THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508100477
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Charlise Lyles
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Nettie Bailey has always been a churchgoing woman who prayed fiercely about the things in life that mattered.
But several years ago she left the church.
``I did not see the church opening its doors to the young people in crisis,'' said Bailey, a tall, slender housewife who lives in the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake.
``Instead of facing the realities of our community, I saw people hiding behind the stain glass windows of the church. If you ask them to help, they had every excuse - deacons meeting, prayer meeting, Bible study, choir rehearsal. I can't see sitting up in church all day when the children need us.''
Perhaps, in the back of Bailey's mind at the time was an incident from her childhood that reminded her how a church and its people can veer off course.
When she was stricken with scarlet fever, for five months no one from church visited to pray with her. But one day, a bill arrived for overdue tithes.
``It didn't shake my faith. It shook my belief in people's compassion for one another,'' recalled Bailey, 47.
Still, she grew up to be a woman who prays. And lately, she has been praying a lot for that institution known collectively as ``the black church.''
As Bailey sees it, too many money-centered sermons are coming from the pulpit. Increasingly absent are the faith, hope and charity direly needed to deal with despair, poverty and other ills facing African Americans - ills that, ideally, the church ought to challenge.
``I have a problem with churches stating, `Bring the Lord his money,' when I know `the Lord' will never see a dime of that money,'' she said.
It also bugs Bailey when she sees churches constructing grand buildings with expensive stained-glass windows while, close by, people dwell in slums.
Although all clergy are susceptible to members' checkbooks (Remember Jim and Tammy Faye?), it bugs me when I visit an annual black ministers conference at Hampton University and the parking lot looks like a Lincoln Town-car dealership - tinted windows, gold plates. Must the Lord ride in a Lincoln?
To be sure, much is right with the African-American church. It is, collectively speaking, a rock, the oldest, most powerful black institution in the land.
Indeed, it does good deeds. Noble Street Baptist, which recently removed members from rosters for unpaid tithes, has outreach programs, including food assistance and summer camp.
Bailey believes her prayers for the black church are being answered.
Her new church, First Baptist of Camelot, offers drug and teen pregnancy prevention.
And recently, the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc. and the National Baptist Convention of America Inc. founded the Minority Enterprise Financial Acquisition Corp. Its mission: economic development for the African-American community.
MEFAC is summoning ministers from across the country to Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 20-22 to discuss housing, insurance, credit unions and education - empowerment.
But to succeed, the heart of greed must cease, and the eye of compassion open.
Let us pray. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Nettie Bailey is praying for the black church to raise money for the
community. To get involved, call MEFAC at 913-788-5200.
by CNB