CHARLOTTE — Parishioners young and old at Our Lady of Consolation Church took part in an African American History Month program Feb. 24 entitled, “The Greatness of Ancient Kemet to Making Black Lives Matter: Using the Stories of Our People to Inspire and Empower Us!” The program featured a keynote address by Rev. Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman, pastor of Greenville Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Charlotte and one of the Charlotte region’s most popular lecturers on black history and social and racial equity.
The program aimed to share a more nuanced perspective on African American history. The story of black people in the United States usually begins with the arrival of enslaved Africans to American shores in 1619.
They were chained, seemingly broken and “uncivilized” – if one is to believe the pictures and the portrayals in general American history curricula. However, black history also encompasses the innate eloquence of Frederick Douglass, the mastery of Benjamin Banneker, the poetry of Phyllis Wheatley, the defiance of Nat Turner and the military mastery of Toussaint L’Overture.
Father Basil Sede, pastor, led everyone in prayer, parishioner Natalie Isabel Warren recited poetry, and Gary Mumford and the African Drum Ensemble gave a special drum performance. The program was presented by Our Lady of Consolation Parish’s Black Culture Commission, co-chaired by Toni Tupponce. The program was co-chaired by Deborah Wadsworth. They are pictured with Father Sede, Rev. Dr. Shipman and Natalie Warren.
The day also included a “Harambee” Mass, inspired by the Kenyan tradition of community self-help efforts, in recognition of Black History Month. “Harambee” means “all pull together” in Swahili.
— Photos by Travis Burton | Catholic News Herald
Rev. Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman, pastor of Greenville Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Charlotte and one of the Charlotte region’s most popular lecturers on black history and social and racial equity, gave the keynote address at Our Lady of Consolation Church’s African American History Month program Feb. 24.
The celebration included Mass highlighting the Kenyan tradition of “Harambee,” which means “pulling together” in Swahili. Ladies dressed in white for the occasion.
Pictured are Father Basil Sede, pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church; Rev. Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman, pastor of Greenville Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Charlotte; Natalie Isabel Warren, who read poetry at the event; and Toni Tupponce and Deborah Wadsworth of the parish’s Black Culture Commission.
The celebration included Mass highlighting the Kenyan tradition of “Harambee.” Father Basil Sede, pastor, holds aloft the Book of the Gospels.
BOONE — Appalachian State student Clair Williams didn’t know the impact that a simple announcement at Mass could make.
Williams, a senior music education major who is active in campus ministry and App State Students for Life, made an announcement about a diaper drive before Mass at her parish, St. Elizabeth.
“We were advertising at our church about the diaper drive and the need in the community, like we’ve done the past couple of years,” Williams said. “I found out that one of the members of the parish heard the announcement and knew who to call to make a major diaper donation happen.”
That parishioner was Jack Ryan, who retired to the Blue Ridge Mountains from Florida to be closer to his grandchildren. Ryan is also active in Knights of Columbus Council 11966.
Ryan had worked for 20 years in the coverting industry. In his experience, he knew that there is often product overruns and diapers with discontinued features that get discarded or recycled.
“I got on the phone, and I just got lucky,” Ryan explained. “I called someone at First Quality who I actually hired into the company, and they had five pallets of diapers they were willing to donate.”
First Quality Baby Products in Macon, Ga., donated about 30,000 diapers to Who Needs a Change? of the High Country, a project of the Children’s Council of Watauga County. The organization distributes diapers to families in need.
That total is almost half of the amount of diapers the diaper bank distributed last year, said Meggan Knight, program coordinator for Who Needs a Change? of the High Country and Children’s Council board member. Knight started the diaper bank in 2012 after being inspired by news coverage of a child with a maggot-invested diaper and learning about her community’s needs.
The diaper bank provides 50,000 to 80,000 diapers to children annually. Last year, they gave out 67,000 diapers, Knight said.
Knight helps solicit diapers for the community, and they are distributed through the Children’s Council.
This is the largest single donation the organization has ever received.
“We were very, very thankful for that,” Knight said. “It’s a sizable donation. We are excited about it.”
Ryan said the donation, which was delivered Jan. 21, included all different size diapers and training pants.
“I’m quite surprised by how this turned about,” Ryan said. “We provided about half of their yearly need in one transaction. I feel real good about being able to help when I can. You can’t predict what companies have to donate, if anything. It worked out this time.”
You never know who your words can reach.
“It’s incredible,” Williams said. “I didn’t believe it at first. I didn’t think that could even be possible. It feels amazing to know a simple announcement for our simple little club at App State could make a difference.”
Not counting the large donation, App State Students for Life collected more than 1,200 diapers and 1,200 wipes and more than 40 other bay items this year for their drive, up from around 500 the prior year, Williams said.
— Kimberly Bender, online reporter
