Rep. Emanuel Cleaver delivers word at Dallas Pastors’ Coalition Martin Luther King Celebration

By Shawn Williams – Dallas South News Editor

Today the African-American Pastors’ Coalition held their 16th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Program. The celebration was hosted by Pastor Bryan Carter and the Concord Baptist Church.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver

The Word Bearer for the program was Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, U.S. House Representative from Missouri’s 5th District. Cleaver was born in in Waxahachie (he says the “shack” where he lived is still there), grew up in Wichita Falls, and graduated from Prairie View A&M, where we was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Rep. Cleaver acknowledged Dr. Tyrone Gordon of St. Luke’s Community United Methodist Church who he mentoredwhile Gordon was in Kansas City. Cleaver also acknowledged his colleague and “friend” Rep. Jeb Hensarling who was in the congregation. And the Congressman from Missouri gave a shout out to County Commissioner John Wiley Price. “If Dallas didn’t have a John Wiley Price,” he said, “you would be looking for one.

Rep. Cleaver -who is a United Methodist Minister- spoke from Ecclesiastes 3:15. And as he chronicled the life and accomplishments of Dr. King, he also spoke of the events of the day referencing the disaster in Haiti, and the deplorable remarks made by Pat Robertson.

Pastor Bryan Carter prepares for program

Pastor Perry Crenshaw of New Begginings Christian Fellowship in Grand Prairie reflected on the forty plus years that have passed since Dr. King’s death. “We as African-Americans have progressed on all fronts,” said Crenshaw. “But the danger is to feel like we have arrived and that the struggle has yet ceased,” he said.

Dr. Jerry L. Christian, President of the African-American Pastors’ Coalition, collected a special offering to send towards Haitian relief efforts. He said he hopes the group can raise $10,000, and pledged that the money would be directed where it’s needed most.