inspirations
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
Jesus was born in Detroit
By Derek Smith
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT: “‘For
I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for di- saster, to give you a future and a hope.’”
No, not really. But Jesus
Pastor Randolph Thomas and First Lady Sister June Thomas.
Greater Bethlehem celebrates 30th
pastoral anniversary
In honor of the 30th anni-
versary celebration for Pastor Randolph Thomas and First Lady Sister June Thomas, Greater Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, 2969 South Fort Street, will feature guest preachers during both Sunday morning and afternoon servic- es in April.
The afternoon guest preach-
ers are as follows: On Sunday, April 11, at 4 p.m. the speaker
will be Pastor Larry Walker of Oakland Ave. Missionary Bap- tist Church. On April 18 at 4 p.m. Pastor Wallace R. Mills of Ebenezer Missionary Bap- tist Church will speak. And on April 25 at 4 p.m., Pastor Leonard Thomas of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church will speak.
Call Bettie Clements at
(313) 386-7788 for more infor- mation.
CMU launches Board Gear to support charter schools
Schools at Central Michigan University (CMU)
The Center for Charter launched
a new, first of its kind, Web- based tool, Board Gear, de- signed to support the unique needs of charter schools.
“More than 15 years ago,
CMU boldly became the first university in the nation to charter a school,” said Jim Goenner, the center’s execu- tive director and chairman of the National Association of Charter School Authorizers.
“Today, we are leveraging
our experiences to continu- ously improve the practice of authorizing and to transform public education through tools like Board Gear. Devel- oping leading edge tools and initiatives allows us to foster stronger partnerships with the schools we charter and build the pipeline of quality schools that parents demand and chil- dren deserve.”
As the governing body of
independent public schools, each charter school board needs to ensure the school stays true to its mission and delivers academic excellence.
“Board members play a crit-
ical role in building and main- taining great schools. That’s why we developed Board Gear — to support board mem- bers so they can ensure the schools they govern prepare students for success and help our state and country compete in the global economy.”
Board Gear can be launched
from the center’s www. TheCenterForCharters.org through the Board Gear tab on the navigation bar, or at www. TheCenterForCharters.org/ boardgear.
Board Gear contains key
resources that charter school governing boards need to ac- complish their missions, in- cluding:
Board Channel, informa-
tive monthly video messages designed to educate and in- spire; Board Essentials, a field guide for board members that includes tools, resources and other essentials for navigating the charter terrain. Board Es- sentials is also available in a hard cover version; Board Cal- endar, an interactive calendar to help board members stay on course and anticipate chal- lenges ahead; Board Develop- ment, a preview of upcoming orientation and training ses- sions, along with links to ma- terials and information from past events; Board Resources, information and links to other charter school support or- ganizations, as well as other resources available from the Center.
CMU developed Board Gear
and its components in partner- ship with the National Charter Schools Institute. The insti- tute is available to customize and share these valuable tools with others around the coun- try.
For more information, visit
www.TheCenterForCharters. org.
Keith to receive Civic Leadership Award
William J. Kohler, chair of
the board of trustees of the Friends School in Detroit as well as attorney and partner at the Detroit law firm Butzel Long, recently named Judge Damon Keith as the selection for the prestigious Civic Lead- ership Award to be present- ed at the 17th Annual Wade McCree, Jr. Scholarship Fund Dinner on April 17.
In addition to his gift, Ford
has commissioned a portrait of Judge Keith by local artist Nancy Mitter that will be dis- played in the exhibit area of the Keith Center.
was born in an area simi- lar to that of many people who call Detroit, and other so-called economically de- pressed locals, home. When the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus ordered a census of all the country’s inhabitants, Joseph — the man who would be Jesus’ earthly father — was compelled to return with Mary and an unborn baby Jesus to Bethlehem, the place God pre- ordained for His holy son to be born.
Being little more than a way
station for traveling caravans heading to Egypt or Arabia, Bethlehem was a most un- likely birthplace for the King of Kings. In fact, Bethlehem was such a fiscal afterthought when compared to its more prominent neighbors you could say it was the Detroit of its day. The world’s Savior couldn’t possibly come from such a place, could He?
Despite His humble begin-
nings, Jesus was ultimately exalted to the highest possible place of honor, proving that where He came from had no impact on where He went. In His infinite wisdom God used the modest tenor of Jesus’ birthplace to show us that where you come from isn’t nearly as important as where you’re going. And just as God had plans that transcended Jesus’ geographic birthplace, so too does God have plans for all who hail from the Detroits of today’s world.
Every day in Detroit brings
stories of rampant violence, a trifling school system and a job market so depressed a
March 31-April 6, 2010
Page B-8
Derek Smith
volunteer can’t find work. It’s enough to make you give up before you even get started — and that’s just what Satan wants. If the devil can manip- ulate your thoughts and get you to quit on yourself, that’s one less life he’ll have to worry about living victoriously to the glory of God.
Philippians 4:13: “I can
do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
Much is made of doing a
job to the best of your ability, and the biggest job you’ll ever have is the one of not allow- ing yourself to fall into Satan’s trap that says just because you started with nothing, or experienced some bumps on the road, you’ll never amount to much in life. With God sit- ting as the author and finish- er of your faith, placing your trust in Him ensures you’ll always come out on top. Oh you’ll get knocked down a time or two, and you’ll even lose a round here and there. But with Jesus in your corner, you’ll always win in the end.
Derek Smith is a freelance
tion@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 312296, Detroit, MI 48231.
Spring Floral Display
spring? The warm weather and the beautiful
What’s the best part of flowers.
You can experience both at the Anna Scripps Whit- comb Conservatory’s annual Spring Floral Display through Sunday, May 2, on Belle Isle. The conservatory is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Enjoy the rejuvenating
sights, smells and colors of the spring floral display, as the traditional white Easter lilies complement the cineraria in pink, purple and white, azalea and cyclamen in pink, purple, white and red, and angel’s trumpet in white and yellow. The display is set against the background of greenery locat- ed in the show house.
During your visit to the
conservatory, be sure to enjoy the tropical ferns, palm trees, blooming cactus plants and the many colorful varieties of orchids.
Easter brunch
April is
Damon Keith
National Cancer Control Month
Christ the King church
will host its Easter brunch on Sunday, April 4, from 11:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For reserva- tions, call (313) 873-3000.
Admission is free. Guided
tours are available with reser- vation by the Belle Isle Botani- cal Society docents, (313) 331- 7760.
For more information, call (313) 821-5428.
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