Rev. Ron Swisher's Reflections

Taylor Memorial UMC News

Rev. Ronald E. Swisher, Senior Pastor, Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, Oakland, CA

Reflections Archives 2009-2010

Message from Pastor Ron:

Women's History Month

March 7, 2010

Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a

diamond in the rough.

We live in a world which respects power above all things.

Power, Intelligently directed, can lead to more freedom.

For I am my mother’s daughter; the drums of Africa still

beat in my heart. They will not let me rest

while there is a single Negro boy or girl

without a chance to prove his worth.

I leave you love. I leave you hope. I leave you the challenge

of developing confidence in one another. I leave you

respect for the use of power. I leave you faith.

I leave you racial dignity.

Can you guess who said these words? It was a person I had been thinking about for a number of weeks; and, I realized I had never read a biography on her and never recalled having come across one on her. She is so well known throughout history and she left a legacy that many of us are proud of. And most of us have heard of her work and contributions to this society, country and world. But I had not ever seen a biography on her in the past or current like the ones released on Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marian Anderson, and the one I wrote about a few years ago for Women’s History Month – Mrs. Ida B. Wells Barnett. Well, no more suspense! The author of the above statements was Mary McCloud Bethune. What a giant she was in the fields of education, politics and her commitment to social justice for her people. She had, as we say, ”a fire in the belly,” and oh how we need people like her today in every endeavor. Amen! Therefore, in honor of Women’s History Month this March 2010, here are a few words about a woman who inspired a nation.

The scripture selected for the funeral this past Wednesday of Mrs. Lady G. Watts, who would have been 94 in May, was her favorite text and I believe a portion of it captures Mrs. Bethune. PSALM 1:

Blessed is the person who walked

not in the counsel of the ungodly,

nor standed in the way of sinners,

nor sit in the seat of the scornful.

But their delight is in the law of the Lord;

and in the law they meditate day and night.

And they shall be like a tree

planted by the rivers of water,

that bring forth their fruit in season;

and their leaf shall not wither;

and whatsoever they doeth shall prosper.

Who was Mary McCloud Bethune? What made her that strong tree in our forest? She was the founder of one of our Black colleges – Bethune-Cookman College in Florida – that gave the late great Howard Thurman the opportunity to become one of the most inspirational and dynamic spiritual leaders in our world. And, countless others benefited from her efforts in education. She also served as a New Deal government official during the Roosevelt administration and the highest held by an African American woman. She served as President of the National Association of Colored Woman and she founded and served as President of the National Council of Negro Women.

Some of you remember Bishop Leontine Kelly’s saying her life was changed when as a little girl she met Mary McCloud Bethune. Mrs. Bethune knocked on her door and when Bishop Kelly answered, Mrs. Bethune said something like, young lady what are you going to do with your life? Well, we see what Bishop Kelly did with her life and we see what numerous others did under the influence of the long inspirational shadow of Bethune’s greatness.

This capsule view only wetted my appetite for more knowledge of Mrs. Bethune and I will look for biographies of old and, hopefully, someone will write an extensive new one. She is a person we should never forget. So here are a few closing sayings of hers.

The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.

Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service.

Without it, nothing is possible.

With it, nothing is impossible.

May we all be so inspired!

Blessings,

Rev. Ron

1188 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94607