NAACP meeting discusses overcoming adversity

ALBANY — At the NAACP of Georgia mass meeting Thursday, held as part of the state NAACP’s annual conference, Religious Affairs Committee Chairman the Rev. Dallas Wilson Sr. spoke of overcoming adversity and making a difference in people’s lives in his sermon titled “Thank God for the Fire.” The service featured musical selections, various speakers and a praise dance.

Wilson contextualized his speech with the Biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, wherein King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon put the men in a furnace, demanding that they worship the king’s golden image instead of Jesus.

“Our God is able is to deliver us from the fiery furnace and out of thy hand,” Wilson said. “You can’t be afraid of the fire, because you know God is able. … Sometimes, you’ve got to go through ups and downs to break free of people who’ve been trying to keep you down. But watch this: God didn’t show up until they went into the fire.”

When Wilson brought the topic around to how contributions, such as tithes, can make a difference to a community, he told the congregation a story about dying starfish. According to the pastor, a storm washed “hundreds of thousands” of starfish up on the shores of a seaside city, and a man tried to save them by throwing them back into the ocean one by one.

Wilson said, “The reporters said, ‘What are you doing? You know you can’t make a difference. There’s hundreds of thousands of starfish on the beach.’ He picked up another one, threw it into the ocean and said, ‘I made a difference to that one.’ Sometimes, you’ve got to stop worrying about the big picture and just do your part.”

After the meeting, NAACP of Georgia President Phyllis Blake said the sermon tapped into “the fire within us” when it comes to making change happen. “We can reach for the highest in addressing civil rights issues, voter suppression issues and mass incarceration issues,” Blake said. “It was a very encouraging sermon, just re-emphasizing what we know that we have inside of us to do in serving our communities.”

Blake said the organization “truly appreciate(s)” Albany State University NAACP President Jasmine Browner for “inspiring their chapter members in fulfilling the mission and goals of the NAACP.”

Additionally, Blake mentioned that the Albany Civil Rights Institute is a “gem” of the community and said she would tell everyone she knows about it.

Former Religious Affairs Committee Chair the Rev. Rutha Jackson led the congregation through a few stanzas of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the “Black National Anthem,” before the sermon. Afterward, she talked about what else she’s looking forward to at the conference.

“This convention, I’m looking to talk more about canvassing, getting out the vote and political action,” Jackson said. “I’m also looking to talk more about our rules and regulations regarding the Constitution with Kevin Myles when he does the training (workshop). The gala is always good, but it’s the going out, the meeting, that I’m looking forward to.”