2012 People Against Poverty Campaign Community Women Against Hardship and The American continue the fight, one family at a time.
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CAC Audited NOVEMBER 15 – 21, 2012
Vol. 84 No. 33 COMPLIMENTARY
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Chapman Society raises $2.2M Maurice and Brenda Newberry, 2012 Charmaine Chapman Society co-chairs, with Orvin Kimbrough, executive vice president of the United Way of Greater St. Louis.
St. Louis leads nation in African-American leadership giving to United Way By Chris King Of The St. Louis American The Charmaine Chapman Society once again has made the United Way of Greater St. Louis first in the nation for African-American leadership giving. The 2012 Charmaine Chapman Society, co-chaired by Brenda and Maurice Newberry, raised a record $2.2 million and came even closer to the elusive goal of 1,000 African-American members who donate $1,000 or more to the United Way annual campaign. “Those numbers mean specific things,” said Gary Dollar, president of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. “It means African Americans in our community in
“Achieving the goal of $2.2 million was a challenge with African-American unemployment much higher than the national average.” – Brenda and Maurice Newberry
the St. Louis region are incredibly caring and generous,” Dollar told The American. “Their capacity for caring for people in need is an awe-inspiring phenome-
See CHAPMAN, A7
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George Allen released by Judge Green AG Koster insists on appeal despite rebuke by Congressman Clay By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
The faithful bore witness as Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. delivered the message during the Sunday morning service held in the Edward Jones Dome as part of the Church of God in Christ’s 105th Holy Convocation in St. Louis.
Universal praise A global COGIC celebrates in STL for 105th Holy Convocation By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American “Tell your neighbor we are going to shake the world for Jesus Christ,” Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. told a packed audience inside the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis on Sunday. “We must make sure the Church of God of Christ is impacting not only the church, not only the children, but the entire global community.” Tens of thousands of saints returned on what has become an annual pilgrimage to St. Louis for COGIC’s 105th Holy Convocation. There was the usual praise, prayer and worship from the rising of the sun and extending to the threat of meeting a new sunrise the next day. The annual Friday midnight musical explosion had a performance roster that read like a WOW Gospel Hits compilation and an overall energy of God’s people coming together for a greater good. But there also was something new as they praised and worshiped under the theme of “Seeking God’s ways for us and our succeeding generations through obedience, prayer and the word.” Perhaps they should
have added “the universe” within their mission for Convocation 105. Though COGIC is immersed in the African-American experience, the faith has a global reach and impact with more than 6 million members worldwide. “Bishop Blake is the most globally traveled Presiding Bishop in the history of the Church of God in Christ,” said Rev. Phillip Aquilla Brooks II, First Assistant Presiding Bishop and Prelate, Michigan Northeast. “In five years he has ministered in nearly 24 nations and inspired thousands of COGIC parishioners who had never laid eyes on a Presiding Bishop – and they have been able to do so in Asia, Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Europe and just about every state in these United States.”
Jefferson City – At 9 a.m. Wednesday, Lonzetta Taylor fidgeted in front bench of the Cole County Circuit Court room, with her daughter Elfrieda Allen at her side, as she waited for her son to come through the courtroom doors. Her son George Photo by Wiley Price Allen Jr., 56, had been in prison for 30 years George Allen Jr. was greeted by for a rape and murder his mother, Lonzetta Taylor, at that new and previousCole County Circuit Court in ly undisclosed eviJefferson City on Wednesday. dence shows he didn’t commit. On Nov. 2 Judge Daniel Green ordered Allen’s release within 10 days after he overturned Allen’s 1982 rape and murder conviction based on the police’s failure to disclose numerous pieces of evidence pointing to his innocence.
See ALLEN, A7
Pattonville awarded for early childhood education District has best program in state, according to school board foundation By Bridjes O’Neil Of The St. Louis American
Brooks’ words echoed the teachings and testimony of Thursday afternoon speaker Bishop Dr. Francis M. Kamau, senior pastor of Cornerstone Nairobi, which has planted more than 45 Faith Assembly Churches throughout the nation of Kenya.
Pattonville School District has the best early childhood education program in Missouri, according to the Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA). Recently, the district won its first FutureBuilders Early Childhood Education Program of the Year Award at the annual MSBA conference held at the Lake of the Ozarks. Pattonville was one of three finalists chosen among statewide applicants by FutureBuilders, the educational foundation of the MSBA.
See COGIC, A6
See AWARD, A6
‘Daniels in Africa’