Governor Roy

Barnes and certain members of the State Legislature hosted the First Annual

Clergy Appreciation Day at the Capitol Monday, March 18. Dr. James Willis,

pastor of North Fayette Baptist Church, and I attended the event almost

alerted by Pastor Mamie Harris of the New Generation Christian Fellowship

Church in Griffin. Well, Praise God, we went and were shaking the welcomed

hand of His Honor, The Governor.

Fervent prayer

was offered for our governmental officials, for the clergy, for the family,

and for the state and nation. At times, the official meeting took on the

air of old fashioned revival. The Rev. Joseph Lowery, president emeritus

of Southern Christian Leadership Committee regaled the crowd with great

stories. Rabbi Ephraim Silverman, chabod of Marietta, told a couple of

very poignant Jewish stories. Even Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of New Birth

Missionary Baptist Church, spoke briefly on the need for Godliness in

America.

Then, the Governor

spoke of the importance of religious leaders in the life of the community.

He called us the "touchstones" of value and morality for the

state and nation. It was a good feeling to know that our elected officials

cared enough to host us a day at the Capitol.

I want to encourage

more state representatives and senators from around the state to join

in sponsoring the event. However, my personal thanks go to Senators Connie

Stokes, Donzella James and David Stokes; also to Representatives Lester

Jackson, Len Walker, Clint Smith, Arnold Ragas, Mitchell Kaye, Carl Von

Epps, Carolyn Hugley, E. C. Tillman, Barbara Mobley, Terry Coleman, Ronald

Forster, Ben Allen, Max Davis, Ben Bridges, Tyrone Brooks, and Randal

Mangham.

As anyone looked

around the dining room, he or she could not help but see that the First

Annual Clergy Appreciation Day was mostly African-American in hue. Surely

white members of the clergy outnumber members of the black clergy. Why

the disparity? Here's my guess.

Too few white

ministers get involved in the political process and therefore seem uninterested

in these kinds of events. That's the kind of repeated mistake that has

led our nation down the pathway of evil and moral perversion whereby we

are able to refer to abortion as simply the "freedom of choice."

I was surprised to discover that several members of the State Assembly

are also church pastors and ministers. We white ministers should become

more involved in the bills under consideration by state politicians.

Remember, the

African-Americans churches led our nation to sweeping civil rights laws,

most importantly the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act

of 1965. Most white churches did squat for the equality for African-Americans.

Just the facts, jack!

September 11

changed the language of our President so he often talks about evil. Now,

more than ever, all members of the reverend clergy should and must come

together to speak forth the Word of God in the halls of each state assembly

and the halls of Congress. Bet your boots that hundreds of lobbyists were

there Monday representing their causes. Is not our cause greater?

The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of

River's Edge Community

Church

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

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