Pep talks at Obama's church - - "Let your enemies in your fight bring out the best in you."

[jefferson_dem]

Pep talks at Obama's church
Congregation urged to remain strong
By Manya A. Brachear

Tribune reporter

7:45 PM CDT, March 30, 2008

Members of Sen. Barack Obama's church got pep talks from the pulpit Sunday, as their new pastor and a representative from the national denomination urged them to stay strong in the coming months.

But it was a sermon delivered by high school senior Anita Pennington during Trinity United Church of Christ's monthly youth service that brought the crowd to its feet and moved about a dozen visitors to answer the altar call.

"Let your enemies in your fight bring out the best in you," urged Pennington, 18. "Let your enemies in your fight bring out the God in you."

Members of the South Side church have been on the defensive since controversial comments by longtime pastor Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. surfaced on the Internet this month and rocked the Democratic presidential front-runner's campaign.

Wright, who officially retires May 31, had been scheduled to preach in Houston on Sunday. But his first public appearances since the controversy began have been canceled because of security concerns.

On Sunday, Rev. Edith Guffey, associate general minister of the Cleveland-based United Church of Christ, assured Trinity's members that the denomination stood behind them.

"I have watched as you minister to so many who live on the margins of society," Guffey said. "And yes, I have watched with gratitude as you support and encourage a strong sense of identity as African-Americans in this country and as an African-American church in this predominantly white denomination."

The church's new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss III, urged the congregation to pray for Wright and his family. He also asked members to consider their foes nothing more than "confused friends."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-wrightwatch_31mar31,0,6727413.story

[DearAbby]

1. I feel badly for the congregation

they had been smeared for no reason. All the good work the church has done was reduced to 30seconds of looped soundbites. Sad

[smalll]

3. Obama said that as well on the view -- "I feel badly."

That's not just a grammatical misdemeanor -- it's a full felony: an adjective/adverb violation committed in the course of an attempt at pretension. You don't feel badly -- you feel BAD -- unless you have numb hands or some other impairment of your sense of touch.

Grammar Police: To Serve and Correct.

[Guava Jelly]

6. Who gives a fuck about proper grammar here?

Geeze I fucking hate Grammar snobs

[DearAbby]

8. Thank you Officer

This is just a warning right? No ticket? 'cause I only have 3 points left on my DU License.

[Cha]

2. Now that's turning the other

cheek and sounds like they practice how we always heard The Prince of Peace would do it.

[anonymous171]

4. OMG HAET CHURCH!!!11!

:sarcasm: That's a good message and it's one I think Obama has taken to heart.

[Tatiana]

5. I have donated to Trinity. My heart goes out to all the members of the church.

Trinity has received threats. They have had to incur tons of unanticipated expenses to defend their good name. Streaming full and live sermons online costs money. Additional personnel needed to be hired to handle all the media requests and additional "visitors."

I know that God will see them through this, but it has really been disappointing to see their legacy of good work get trashed in the media.

[stillcool]

7. The most frightening thing..

I've ever seen on my television screen. I don't know what it was like to hear Julius Streicher in his day, but I can now imagine.

[Scurrilous]

9. K & R

:thumbsup: