Jubilee Community Church
Black History Month at Jubilee
February is usually the highlight of our winter quarter. This year was no exception as the month featured two special presentations.
The first one was an interview in which Dr. Moore asked gently probing questions of our esteemed guest,
Zaki Baruti, a highly respected educator, community organizer, and creator with co-founders of the
UAPO (Universal African People’s Organization.)
Mr. Baruti has been on the frontlines of educating, empowering and organizing African Americans to succeed without becoming beholden to Whites. His responses to the questions asked were insightful, challenging, thoughtful, and full of the wisdom befitting a man of his age and stature.
The second one was a dramatized presentation by Dr. Moore of the faith and truth that motivated Nat Turner in his slave rebellion. Dr. Moore’s information had been saved through five generations of Nat Turner’s grandsons (of whom Dr. Moore is 5th generation grandson) and had never before been made public. He described the RAAGE (Revenge Acquired At Great Expense) that motivated Nat Turner, but took on the mantle of redirecting it in
this generation to Redemption Acquired At Great Expense.
click for photo information
Dr. Bryan Moore (pictured left) The 5th Generation Grandson of Nat Turner Re-enacts his Interpretation of moments before the Revolt.
Who or What is The Black Tie?
If you have live-streamed our Sunday services or read news articles about us, you have probably noticed some men referred to as “Black Tie” perhaps you’ve wondered, “What’s up with that?” In a nutshell, the Black Tie are the elite servant leaders of Jubilee’s Men’s Ministry. All these men made a choice to leave behind their addictions, incarceration or homelessness, and start on a new road of purpose and destiny.
The new road for them started at our V.O.B. recovery home where they began the difficult process of building structure and order into their formerly chaotic lifestyle. Together with their new family of brothers, they learned to follow directions, work, hard, be on time, tackle new skills, and much more. In the process they are taught the biblical principles that underline their new way of living.
They have weekly training sessions with Dr. Moore where they learn how to be strong men of God, servant leaders. All of the men are expected to keep growing, biologically, psychologically, and theologically. They learn how to set goals and monitor their own progress.
They receive guidance in pursuing GEDs, drivers licenses, educational degrees, or work licenses as needed. All the men have jobs either through one of Jubilee’s non-profit businesses or outside.
To be considered for the Black Tie, they have to show growth in the above areas as well as in the following areas:
How to:
• Lead recovery meetings
• Love the unlovely
• Manage finances
• Reconcile differences
• Resolve conflicts
As of now Black Ties direct our V.O.B. House and the Turner House. One is director of our housing ministry, others lead our property management and property maintenance businesses.
Jubilee Community
Development Corp.
The January Snow Storm
When strong Spring winds blew across our practice courts or scorching St. Louis Summer heat and humidity melted us, our tennis coach used to say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, so we kept going, and it paid off come tournament time.
Our Jubilee Services Snow Removal Team was the epitome of that| saying when the early January snow storms hit St. Louis. Director John K., who had trained all the men, worked longer than anyone with driving plus coordinating their jobs. Our Black Tie leaders and trainees worked through the freezing cold 4 or 5 straight days – several of the leaders on a total 6 – 10 hours sleep!
John K., James, Rob, Barry, Gary, Mike, and Darrion kept our 3 snow plow trucks running while Josh, Jeff, John W., Joe, Jerome, Steve, Dustin, Ali, Johnny, and others did the exhausting work of shoveling the places the plows couldn’t access.
Since we had done some previous work for Washington University, they called us when their “professional” snow removal company couldn’t get to them! Our men stepped up to the plate and on top of their regular clients took care of everything WU wanted done, AND did a better job than their other service. Guess who has the Wash.
U. contract now! The JCDC Black Tie guys! When the weather got tough, these tough men got going and kept going until their jobs were completed.
Our Jubilee family gave them a standing ovation when we were able to return to Sunday services.
And we praised God for keeping our men safe and giving them strength, skill and determination through their long ordeal.
From Ghetto Hotel to Gethsemane House
We praise God for an initial payment from CDA grant money, that we can now use to start work on the motel across the street from Jubilee transforming it from a crack house to a Recovery Home for the trauma soaked men of our neighborhood. Dr. Moore and the men have already named it Gethsemane House.
Our Black Tie leaders and the other CCM men have already done the first steps of thoroughly cleaning out the building and making it secure. They have also been doing pre-development planning with the interior architects from St. Louis Design Alliance, letting them know specific things that make life go more smoothly for guys who are living two to a room for weeks or months at a time.
The reconstruction phase will begin later this Spring. There’s a lot of tough work ahead, and – as we saw in the snow storm account – our guys are the ones who can do it. Rest assured, the Lord has provided them with the skills needed as well as toughness. I expect the SLDA supervisor will be pleased with our Jubilee workers.
The Nat Turner Foundation
The Nat Turner Foundation continues to support and promote the programs of Jubilee Community Development Corporation. We have an exciting event planned for the end of March. It will be the dedication of Paul’s Pavilion located at the Oasis Farm just behind Jubilee Community Church. The Pavilion is dedicated to the memory of Paul Stolwyk and his opposition to racism.
The Pavilion was made possible by the generosity of First Evangelical Free Church. It was constructed by the Men of Phillipsburg Christian Church and Jubilee Community Church. It will be a great celebration for everyone involved.