Neighbors in Religion: Praying through the pain helping young men, families

Often, those of us who want to help make our world a better place, can get overwhelmed when we see the pain happening in our neighborhoods. We wonder what our feeble attempts at helping can do to make things better.

Last Saturday, I was invited to a friend’s home where a group of young (and a few older ones) were meeting for a Neighborhood Male Bible Study. Led by retired Police Chief Willie Marshall and his wife Karetha, the idea is to instill Christian principles in the men attending, especially the younger ones. The theme was “Man — God’s Original Design”

When I walked in, I thought, “This is a start.” It was just a small step. There were fewer than a dozen young men there. And perhaps the young boys and men attending didn’t see the blessing in their being there just yet. But the fact that they came and listened as Marshall told them what it takes to become real man, tells me there is hope. It’s a matter of each one, teaching one.

The Bible study is also open to women, especially single mothers who need mentors and help for their male children. One single mom was there Saturday and the frustration showed in her voice as she sought help in raising her son. “I can teach him some things,” she said, “but I can’t teach him to be a man. What do I do?”

“Bring him here,” Marshall told her, “... around these godly men, who can help guide him in the right way. He needs to be right here.”

The group, which includes the Rev. Robert Smith, associate pastor at Macedona Baptist Church, meets for one hour on the first and second Saturday of each month at the home of Minister Velma Arnold at 4340 NW 187th St. in Miami Gardens.

“When I was approached about the group meeting here, I said, ‘Why not? I am happy to help where ever I can,’ ” Arnold said.

As the meeting came to a close, Marshall and the other men there were asked to pray for a young man who was leaving soon for college. The men formed a circle around the boy, laying their hands on his shoulders and prayed that he would stay on the right path and that he would surround himself with positive influences.

The next meeting will be on Sept. 5, at Arnold’s home. For more information about the Bible study, call Marshall at 786-351-7556.

CONCERT OF PRAYER

While we are on the subject of prayer, New Testament Baptist Church at 6601 NW 167th St. in Miami Lakes, will have its first Concert of Prayer” starting at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 at the Wooten Field, the church’s football field.

Using the theme, “Pray Until God Answers,” the Concert of Prayer is geared to unite the 61-year-old church, its school and the community. And while there will be no music, those attending will lift their voices together in prayer.

There will be several ways to pray: silently, in a group, individual prayer and prayers led by pastors and church leaders.

The public is invited. for more information call Pastor Ralph Rodriguez at 305-773-2031.

SYNAGOGUE HEALTH FAIR

Temple Beth Tov Ahavat Shalom, 6438 SW Eighth St. in West Miami, will have its third annual Health Fair and Open House from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug 16.

A professional team from BaptistHealth will be present to measure cholesterol and blood pressure. The day will also include a several vendors offering services.

The day will include the serving of soup to attendees and representatives from the temple who will explain the synagogue’s programming and services during the Open House.

For more information call 305-205-3846.

BIBLE ON BROADWAY

Circle your calendars now for Aug. 30. On that day, at 11 a.m., Arts at St. Johns on the Lake will present “Bible On Broadway” at St. John’s on the Lake United Methodist church, 4760 Pine Tree Dr. in Miami Beach.

The program will take the audience on a “grand tour” of musical selections with spiritual connections from such shows like “Godspell,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “The Lion King,’ “Yentil,” and “Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat.”

The musical favorites will include such songs as, “Miracles of Miracles,” “King Herod’s Song,” “You’ll Never Walk alone,” “At the End of the Day,” “He Lives in You,” Gethsemane,” “It ain’t Necessarily So,” I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” and “Forbidden Fruit.”

The concert is created and directed by David Kingery and Pastor Gaye Bosley-Mitchell, and the singers will include Kingery, Kristen Long and the St. John’s Chancel Choir directed by Scott Bracken-Tripp.

Admission is free and the concert is open to everyone. For more information call Arts at St. Johns at 305-613-2325.

ONLINE SURVEY

As a part of the Live Healthy Miami Gardens program, the city has instituted an online survey to gather residents’ feedback on the program.

Participants of the online survey can earn a $10 Walmart gift card by simply sharing their opinions online. Or, they may forgo the $10 gift card and enter a drawing to win a $200 VISA card. The survey consists of demographic information such as gender and age. The survey will also contain questions about how the participants learn about what is happening in Miami Gardens and their perceptions of the city.

The information collected will be used to create communications to keep residents abreast of how to get involved with Live Healthy Miami Gardens and its sub-council’s focus on drug and alcohol prevention within the city of Miami Gardens.

The survey will be open until Sunday (Aug. 16) To register to take the 10-minute survey, visit: http://livehealthymiamigardens.com and click on the survey link on the homepage.

Once the survey is complete, participants can opt to receive a guaranteed $10 gift card or enter a drawing for a $2300 gift card. Only two people will be randomly drawn to each win a $200 gift card.

Participants in the survey do not have to be Miami Gardens’ residents, but it is preferred that they either live in or work within or close to the city.

To learn more about the survey, email question to: biz@calibrandconsulting.com.

This story was originally published August 10, 2015 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Neighbors in Religion: Praying through the pain helping young men, families."