Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, September 6, 1994 TAG: 9409060072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
On Monday, clapping and swaying to gospel music blazing through the air, residents and a group of area ministers declared at least a partial victory in the low-income community's battle for safer and cleaner streets.
The street drug dealing is gone, and a nighttime stroll through Brightwood Manor, Lincoln Terrace and Hunt Manor apartments doesn't necessarily invite mayhem. Residents' vigilance, aided by a Community Oriented Policing Effort, has largely driven criminals off the streets.
Now the battle being waged is for souls, and against apathy. One of the fronts was an all-day marathon of picnicking, preaching and gospel singing in a small parking lot at Brightwood Manor. Leading the charge were preachers from a variety of denominations.
Pass the chicken - and pass the Word, they were saying.
"Our time demands we present a united front against crime, against drugs, against sin," said the Rev. Joseph Keaton, pastor of Central Baptist Church on Staunton Avenue. "Pentecostals, Baptists, whatever, we're fighting the same fight ... We, as churches, have stayed inside our stained-glass windows far too long. We have to take our message out in the sunshine."
The gospel fest was organized by the Rev. Larry Manns, pastor of the New Jerusalem Holiness Apostolic Church. Also present were the Rev. Rosa Hickman of Mount Sinai Apostolic Church; the Rev. Donna Adams of the New Life Teaching Center; and the Rev. Ronald Morris, assistant minister of High Street Baptist Church.
Manns has been holding periodic revival meetings since last spring in the community. He picked Brightwood Manor because he grew up there.
The idea is to arouse concerns of the residents - and those from outside the community - for the many children living in the hundreds of apartments in Brightwood and neighboring apartment complexes.
Single-parent households and the still-widely available drugs place the youngsters at risk of falling victim to crime and tragedy.
"We challenge the public to do whatever they can to protect the next child from becomeing a drug dealer, or the next murder victim," Manns said.
The efforts have paid off, he reckoned. The first revival drew only 20 people, the next 40. In fact, attendance at each one doubled through the summer. Food was added for the Labor Day event, and by late afternoon, hundreds had been sated with fried chicken, soft drinks, hot dogs and casseroles full of potluck offerings.
In between rousing songs, the ministers delivered sermons on salvation, unity and love.
"If you want to eat the bird, you've got to listen to the Word," quipped Hickman.
Elizabeth Newbill, an 11-year tenant of Brightwood Manor, said the fest was just what the neighborhood needs. People there are so caught up in day-to-day problems that community action has taken a back seat to simple survival, she said.
"We have a lot of people who don't participate in anything. This is valuable, because it brings them out and together. This talking, listening, communicating and sharing is what we need."
by CNB