The fall season is a time of cooler temperatures, brightly colored leaves, and anticipated fruit and vegetable harvests. Northern states tend to see and feel the season more than we do here in South Florida, where 80 to 90 degree temperatures still taunt us. The many harvest festivals, pumpkins, apples and store displays serve to remind us that it is here nonetheless.

Fall, also known as autumn, is so named because of what happens to leaves as the weather grows colder in most parts of the country – they eventually fall from the trees. The season was originally identified as harvest due to its status as the last opportunity to reap a crop for the year.

We live in a time when you can buy just about any fruit or vegetable year ‘round regardless of the season. Importing from various countries with different climates from ours translates into mangoes, watermelon, and coconuts in winter. Our tropical climate means we get to enjoy these things practically year ‘round. The more that is locally grown, the better for us and local farmers. The farmers can only sell what they grow, however. And they can only grow what they intentionally plant.

This principle extends beyond agriculture into our lives and experiences as well. You reap what you sow. Sowing happens when we invest, put in, or contribute to something. If you invest in learning, you will reap an education. If you put effort into your exercise regimen, you will reap better health. If you contribute to the productivity of your employer by possessing a good work ethic, you will reap a salary and perhaps a bonus or raise.

This idea of sowing and reaping affects our relationships as well. What we get out of our interactions with each other is directly related to what we put in.

In fact, Jesus’ command in Matthew 7:12, also known as the Golden Rule, directs us to sow with good intentions. “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” So, if I expect my neighbor to treat me fairly, I need to be fair with him. If I want patience and mercy from others because of my inabilities and frailties, then I must be patient and merciful with them when I am subject to theirs.

This is an inescapable fact of life and human experience. You reap what you sow. It is far easier for us to respond to people in kind. Try being friendly and gracious with your server at the restaurant on your next visit and see if you don’t get better service than when you were irritated and demanding. Galatians 6:7 makes it plain, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” You cannot sow strife and expect to reap peace. You cannot sow hate and expect to reap love. You cannot sow discord and expect to reap unity.

What kind of harvest would you like this season? If you have sown good seeds of compassion, kindness, and patience with others, then you can look for an abundant return of the same in your life. If you have sown negative words, attitudes, and behavior then don’t be surprised when those same things return in multiplied measure. It’s never too late, however, to change the course of our lives by adjusting our outlook to realize that we can have some effect upon what happens to us. In this season, let us intentionally sow good seeds so that we may reap a good harvest.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

On May 4, 1998, millions of Americans viewed part one of the final Seinfeld episode, aptly titled “The Finale.” Stuck in a small, unfamiliar Massachusetts town, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer are witnesses to an armed carjacking. Showing little concern for the victim, Kramer hoists his large camcorder to film the event while the others poke fun at the driver, for both his physical appearance and ill-fated predicament. Their laughter fades when a police officer approaches the four and places them under arrest.

“What? No, no … We didn’t do anything,” said Elaine.

“That’s exactly right,” replied the police officer, charging them for violating the town’s newly passed Good Samaritan Law, requiring bystanders to take reasonable action to assist anyone in danger.

While behind bars, George said, “Why would we want to help somebody? That’s what nuns and Red Cross workers are for.”

We laugh at its absurdity: the idea that anyone would stand idly by while a fellow human was in distress, let alone film the event. Yet a few weeks ago, footage of a Southwest Airlines flight attendant “slurring his words” and “nodding off” during a safety demonstration was posted to LiveLeak. The story went viral, accusing the flight attendant of either falling asleep or being drunk.

While the digital world jumped to negative conclusions, a personal friend of the flight attendant reported that he was actually suffering from a medical condition, and was later hospitalized for a brain aneurysm.

What started out as a punchline to a ‘90s television show has become our 21st Century reality: film first, post later, feel good about our “likes.” Me. Me. Me. Surely this can’t be healthy?

Psychology Today reports that when we become “self-absorbed, it’s difficult for us to experience the world from other people’s perspectives. Other people become truly ‘other’ to us. And this makes it possible for us to inflict suffering on them,” or fail to help them when they are in need. Our cell phones are charged and ready for filming, yet, it’s our empathy, our ability to be human, which is depleted.

This is cause for concern as we consider the research of renowned psychologist Dr. Philip Zimbardo. In his TED Talk, Zimbardo asserts that the “slippery slope of evil — exercising power to intentionally harm people physically and psychologically” begins with the “dehumanization of others” via a “legal, political, economic or cultural background — a system” that “corrupts the individuals.”

Consider the recent national cases of police either being refused restaurant service or having derogatory remarks scribbled across their coffee cups. Let me be clear about what’s happening: Individuals are uniting against the police. There are those in our society — in every society — who do not understand the text of Romans 13:3, “For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong.” (Naturally, some have more to fear than others.) But, this is different. These individuals are uniting under the same pretense. A movement has been created, a system that is giving some people power and permission to dehumanize police, leading to the infliction of suffering against police officers, both emotional and physical. In short, evil.

Zimbardo later goes on to say that the antidote to evil is heroes: “Heroes are everyday people.” Police are everyday people. They are humans. Let us not lose our empathy, unjustly dehumanizing our peace officers. Let us recognize the true courage of those who put their life on the line during every shift, while so many of us idly stand to the side, camera phone in hand, waiting for our clip to go viral.

To all those who put on the uniform every day, thank you. Your service and sacrifice does not go unnoticed, and I believe substantially more citizens than those portrayed in the media agree that your lives matter. Not because you are a police officer, but because you are human, and to dehumanize a person is nothing short of evil.

C.J. Wetzler is the Next-Gen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments, he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

The numbers are staggering, and the experience is unimaginable. The wave of refugees fleeing Syria and other parts of the Middle East is testing the hospitality of Europe and other Western nations. Thousands have been displaced from their native lands and way of life, only to face uncertainty, fear and hostility in some cases. Hungary, Serbia and Germany are being overwhelmed. The United States has promised to increase the number that it can take in. But the victims of war-torn Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan keep coming with no end in sight.

Immigration has been a major issue in this country for quite some time now. The current political candidates vying for the White House have been challenged, on both sides, to address illegal border crossings, and the economic and social impact illegal immigration appears to have on the American way of life. The current crisis in Europe has only added to the debates that have raged on both sides of the issue.

But beyond the politics and economic discussions, how much responsibility do we have to assist the alien and the stranger?

All of us possess the ability to sympathize and be compassionate about the difficulties that others face. Something is stirred within us at the sight of suffering, grief and devastation after a natural disaster or some other catastrophic event. We willingly give our money and volunteer our services to be of help. It’s the right thing to do and is a natural human response. Irrespective of cultural, ethnic or physical differences, we all understand pain and have the same impulses to assuage it. Only the callous and barbaric are unmoved at someone’s distress.

God has created us to commiserate and be tenderhearted towards each other. His instruction to the ancient Hebrews was to be mindful of the poor and strangers among them.

“And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger.” [Leviticus 19:10].

In fact, aliens among the Hebrews were to be treated equally and without discrimination.

“The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” [Leviticus 19:34].

In the New Testament, Jesus indicates that our treatment of those in adversity is indicative of our treatment of Him.

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me…Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” [Matthew 25:35-36, 40].

This is why the faith community is always on the front lines of humanitarian aid and assistance. We extend God’s love to those who are in need because it is required of us, because God has shown us mercy, and because we owe it to our fellowman.

We may not have all the answers to the refugee crisis in Europe, or for the immigration issue here at home. We do acknowledge our responsibility to help the alien and the stranger nonetheless. Let’s be grateful for the churches, ministries, organizations and social service agencies that give aid to those facing crisis. Let us be inspired to help in the ways that we can by donating goods, money or services to those agencies. And let’s pray for peace at home and around the world.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

When you’ve predominately operated two- and four-seat single engine training aircraft, the opportunity to get your teenaged hands on an eight-seater twin-prop plane boosts the feeling of being a “real” pilot. I say “real” because this particular flight I was about to fl y was not a training flight, but for actual passenger transport. (Nothing like pretending to be in the big leagues.) I was crushed when my father informed me that my long-awaited trip was most likely canceled —something about all flights being grounded. Impossible. The date was Sept. 11, 2001.

We turned on the television moments before the second tower was struck by a plane. Weeks would pass airing stories of incomprehensible loss contrasted by unimaginable courage. Never before had I seen America, or even our allies for that matter, become so unified. Why does it take an immense tragedy for this level of cooperation to exist?

The nation tabled their political views and rallied behind President George W. Bush as he and Mayor Rudy Giuliani led the country through a time of mourning and rebuilding. Because of their leadership and resolve, as a teenager, I gained a new perspective on what it meant to be one — one nation under God, that is.

Fourteen years later and the unity has seemingly dissolved. Our America has become my America where we define patriotism in the same way Burger King takes our order: have it your way. This is a far cry from where we were when a packed stadium of fans, in unison, began chanting over and over “U-S-A!” following a ceremonial first pitch by Bush during game three of the 2001 World Series.

So what happened? When did our nation begin to divide like cells? When we made sin a thing to be tolerated, not eradicated. That’s right. We took things like anger, hate, lust, idolatry, greed, jealousy, selfishness and drunkenness and hid them behind a cause, not realizing they are all tools in the devil’s arsenal of division — perfect if you’re trying to keep the body from becoming one.

It’s time for a revival. Now, I’m not talking about pitching a big tent, getting the local hipster musicians together and preaching with extra syllables when you say “Jesus.” I’m talking about a revival of the heart — your heart, my heart.

The change we pray for in our nation isn’t going to come solely through a worship music rock concert or some fancy social media hashtag campaign. True change and restoration will occur when each of us clears our heart like Jesus cleared the Temple area of merchants. In John 2:15-16, Jesus says, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” He knew the Temple area was a sacred spot reserved for God. Don’t believe me? Go check out the moment in Genesis when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son — one he had waited his whole life to see born. Though God was not actually going to have Abraham take his son’s life, He did want to test Abraham’s heart, see if he was willing to clear the “Temple” space.

So there it is. To take from the Tim Timmons song Starts with Me, the change we seek begins when we Christians hit our knees.

We must clear our hearts as Jesus cleared the Temple so that, when we stand, we are ready (and filled with courage) to be the light in a country plagued with brokenness dividing us from being what we’re called to be: one nation under God.

C.J. Wetzler is the Next-Gen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

The city of Newark, NJ has the distinction of being one of America’s oldest cities, behind Boston and New York.

During the early 19th Century, it thrived as an industrial giant; but, after WWII, it suffered a fate similar to other urban cities that saw a loss of manufacturing jobs. As residents left to find work in other places, urban decay and societal decline set in, culminating in the riots of the 1960s.

What was once a thriving city was reduced to an urban wasteland and a dilapidated relic of a bygone era.

Things slowly began to turn around, however, as city planners and officials sought to adapt to the changing times by refocusing and rebuilding the city.

Today, Newark boasts a reduced crime rate, a vibrant downtown area with hotels and entertainment venues, an arena home for an NHL hockey team, a major league baseball stadium and gleaming office skyscrapers.

Unlike some other cities across the country that have failed to emerge from a ghost-like existence, Newark has demonstrated that an environment once deemed to be dead can be reanimated and experience new life.

What is true for turnaround cities is true for people as well.

I recently heard the inspiring story of a young man who wandered into a church several years ago. He had been in and out of jail and was trying to turn his life around. No one would hire him because of his criminal record but he was determined not to end up a statistic.

The pastor encouraged him to give his life to God and to trust Him for his future, which the young man did.

“What skills do you have?” the pastor inquired.

“I’ll do anything,” he responded.

“Would you be willing to try your hand at a property cleaning business?”

The young man agreed to do it, and the pastor helped him to produce dozens of flyers advertising his services and placed them all over the town.

Within weeks, he had his first cleaning job, and soon other calls began to come in. The young man partnered with a friend in a similar situation, and they soon saw their business grow. They were now able to comfortably take care of their families and were making more money than when they were hustling in the streets.

There is always hope for a turnaround from the failures and setbacks in our lives.

Opportunities are always lurking behind the obstacles that confront us. We must be prepared to make adjustments and adapt to new realities or we may find ourselves mired in stagnation.

To His ancient people, who were suffering in captivity and oppression, God gave a powerful promise: “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).

Those who trust in God today can count on Him to be of similar assistance in their lives.

He can show you a way through the wilderness, and He can sustain you in the desert.

What challenges are you facing that appear to be hopeless? What deteriorating situation are you desperate to break free from?

Invite God into your life and trust Him for direction. Examine all the options around you and prayerfully pursue the opportunities that emerge.

Remember that any difficulty that is lasting does not have to be everlasting. There is always hope for a turnaround.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

To say that I was an excellent middle school football player would be a lie. Frankly, I stank. But I kept trying — mostly because scorching summer afternoon practices were followed with a refreshing ice cold carbonated beverage: the Slurpee.

I can remember one day, having been completely consumed with my Slurpee that I hopped in the wrong car, going so far as to buckle my seatbelt! It wasn’t until I heard from the driver, “Well, who are you?” before I realized my embarrassing mistake. I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt, tucked my tail between my legs and dashed back to my actual ride.

I suppose we all have similar mesmerizing Slurpee moments. In fact, I believe there is a pandemic of such infatuation moments happening today. Kids’ eyes are affixed to screens, teens to themselves via the selfie-stick (don’t get me started on that one) and adults to their work. At best, children are quiet, teens look their best and adults are efficient; at worst, children lack time-management, teens mask insecurities and adults neglect their responsibilities. But amidst such duplicity, I’d like to focus on one particular affixation as we prepare for back-to-school: grades.

It’s Cameron Dallas’ character Felix, in the movie Expelled, who says it best about grades, “Straight As, [they’re] the Holy Grail of Academia … catnip for parents” and the “reward for properly raising your kid.” But is it? Should it be? Will high marks keep your child from living in a van down by the river? Hardly.

As a former high school teacher, I’m not implying parents abandon their concern for the report card. All I’m suggesting is that we re-evaluate our obsession or, dare I say, all-consuming search for the “Holy Grail of Academia.” Here’s why: because grades (the end), have increasingly become more valuable than the effort to obtain said grades (the means), which has opened the door for grade inflation in both the high school and college realms.

It’s become a simple business transaction. The academic institution is looked upon favorably due to a booming population of students with high GPAs and parents are satisfied because of their child’s seemingly exceptional performance. Win-win, right? Except that such an emphasis drives students to judge their self-worth based on a letter (rationalizing whatever means necessary, like cheating, to achieve those high marks — the worldly standard by which they are measured.) I’m sorry to say, but straight As might mean nothing more than your child knows how to work the system.

I don’t mean to imply that all students with straight As are system manipulators. It’s this: Straight As or not, stop measuring your student solely by four letters. Understand that not all students are “A” students, and that’s okay. I can’t tell you how many times I watched academically-gifted students “earn” high grades with little effort and be praised, whereas students who busted their butt only achieved a “C” accompanied by little to no recognition (now that’s a tragedy).

And understand that when we receive something, like high letter grades, for something we didn’t work hard to obtain, that’s when entitlement rears its ugly head. So let’s change the paradigm.

Here’s my professional recommendation: Praise your student’s effort and help them understand their identity in Christ, because in all honesty, does anything else really matter? You can personalize Matthew 16:26 to read “And what [does your child] benefit if [they get straight As] but lose [their] soul?”

You know why being a terrible football player didn’t matter to me? Because I knew God had a different path for me — an awesome one and something only He could equip me to begin. So, this school year, let’s go #BeyondTheLetter when evaluating growth.

Look to Galatians 5:22-23 for the standard: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law.”

Is your student understanding what it means to love unconditionally? Finding joy during trials? Developing patience? Kind to others? Seeking a deeper understanding of faith? Gentle and exhibiting self-control?

If so, rest assured that no letter grade is going to stop the plans God has for your child — even should they fail a course or two along the way.

CJ Wetzler is the NextGen Pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain, and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments, he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

As we enjoy the high days of summer in South Florida, we are wary of the potential for tropical storms and the dreaded hurricane to interrupt our lives.

If you have ever given it any thought, you will have considered that just about every place on the planet is subject to some type of storm.

In this country alone, there are a variety of natural manifestations that affect the different areas of this nation.

Snowstorms in the Northern states, tornadoes in the Midwest, earthquakes on the West Coast and hurricanes in the South are just a few of the inevitable realities that we will have to contend against and live with.

More than a disruption to our lives, storms are destructive and potentially deadly.

Recent news coverage showed the damage caused by flooding in Kentucky and Arizona. Homes were saturated with water, vehicles were swept away and lives were put at risk. Similarly, an ice storm can topple power lines and damage roofs.

Hurricane force winds can decimate unstable structures and make projectiles out of debris. And raging fire storms can wipe out thousands of acres of forests and destroy an area’s ecology.

While some would place the cause of storms on man-caused climate change, they have really been occurring as long as life has existed on earth. But why do storms occur, and what purpose do they serve? Outside of human involvement, storms have origins that are best explained by scientists and meteorologists.

Their purpose may be a mystery to their victims, but those who study storms point to some advantages. Hurricanes and winter storms are said to vent off heat from the lower levels of the atmosphere. And the same storm that erodes the beach on a barrier island actually fortifies the back side of the same island through new sediment deposits carried by the wind and waves. In addition, nutrients on the ocean floor are stirred and cycled to the surface to boost marine life. And lightning is said to maintain the electrical balance in the atmosphere, as well as help with nitrogen deposits in soil.

We’ve likened the adversities of life to storms, and even refer to them as such. Could there also be an intent in some of the difficulties that we inevitably face?

If one looks closely enough, he may indeed find some semblance of a purpose for his pain. Many successes have resulted only after a series of setbacks. Necessity (want or lack) is said to be the mother of invention.

A weakness in one area may cause us to discover a strength in another. And some people with disabilities are driven to achieve, and often excel, in their efforts.

While answers to the purpose for life’s storms are not always easy to discover, and some may never be found, it does not hurt to ask. As King Solomon declared in Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

Faith in God has enabled many believers to weather the storms of life. The comfort of Biblical promises, and the strong sense of God’s presence has provided peace through some of the greatest challenges.

As you prepare for the possibility of a hurricane, make sure you also have the spiritual equipment to help you survive the emotional and spiritual upheaval that may come your way. “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat” (Isaiah 25:4).

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

There’s been a lot of recent news attention given to those in an apparent identity crisis.

Famed Olympian Bruce Jenner unveiled his transformation as Caitlyn on nationwide television.

Rachel Dolezal, a white woman in Spokane, WA, came under the glare of public scrutiny when it was revealed that she had been claiming to be a black woman. Her estranged parents were the ones who outed her for what they felt was a deception since there was no evidence of black heritage in the family tree.

None of this is really shocking in the context of contemporary society. We’ve known for years that there are men who want to be women, women who identify as men, blacks who want to be white, and now there are some whites who think that they are black. Surprising? Not really. Confusing? It doesn’t have to be.

The search for identity has prevailed upon human existence ever since mankind came into being. The Biblical worldview teaches that, in Genesis, God created man and woman giving them specific instructions that pertained to their identity and purpose in creation. It was the serpent, Satan, who posed the question that confused the first man and woman about who they were, and who they could really be (see Genesis, Chapter 3). Falling for the deception that they could be gods themselves, and make their own determinations about good and evil, they violated the one restriction of their Eden existence and plunged mankind into sin and rebellion against God.

The Old Testament portrays God as passionately pursuing mankind so they could reconnect with Him and discover their true identity.

He even established a nation through Abraham to distinguish the blessed life of submission and obedience to the Creator, from a dissatisfactory lifestyle of self-government and self-determination.

The challenge for those whom He called was whether to trust His way and forsake their own ideas, or to reject the notion of a God they could not see while charting their own paths in the visible realities of life.

Psychologists tell us that everyone longs for significance, and a sense of belonging and purpose in life. Our identities are an integral part of where we fit and how we function in the world. It is, therefore, important that we understand who we are and what we are to do, if we hope to find fulfillment in this life.

The New Testament portrays God as lovingly providing a remedy for man’s sin, and offering the opportunity to discover who each of us was created to be. It appears that what Satan suggested in the Garden was actually attainable, if one did it God’s way. John, Chapter 1, Verses 12 and 13, states, “But, as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

It is my prayer that Bruce/Caitlyn and Rachel find their true identity and purpose in a real relationship with God.

It is my prayer for all of those searching for meaning to their existence. The external preoccupation with one’s identity will never satisfy the internal quest for fulfillment.

Only God can fill that vacuum with His presence, His power and His purpose. Only the Creator can define His creation and declare its true intent.

How strange it seems, but also how wonderful it is to discover that in giving up ourselves to Him, we find out who we truly are.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

Much ink and airtime has been given to the recent troubles of Baltimore, MD and its inner city residents in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death.

Pundits, politicians and the community alike have weighed in on the problems and causes of mistrust, aggression, violence and crime that permeate the minority communities of our urban cities. Thankfully, most agree that riots and looting are not the answer. Several meetings and gatherings of community leaders, politicians, clergy and citizens of Baltimore sought to identify solutions to problems that, in reality, affect far too many minority communities across America.

Many of those participating in the disturbance of Baltimore were young people. In fact, the initial protests that preceded the riot and looting involved high school students. Clearly, there is a problem affecting minority youth that needs to be addressed. Baltimore schools have a dropout rate of over 12 percent and a four-year graduation rate under 70 percent. Consequently, many solutions arising out of meetings focused on achieving better educational outcomes through greater parental involvement and community partnerships. Mentoring programs for youth, tutoring initiatives and career skills training are some of the efforts that many from within these communities are asking for.

Our city has not faced the challenges of other communities like Ferguson or Baltimore. There is a relatively healthy relationship between our communities and law enforcement, our citizens and government leaders, our faith leaders and city personnel. Our youth are served through various initiatives aimed at keeping them out of trouble, completing their education and becoming productive citizens. The involvement and even collaboration of faith-based programs, the business community, law enforcement and social service organizations is necessary to providing opportunities for all of our youth to succeed in life.

A few days ago, I was thrilled to witness and participate in a small, informal commencement activity for students served through our tutoring program. Since the 2010- 2011 school term, Cathedral Community Development Corporation has been offering after-school tutoring in Reading and Mathematics for children in grades 3 to 5. The program and curriculum have been developed by Rev. David Johnson, who retired from a career in education and was employed as a Broward County school principal. Several certified teachers have partnered with the program to address deficiencies among children in our local schools.

The success of the program has been seen in marked improvement among the children who participate. Pre- and post-testing reveals the gains made by each student in the respective classes. Parents consistently write to express their appreciation for the improvement of their children, and the impact of the program. Through strategic partnerships and grants from several organizations, the program has been able to continue each school term, but much more could be done with a significant donation. Some of the children demonstrate below average reading skills, and specialized staff would enable personalized instruction for those who are struggling.

We would love to include other grade levels as well. Some of our local schools need all the help they can get in raising the proficiency level of our children. Insufficient resources hinder expansion and further development, but Director Johnson has worked wonders with what has been provided over the past several years.

Major funding would be a boost to our program and the children of this community. As more and more communities take ownership of the issues facing the less fortunate around them, productive partnerships can be formed to the benefit of both those who are served as well as those who serve. As Proverbs 11, verse 17 states, “The merciful man does good for his own soul.”

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

A few weeks ago Taylor Swift announced’ to her fans that her mother had recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Her reason for going public with her family’s private struggle was to encourage others to get screenings.

The responses on social media were immediate and supportive. I was particularly struck by reports that Lady Gaga reached out to Taylor with “God bless you and your mama. We’ll all be praying.”

I don’t consider myself a fan of either of these women and have never listened to their music. I have occasionally heard about them through entertainment news and have no knowledge of their faith or religion. But I am intrigued whenever I hear God being positively referenced and prayer being encouraged from those in the entertainment industry.

It is in those times when we are confronted with our weaknesses and inabilities that we often realize the need for divine assistance. No amount of money, influence or fame can shield anyone from crisis and adversity. Pain and tragedy are equal opportunity afflictions that give respect to no one. Rich and poor, privileged and oppressed, and those in between will all face the inevitable reality that there are some things beyond man’s control. The response for many in those moments is to pray … to look outside themselves and beyond themselves to a greater power. It is a natural inclination when confronted by crisis. In the days following the 9/11 tragedy, houses of worship across this country were filled with people praying to God and looking for comfort, for hope and for answers.

For believers, the promise of prayer is that God responds to our petitions. Psalm 102:17 states, “He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer.” And James 5:16 observes, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Prayer is much more than beseeching God for help, however. It is a means by which we commune and interact with God. It is the expression of a soul that recognizes its dependence upon God. Prayer is offered from the vantage point of inadequacy and insufficiency looking toward the might and sufficiency of God. It is a necessary spiritual discipline by which we develop in our faith and grow in our relationship with God. It should be engaged daily and sincerely.

It is worth noting that the disciples of Jesus were so impressed by His relationship with His Father that they asked the Lord to teach them how to pray.

Prayer is a powerful force, and praying is a beneficial exercise. So I join Lady Gaga in offering prayers for Taylor Swift’s mother. I pray that the diagnosis was early enough to counter the disease with available medical treatments. I pray that what the medicines and treatments cannot accomplish, God Himself will do. I pray that others who are similarly affected will find help and hope, and healing. I pray that we would continue to demonstrate compassion and sympathy towards, those who are suffering around us. I pray that, as God answers our prayers, we would be motivated to pursue Him in faith and obedience. And I encourage all of us to pray more consistently that God would not only answer our prayers, but also that His will would be done.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.