of one African American male and one Caucasian female, but the lives all living in the once internationally known Greenwood District. The Tulsa, Oklahoma community revered as Black Wall Street. The history and existence of Racial tension be-tween African Americans and Caucasians is a relationship well known among Americans. From the introduction of the American Slave Trade, to the antebellum and post-antebellum cultures of American history, the relationship between Americans of color and non-colored counterparts has been one filled with great adversity, sadness, struggle, and triumph. The African American heritage includes conver-sations necessary to remembering the true essence of its legacy. While the heritage encompasses a past that is filled with injustice, it is also a heritage of intellect, pride, and stellar accomplishment. The history of Black Wall Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District, is a story within the African American culture that exemplifies the innate drive to achieve despite all odds. The afternoon of Memorial Day, May 30, 1921, a 19-year-old African American boy by the name of Dick Rowland, stepped on the elevator operated by Sarah Page, a young female Caucasian who operated the elevator.

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This Month in African American HistoryArticles have said for the top floor of the Drexel Building to be the only public restrooms blacks were permitted to use that was nearest to Main Street Parlor, the building where Rowland was employed as a shoe-shiner. However, this particular afternoon what was probably a normal behavior, getting onto the elevator would change the lives of both Dick Rowland and Sarah Page forever. What sounded like the loud scream of a woman was heard, and said to have come from the elevator. Upon the arrival of the clerk at Renberg’s (a department store located on the first floor of the building) to the elevator, the clerk claimed to have found Sarah Page agitated and upset. Rowland, the closest to her by being the only person on the elevator, was instantaneously accused of having assaulted Page and law enforcement was called immediately. Law enforcement officials arrive to the scene and investigate the matter, concluding that whatever happened that caused the scream was not warranting of any further courses of action beyond their investigation, in addition to Page not pressing charges law enforcement was no longer concerned. It was very uncommon for the word “rape” to be used in academic environments or print journalism during the early 20th century, such incidents where rape possibly may have occurred were more commonly referred to as “assault.” Understanding the imminent danger his life was in, Rowland made haste to his mother’s house located in the Greenwood District of the city. The morning of May 31st, Rowland was spotted in the Greenwood District and detained at the Tulsa City Jail. As the day progressed, J.M. Adkison, the city’s Police Commissioner, directed for Rowland to be transferred to the Tulsa County Courthouse because of an anonymous phone call he received threat-ening to take the life of Dick Rowland. Angered white supremacists were given the fuel they needed to ignite the riot that led to the demise of the once most wealthy African American communities in America. The afternoon circulation of the Tulsa Tribune ran with the headline, “Nab Negro for Attacking Girl in Eleva-tor.” Angry and deciding to take justice into their own hands, the publication included a scheduled time to pub-licly lynch Rowland the night of May 31st. By sunset a mob of angry white supremacists were gathered outside of the county courthouse. African Americans armed and ready to protect Rowland had gathered at the courthouse to support and aid Sheriff Willard M. McCullough, who was determined to not allow a public lynching to occur under his term as Sher-iff, as had happened to Roy Belton during the preceding

County Sheriff’s term. After several failed attempts and pleads with the mob that had now surmounted 1,000 angered Caucasians, and an increasing number of African Americans arriving at the courthouse to help protect Rowland, the evening’s climax happened with the firing of a gunshot that was said to have gone off when one of the white men in the mob attempted to disarm one of the colored men who had gone down to the courthouse to defend Dick Rowland. The firearm’s eruption resulted in brawls between members of the mob and blacks at the courthouse. By one o’clock the morning of June 1st, a riot had broken out in the Greenwood District with whites looting, burning the once renowned Black Wall Street. Lynchings and attacks on the community lasted into early hours of the morning. Attacks on the district were being made by air and land, with whites coming from shelters, cars, planes, and even by foot. Being warned of the rumor of more blacks from a nearby city coming by train to help the blacks in Tulsa resulted in the train attend-ees directing for all passengers on a train to get low when was passing through the city in order to preserve their lives. The injustice had become so bad that rioters began assaulting whites who employed blacks. At about 9:15 the morning of June 1, 1921, the Oklahoma National Guard ar-rived, with the city being placed under martial law at 11:49. By the end of the night hundreds of blacks had lost their lives and the once most wealthy and prominent Afri-can American district was completely destroyed. Today, memorials in Tulsa, Oklahoma celebrate the legacy of the Greenwood District, the affluent African American community once frequently referred to as Black Wall Street. - DEW

Owner:Zachary Wilkins, Sr.

Business Type:Home Improvement

Location:Raleigh, North Carolina

Areas of Service: Alamance County, Durham County,

Halifax County, Wake County

Contact Information:10121 Brokers Tip Lane

Raleigh, North Carolina(O)1.866.413.4576

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Why:The Home Doctor is the professional authority for home preventive care and maintenance needs.

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Gail Arceneaux

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CongratulationsMay Leader of the Month

Gail Arceneaux!

We celebrate Gail Arceneaux for being the MRC May Leader of the Month!

Gail has been a Disciple of Millennium Revival Center for several years. She serves faithfully with the Childrens Church Community under the leadership of Community Leader, Shaneka Jones.

As Associate Director of Pre-K 3 -5, she serves with excitement, creativity, and strong commitment, while ensuring our children receive a fruitful lesson about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Gail is an asset to MRC with her efforts to serve the ministry through serving the Kingdom of God.

Gail Arceneaux

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admin@industryimedge.comartdept@industryimedge.com

252.314.5645

There is a common misconception of healthy and

skinny being the same. However, as previously

stated, this thought is a misconception. There are

plenty of people labeled as “skinny” with health

issues ranging from eating disorders to diabetes, as

there are people who are labeled “fat” but not over-

weight and are without health issues.

Being fit isn’t about being able to be labeled

“skinny’”or “fat.” Fitness is about maintaining a

weight considered healthy by your physician, being

healthy in your mental faculty, and emotionally bal-

anced.

Being fit for life requires a permanent shift in

thought processes, decisions, and ultimately a

change in life style, not a temporary diet change.

More properly stated, weight loss- and even some

weight gain- can be implications of a healthy life

style change contingent upon where you fall along

the Body Mass Index (BMI) continuum.

Before embarking on any regiment, it is best to

consult your primary physician or health profes-

sional for medical or professional opinion regarding

healthy weight loss goals and other target medical

metrics.

Whether your desire is to lose or gain, the goal be-

hind any change in the body should be rooted in the

objective of improving your health.

Here are some tips for getting started on the good

foot with steps towards better health:

1. Plan meals ahead of time.

2. Pay attention to your body. When you feel like

you have had enough to eat, stop.

3. Drink plenty of calorie-free drinks (water, tea,

coffee, diet soda). You may be thirsty, not hungry.

4. Get plenty of fiber. Vegetables, fruits, and whole

grains are good sources. Have a high-fiber cereal

every day.

5. Cut back on sugar. For example, drink less fruit

juice and regular soda.

6. Try cooking methods that cut calories (bake,

broil, roast, boil).

7. Make fruits, vegetables, and other low-calorie

foods part of each meal.

Fit for Life

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Healthy Eats From your Kitchen

King Ranch Chicken TostadaIngredients2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 medium yellow onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices10 ounces mushrooms, such as button or cremini, trimmed and slicedCoarse salt and ground pepper1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles, such as Ro-Tel, drained8 tostada shells3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (about 3/4 pound)Shredded romaine lettuce, shredded Monterey Jack or crumbled Cotija cheese, and sour cream, for serving

Prep Instructions• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and mushrooms are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes with chiles and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

• Spread tomato mixture on tostada shells. Top with chicken, let-tuce, cheese, and sour cream.

Baked Beans with White Beans and TomatoesIngredients6 bacon slices (1/4 lb. total), cut into 1-inch pieces4 large chicken thighs with skin and bone (1 1/2 lb. total)2 medium onions, chopped (1 1/2 cups)1 (14- to 16-oz) can stewed tomatoes including juice2 (15- to 16-oz) cans small white beans, rinsed and drained

Prep Instructions• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

• Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 8 min-utes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.

• While bacon is browning, pat chicken dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brown chicken in fat in skil-let over moderately high heat, turning over once, about 8 minutes total, then transfer chicken with tongs to paper towels to drain.

• Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from skillet and reduce heat to moderate. Cook onions in skillet with 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir tomatoes and juice into onions and boil, uncovered, 3 minutes, to concentrate juices slightly. Stir in bacon and beans and bring to a simmer. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in beans and bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Chicken Fried Rice with Bok Choy Prep Instructions• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (such as safflower) over medium.

• Add 2 large, lightly beaten eggs; season with salt and pepper, and cook until set, 1 to 3 minutes.

• Transfer cooked eggs to a cutting board (reserve skillet); let cool. Roll up, and thinly slice eggs crosswise; set aside.

• In skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high.

• Add 1 pound cored and chopped bok choy, 1 chopped onion, and 2 minced garlic cloves; season with salt and pepper (skillet will be very full). Cook, stirring frequently, until bok choy is crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add: o 3 cups cooked rice o 4 cooked shredded chicken thighs o Sliced eggs o 1 tablespoon peeled grated fresh ginger o 2 tablespoons rice vinegar o 2 tablespoons soy sauce.

• Cook, tossing, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

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Recipes

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Great Causes for Pauses

MayNational Lupus Awareness Month

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month

ALS Awareness Month

National Bike Month

Haitian Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month

National Foster Care Month

National Stroke Awareness Month

National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

National Osteoporoses and Prevention Month

Community service is one of the greatest ways to demonstrate the love of Christ, and is in itself

one of the most powerful methods of evangelism. Here are some great causes to be aware of, and

charitable organization with which you can volunteer. For more information on how you can vol-

unteer with an organization, visit the organization website!

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Triangle Arthritis WalkImperial Center Park(Durham)May 4th

Leukemia and Lymphoma SocietyMan and Woman of the Year FinaleMay 4th

4th Annual Let’s Cure AHC5K and 1.5 Miles Family WalkHeritage Subdivision (Wake Forest)May 4th

Southern 5K Classic 2013 and Post Race PartyCity Plaza (Raleigh)May 5th

Stop Hunger Now Meal PackingLonerider Brewery (Raleigh)May 6th

5K Glow Run Crew804 Ruggles Drive (Raleigh)May 11th

Walk for AnimalsDuke East Campus

1304 Campus Drive (Durham)May 18th

Tour de CureAmerican Diabetes Association100 Regency Forest Drive (Cary)May 18th and May 19th

Walk for AnimalsAnimal Protection Society of America1304 Campus Drive (Durham)May 18th

Someone Special Like Me 5KWakeMed Soccer Park (Cary)May 25th

American Cancer SocietyRoad to Recovery ProgramOn-going volunteer opportunities

Heartland Hospice Volunteer3200 Atlantic Avenue (Raleigh)On-going volunteer opportunities

Duke Hospital Volunteer200 Trent Drive (Durham)On-going volunteer opportunities

Community Service OpportunitiesMay

For more opportunities to get involved in your community, check outwww.VolunteerMatch.org

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Sodoku

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Did you know that consumers are more apt to purchase or patronize a company (or business) they see on television or in a printed publication? It’s true! Newspapers and magazines are the highest ranked source for coupons among U.S. consumers.

Here’s what that means for you: 58.4% of American consumers are using coupons and getting them from published printed material. You want your business advertised in a professionally printed publication.

The Transformer can help you with that! You will find the Transformer’s advertising rates to be extremely competitive and able to meet any size budget.

Let’s discuss how we can help your business and budget needs!

Contact:Davida WalkerEditor-in-Chiefdwalker@visitmrc.org

Advertising RatesBusiness Cards $10

Quarter Page $20

Half Page $50

Full Page (Bleed) $100

Full Spread $200