PASADENA—A.C. Green, former all-star forward
for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball
Association, and the Office of Reconciliation Ministries
were hosts for a conference on racial reconciliation
at Ambassador Auditorium Jan. 18.
The event was titled “Removing Walls/Building Bridges.”
Among the 300 to 400 in attendance were church, community
and political leaders.
Slide show on Martin Luther King
The event began with a 20-minute slide show on civil
rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., highlighting
his work as a Christian minister. Bermie Dizon, pastor
of the Pasadena NewLife and Los Angeles churches,
coordinated the slide show.
“Many people use Dr. King to support various causes,
but forget that he was first and foremost an ordained
Christian minister,” Mr. Dizon said.
Police Chief
Bernard K. Melekian, Pasadena police chief, spoke
on “Learning to Live and Work Together in Our Cities.”
He said we have made progress since the days of Dr.
King, but that we still have much to do.
Steps to reconciliation
Curtis May talks about Martin Luther King. [Photos
by Thomas C. Hanson and Ron Grove]
Mr. May introduced a film, Masters of Invention,
which highlighted inventions by African-Americans,
and then explained four steps to reconciliation:
confession, change, reconciliation and restitution.
- Confession: acknowledgment of
the hurtful actions of my people or myself toward
other people or categories of people.
- Repentance: turning from unloving
to loving actions.
- Reconciliation: expressing and
receiving forgiveness, and pursuing intimate fellowship
with previous enemies.
- Restitution: attempting to restore
what has been damaged or destroyed, not reparations.
Green, who openly professed his Christianity during
his days in the NBA, introduced a film called the
Final Solution that he co-produced. The film was
on the life of Gerrit Wolfhaardt, a white South African
paramilitary member who renounced his racist ways.
Mr. Wolfhaardt is now a Christian minister in the
United States and works in racial reconciliation
causes. His son, Thabo, 26, lives in Los Angeles
and attended the conference.
Question and answers The event closed with a question and answer session
conducted by A.C. Green and Mr. May. Area WCG members
served as ushers. The Los Angeles Times and the Pasadena
Star-News covered the event. |
