A Publication of The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church

James 1:2-3

September 18, 2020 Volume 20 Issue 38

15

Diaconate Roster

Congregation: A - FDeacon Lee Lawrence

Deacon Eleanor LockettDeacon Chris VinsonDeacon Carl Vinson

Congregation: G - SDeacon Mavis Corsey

Deacon Trolice FlavorsDeacon Dwight GravesDeacon Cheryl Graves

Deacon Donald Jackson

Congregation: T - ZDeacon Carla Bunn

Deacon McClain CloyDeacon Bobbi SimsDeacon Rick Wells

Diaconate ChairDeacon Carl Vinson

To contact your Deacon, please call thechurch office at 425-255-1446

The Vine is a communicationtool of the Martin Luther King

Jr. MemorialBaptist Church

The intent is to keep ourmembers informed of the many

exciting things that arehappening at our church and in

the community.

Weekly Church Schedule

~SUNDAY~Sunday School - 9:30 AMWorship Services - 11 AM

Youth Service2nd Sunday (11 AM)

~MONDAY~New Members Ministry2nd Monday - 4:30 PM

Christian Education Board2nd Monday - 6:30 PM

~TUESDAY~Teachers Meeting

1st Tuesday - 6:30 PM

Usher Ministry3rd Tues - 6:30-7:45 PM

~WEDNESDAY~Bible Study - 12 Noon - 1 PM Prayer Meeting ~ 6:00 PM

Bible Study - 6:30 to 7:30 PM

~FRIDAY~Music Ministry Rehearsal - 6:00 PM

~SATURDAY~Diaconate Meeting

1st Saturday - 9:00 AM

Women With a Purpose2nd Saturday - 11 AM

Trustee Meeting4th Saturday - 9 AM

Margie WilliamsEvery Saturday - 8 AM-11 PM

Joe & Paulette RiversChristine Vinson

Deacon Carl VinsonTeresa MoenLezette Ward

Mary Lou CretchAnnie Jones

Annie PetersonBaby Gwendolyn James

Barbara WilliamsCharlie Mae Thomas

College StudentsDominique Clark

Gloria YumanJosiah MooreJoyce LaBoo

Mother Princie SmithSteve WinstonTalesha BellTracie DavisRuth HunterVanita Clark

Vincent StephensWillie Mae McGary

Willie WinstonYouth of MLK

Mellissa Garcia (Bolts)

Black Lives Matter - By Simone Smith

In 5th grade, I opened the back of my yearbook, all aboutthe biggest events of the year. Turned the page, in bigbold letters; #ALL LIVES MATTER!

Had someone text me in all caps, repeatedly: “ALLLIVES MATTER, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT BLACK LIVESMATTER YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!”

Ok...Thank you for spamming me.

Around May 30th or so, I click the profile of some guy Iknow from my school. Exactly ZERO posts! Well there isone, Blue Lives Matter. Clicked into another kids’ profile;the same thing, then another and another.

I just shook my head. Why do people only bring up thatargument when a police officer BRUTALLY murders someone? I don’t get it. Don’t understandand probably never will.

First week of June this year. A thirty second video goes around on Twitter of two WHITE juniorsat my school saying N-word this and N-word that. Hard R’s. That I hate them. Despise them.Laughter. End of video. An email is sent to some, not ALL students. Here is a part of what thedistrict said.

“Racism and racist behavior are unacceptable and are not tolerated in the school district.”

Next paragraph of school email.“Accordingly, administration is reviewing facts and circumstances surrounding the social mediapost.”

Basically, this predominantly white school with a 73 percentage of white in the entire district isinvestigating very hard about what to do with these students in this video. Hmm? A 30 secondvideo clearly displaying intolerable acts. Only to find no punishments are made and many of myfriends have them in their classes this year.

How are we supposed to feel that we are considered not as important? That we deserve to betreated as the lesser? As early as the fifth grade my innocence crushed, at only eleven years old.Having to realize, gosh we all don’t love each other? We can’t all hold hands and walk together?Racism not being something you are born with, but that is learned. Ouch. That hurts me. Doesthat not hurt you?

So much that I cannot say one thing about blacks and browns lives matter, without someoneresponding ALM. ALM only. ALM forever. Only 3 days ago I found out that one of my closestfriends thinks “I just believe ALM is better.” And that “It’s just a more powerful statement to say.”Well, okay.

My school nonchalantly telling me I don’t matter. That my opinions don’t matter because of who Iam. Not punishing students because it was an ‘accident’ and they ‘didn’t mean it.’

Opening my school books, of the white washing on every page. People telling me,looking at the television in disgust, ‘ugh look at all these protests and riots. Watchthem burn down these buildings.’

But the KKK is okay. Doing all that is perfectly fine. Realizing that in 2020 THAT isnot banned at all. In June, I saw incredible videos of beautiful paintings with a BLMfist decorated with a rainbow beside it. A white male in his 20’s looks at it,disgusted. Said something like, ‘This is our month, yours is February, this cannotstand!’ Mmph. Imagine realizing there would be no celebration of gay pride,without Black trans women. Ignorance, does not look good on you.

Imagine having to find out that every time I open my history book, realizing thatevery civil rights photo changed black and white to make it appear older. That tonot worry guys, that was centuries ago. It’s fine, don’t worry, it’s over. It’s fine.

And I know that it seems from what I’ve said that it seems things aren’t going toever change. Life will never be fixed. Things are going to forever stay the same.

But to remind yourself every day to keep on, to push on, to strive on to keep ONfighting!

Black Lives Matter - By Simone Smith cont.

Transforming You Into a DiamondDiamonds come from deep within the Earth, about 100 miles or sobelow the surface. The mantle, where diamonds are formed, isvery hot. There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of weight, so thecombination of high temperature and high pressure is what’snecessary to make diamonds. The high levels of magnesium andcarbon dioxide force the magma to the surface, resulting in violenteruptions. Those violent eruptions bring diamonds to the surfacefrom deep within the Earth.

The diamond is a precious stone. It is the most appreciated of all the gemsbecause of its rareness and beauty. Diamonds were under tremendous pressure,were put through fire, and traveled through the depths of the earth to thesurface. Yet, this jewel looks like a common rock when it is first extracted.

The Master Jeweler puts a lot of time and attention to transform the stones intobeautiful gems.

God is the Master Jeweler and you are His diamond in the rough. You are Hisprecious stone. God uses tough times to chip away all the impurities. He takes thetime to carve you so that you become the person He’s calling you to be. Toughtimes are God’s way into shaping you into a diamond.

A diamond is nothing more than a rock that refused to give in to pressure. Adiamond’s resilient nature makes it beautiful and strong. When you rise abovedifficult situations, your value increases. The incredible pressure you face duringhardships brings out your strength, and fiery trials make the hidden beauty withinyou emerge to the surface.

When life strikes the hardest, that’s precisely when the Master Jeweler ischiseling away at the superfluous so He can bring out the best in you. You arebeing designed to become the beautiful gem you are meant to be. Diamonds arethe hardest mineral on earth—nothing can break a diamond, only anotherdiamond can.

After every trial, you evolve into a stronger version of yourself. God uses theintensity of the crisis and the force of adversity to transform you. Without trials orchallenges, you would never change. You would never step out of your comfortzone and do what’s necessary for your growth and betterment.

If you are facing tremendous pressures today or circumstances that appear outof your control, stop and reflect on your situation. Choose to believe God is alwaysin control of your life. He loves you and cares about you. And He will never leaveyour side when you’re going through tough times. He never allows hardships intoyour life simply to punish you, but only to make you better. Remember that God isworking on you, and in the toughest of circumstances, God will make sense ofyour chaos.

Tough times don’t define you – they refine you.

Clerk’s Update:Greetings Church Family,

I pray you are blessed by God and strengthened in faith and hope in these tryingdays. As we remain vigilant in our practices to protect each other and our loved ones,we will not be holding the 3rd quarter business meeting. Instead, the 3rd quartermaterial has been posted to the church website for you to view, at your leisure.

The following 3rd Quarter material may be found on the website under “membersonly.”

· Clerk’s Report· Deacons Report· Treasurer’s Report· Trustee’s Report· Month over Month/Quarter over Quarter Financials· Balance Sheet· Income Statement

If you do not have access to a computer and would like the material, please feel freeto contact me at: 425-652-1363 to make arrangements.

Be safe!

Leslie Turner

5 large eggs3 cups cake flour, sifted3 cups granulated sugar1 cup and half unsalted butter1/2 cup 7-Up soda2 tsp lemon extractPinch of salt

Glaze:8 full tbsp of powdered sugar3 tbsp 7-Up soda1/2 tsp lemon extract.

The Cake:1. Heat oven to 315 degrees F.and then spray bundt pan with a non-stick cooking spray.2. Add the butter to bowl and beat onhigh speed for 2 to 4 minutes.3. Add the sugar and salt beat foranother 5 minutes at high speed untilvery light yellow and smooth.4. Add eggs, one by one5. Turn mixer down to lowest level andslowly add flour.6. Pour in 7 Up and lemon extract andmix until well blended.7. Pour into the bundt pan and bake for90 minutes or until tester inserted in themiddle of the cake comes out clean.8. Cool on the wire rack for 15 minutes,then invert onto the serving plate.

The glaze:In a small bowl, mix together thepowdered sugar the lemon extract, andthe 7-UP, until smooth. Spread over thecake and place in the fridge until it hashardened.

7 Up Pound Cake

1 large egg.3 tablespoons mayonnaise3 tablepsoons flour3 tablespoons cornmeal3 tablespoons chopped onion.1 canned salmon

INSTRUCTIONS:In a large bowl whisk together flourand cornmeal, then drain salmon andplace it in the bowl, add chopped onion,mayonnaise, egg, salt and pepper totaste, mix until well combined.

Shape the mixture into patties aboutthe size of an average burger or less.

Heat oil for frying, cook until brownedeach side.

Remove from oil and serve immediatelywith your favorite dipping sauce.

Note: Some recipes use bread crumbs,minced parsley, mayonnaise, Dijonmustard, lemon zest, chpped dill orolive oil.

Salmon Croquettes

Social Justice Ministry CornerRev. Toni Booker

Saying ‘All Lives Matter’ right now is like saying ‘SaveAll Forests’ in response to someone saying ‘Save TheAmazon’.”

In case you didn’t know…. The popular vote does notelect the U.S. President; the Electoral College vote does. So just what is theElectoral College and how did it come into existence? The Electoral College consistsof 538 electors. Each state is allocated electors equal to the number ofrepresentatives in the U.S. House of Representatives (currently at 435) plus its twosenators (a total of 100).

The District of Columbia is allocated three electors. Washington State currently has10 Representatives and 10 electors. A state’s electoral numbers can change every10 years based on the results of the Census which determines the number ofRepresentatives. If a state’s population increases it gains Representatives.Likewise if a state’s population decreases it loses Representatives.

The Electoral College came into existence due to slavery. Presidents were selectedby the one man one vote (popular) process. Since a huge percentage of a Southernstate’s population were slaves who could not vote this all but guaranteed theywould be losers in the selection of a President. To remedy this the Electoral Collegewas adopted which meant slaves would be counted (as three fifths of a person)adding to the population of a state thereby increasing the number of House ofRepresentatives which again, determines the number of Electors.

The question now is should we abolish the Electoral College? As I do more study Iam leaning toward “yes.” There is a belief that the Electoral College weighs ballotsin states with large populations much less than those in small states.

We’ll talk about this in a coming post. In the meantime – please submit your 2020Census – if you haven’t already. The last day to do so is September 30, 2020.

Thoughts for September18, 2020 A little Humor

Stop crying over spilled milk when Godhave given you the cow.

If outsiders know all your businesscheck your insiders.

Always remember, we all have our ownopinions and beliefs. We have differentways of dealing with life’s troubles andjoys. To rise above and solve ourdifferences without hurting each otheris what goodness is all about.

If you have a chance to make someonehappy, please do it. Sometimes peopleare struggling silently. Maybe your actof silence will make their day.

Overthinking is the biggest cause of ourunhappiness. Keep yourself occupied.Keep your mind off things that don’thelp you. Think positive.

I really think a champion is defined notby their wins but by how they canrecover when they fall.

Life is stricter than a teacher. Ateacher teaches a lesson and takes anexam, but life takes an exam and thenteaches a lesson.

Don’t give up on this year, Keepfighting for the good. Keep showing up.Keep loving. Keep giving back. Keepbeing kind. Keep being brave. Keepcaring. Keep showing grace. Keep on.This world needs you to believe inGOOD.

Believe in your children and they willbelieve in themselves, too.

Be patient, because when you rushwhat wasn’t God’s will then you’ll hurtyourself and then blame God.

Three sons left home, went out on theirown and prospered.

Getting back together, they discussedthe gifts they were able to give theirelderly Mother.

The first said, "I built a big house forour Mother."

The second said, "I sent her aMercedes with a driver."

The third smiled and said, "I've got youboth beat. You remember how Momenjoyed reading the Bible? And youknow she can't see very well any more.I sent her a remarkable parrot thatrecites the entire Bible. It took Deaconsin the church 12 years to teach him.He's one of a kind. Mama just has toname the chapter and verse, and theparrot recites it."

Soon thereafter, Mom sent out herletters of thanks, "Milton," she wroteone son, "the house you built is sohuge. I live in only one room, but I haveto clean the whole house."

"Gerald," she wrote to another, "I amtoo old to travel any more. My eyesightisn't what it used to be. I stay most ofthe time at home, so I rarely use theMercedes. And the driver is so rude!"

"Dearest Donald," she wrote to herthird son, "you have the good sense toknow what your Mother likes. Thechicken was delicious!"

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Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Baptist ChurchStreet Address: 4519 NE 10th Street - Renton, WA 98059

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2145 - Renton, Washington 98056Phone (425) 255.1446 Fax (425) 255.1632Rev. Johnny J. Youngblood - Senior Pastor

Email: mlkjrbaptist@qwestoffice.net

Website: mlkbaptist.org