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American Clergy Leadership Conference
Monthly Prayer Breakfast
Los Angeles
"The Renewal of Community and Dissolving Racial
Barriers"
Keynote Speaker
Rev. Dr. William R. Johnson
Saturday,
February 24, 2007
Hays
Tabernacle CME Church
By Joy I. Garratt
The first prayer breakfast of 2007 was held by the
Los Angeles American Clergy Leadership Conference on
February 24 in the Fellowship Hall of Hayes
Tabernacle CME Church located in South Central Los
Angeles near the famous Watts Towers.
  
Even before the official program began, ACLC members
and guests began networking. This was due to the
fact that one of the first two guests to arrive
proved to be “Sweet Alice” Harris, executive
director of Parents of Watts (POW) in Los Angeles,
and probably one of the most gifted, effective
networkers to ever walk the halls of California’s
state capital. As a veteran community activist of 35
years and the winner of the Lieutenant Governor’s
2002 California Woman of the Year award, Sweet
Alice—yes, everyone calls her Sweet Alice--presides
over more than 15 community based programs striving
to empower people in every aspect of their lives.
Because of her years of caring involvement, she knew
nearly every minister and guest who attended and
they all knew her. Teacher Jack Ashworth, who has
worked and fished with her for many years, invited
her.
   
Dr. Nicholas Benson,
First Summit Evangelical Church pastor, served as MC
and brought the breakfast to an enthusiastic
beginning as well as asking for a moment of silence
to remember ACLC former co-convener Rev. Godwin
D’Silva. Rev. Ronald Stovall then opened with the
invocation. Rev. J.L. Briggs of Christian Light MBC
Church gave the New Testament reading from John
15:8-19, and Lutheran pastor Rev. Carlos Torres read
excerpts from “The True Owners in Establishing the
Kingdom of Peace and Unity in Heaven and Earth” by
Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
   
Gracious Hayes pastor, Dr.
Joseph Gardener, then offered the table grace prayer
before the delicious breakfast buffet began. The
more than 80 attendees did not mind waiting for
their turn in the buffet line, either, because Keith
Williams and Magdalene Millsap, Sadoc Christian
Peace Family Church choir leaders, had them clapping
and stomping to their inspirational music while they
waited.
As breakfast
ended, Dr. Benson introduced Darlene D’Silva who
thanked the many ACLC members who had visited Godwin
and her family to comfort and pray for them. Darlene
warmed up the audience by reminding them how
powerful God’s love is and how real the spiritual
realm is.
  
Rev. Margaret Tate, co-pastor of Christ Community
Truth Church, then ignited the core breakfast
program with her review of the ACLC National Goals
and Objectives. Rev. Dr. William R. Johnson’s
keynote address, “The Renewal of Community and
Dissolving Racial Barriers,” set the program on
fire. Rev. Dr. Johnson, Los Angeles ACLC
co-chairman and pastor of Hashaway Community CME
Church, traced the history of racism in the United
States and then drove the point home that there is
no place for racial dissension if we are to renew
the community and fulfill the mission of ACLC as
modeled by Rev. Moon and embodied in the Word of God
through Christ.
   
His
prophetic words echoed as the Sadoc Christian
singers reprised the Middle East peace anthem,
“Peace, Shalom, Salaam Aleikum” during the offering.
Supt. Charles Moore, of the Greater All Nations
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ gave the offering
prayer.
   
The inspiration continued to flow as Norma Foster,
president of the Hollywood Bowl Easter Sunrise
Service, invited all the attendees to participate in
the April 8th Easter event. ACLC actively
supports this ecumenical, community-wide event.
Father Pedro Contreras of the Old Catholic Church
wrapped up the program with a report on the impact
of his recent trip to Mexico on behalf of “Married
Priests Now.” Participants then circled the hall
and joined together for the closing song “Let There
Be Peace on Earth” and the final prayer.
   
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