THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608040045
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 95 lines
Challenging the old adage that politics and religion don't mix, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson celebrated the opening Saturday of the city's newest church with a thunderous summons to reverse what he called government leaders' ``war on the poor.''
In the midst of a rambling 90-minute message that was sprinkled with Bible verses and anecdotes of his world travels to speak out for the poor, the two-time Democratic presidential candidate launched an impromptu voter-registration drive that netted dozens of the congregants' signatures.
``If we do this every Sunday from now till Nov. 5,'' Jackson roared, ``We will take Virginia back - and America.''
Then he admonished his enthralled audience of more than 1,000 people at the Garden of Prayer Temple: ``We live in our faith. We live on the public policy. Never separate faith from fighting.''
Jackson, president of the National Rainbow Coalition, is one of the country's most outspoken and staunchly liberal major political figures. And he demonstrated his renowned gymnastic oratory Saturday, swaying the churchgoers with an at-times gentle, but largely vociferous, call to political action.
It was an upbeat crowd to begin with. The gleaming $2 million church, at the corner of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Church Street, is viewed by many in the congregation as a chance to help rejuvenate the troubled community that surrounds it. A 75-person choir rolled nimbly through a half-dozen gospel tunes before a hand-clapping audience that included longtime member Ezra Cobb of Norfolk.
``This is just a great church,'' Cobb said. ``And we're going to put our love around it.'' Cobb said he wasn't as active as he should have been at the congregation's former home, on Washington Street in Portsmouth. ``I'm going to get involved this time.''
The church's pastor and founder, Bishop L.E. Willis Sr., said he plans to eventually add a basketball court, tennis court and swimming pool to the grounds. He said church members will take kids and ``teach them, feed them and hopes ``somebody will come in here and be greatly inspired to change their ways.''
Willis admitted that he himself was once a ``bad little boy. I was the black sheep of my family. Some thought there was no hope for me.'' Now, he oversees 70 churches in Virginia that are affiliated with the Church of God in Christ. He also heads a company with dozens of radio stations.
That radio venture landed him, at times, in financial and legal difficulties. And his political activities have estranged him from some other leaders in local black communities.
But in his church on Saturday, these were not subjects for discussion. Jackson came closest to touching the topics, saying that newspapers and television stations have unfairly tried to ``scandalize'' the bishop. His arms opening wide toward the big, open church, with massive circular windows brightening its balconies, Jackson said it's best to judge people by what they build.
``Many of our youth today are floating aimlessly because they don't have a landmark, a frame of reference,'' he said. Here, in Willis's church, he said, was one.
Largely, however, Jackson's talk was political - and appropriately so, he told his listeners. ``Our government has turned its back on the poor,'' he said, ``cut public housing, cut the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, cut job training.'' The trend is toward ``first-class jails and second-class schools.''
Last week's passage by Congress of a welfare-reform bill topped Jackson's list of deeds that he said require political retribution. The bill will further impoverish many people, he contended.
His unconventional call to the churchgoers to register to vote during the worship service took just about everybody by surprise.
About 15 minutes into his talk, Jackson asked all those who weren't registered to stand up. Four did. But that wasn't enough for the reverend. So he implored again. A few more stood. Then several more. Eventually, nearly 50 people filed down the wide aisles to stand before Jackson.
Meanwhile, John W. Hill and Shirley Hines of the Portsmouth-based Citizens Coalition on Voter Participation/Operation Big Vote scrambled to hand out registration cards. It took more than 10 minutes to get everybody signed up.
Hines, executive director of the statewide group, said she hadn't expected Jackson's gesture. All she'd anticipated, she said, was a mention that she and Hill would be available afterward in the lobby.
``I think we got a lot more people this way,'' Hines said. ILLUSTRATION: BETH BERGMAN color photos/The Virginian-Pilot
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, top, speaks at the Garden of Prayer
Temple in Norfolk on Saturday to celebrate the church's opening. He
asked members of the crowd to register to vote - on the spot.
Jackson said Bishop L.E. Willis Sr., right, pastor and founder of
the church, had created ``a landmark'' for young people.
Photo
BETH BERGMAN/The Virginian-Pilot
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson cheers on young gospel singers at the
opening of the Garden of Prayer Temple in Norfolk on Saturday. In
addition to Jackson's 90-minute sermon, the church's 75-member choir
performed. by CNB