On Friday night, Dec. 21st, a group of ten from St. Mary's and St. Barnabas car-pooled up to Church of the Ascension in Atlantic City to experience our first ever Hip-Hop Mass. And, my friends, if ever you have the opportunity to experience the Eucharist Hip-Hop style, I urge you to do so.
Guest preacher, Pastor Gary Melton, explained in his sermon the "rationale" for bringing hip-hop into the church. Hip-hop is typically associated with gangs, violence, drugs, sexual promiscuity, etc. - and all of this is glorified by hip-hop culture. By bringing hip-hop into the church, Christ can use the medium for good. Christ enters the darkest places of our lives (after all, the Christ child was born into a dark, dingy, smelly manger and out of this dark beginning, redeemed the world. I'm not doing justice to Pastor Gary's words. But the impact truly was profound.
The local media picked up the story. Not only did it make the front page of the Atlantic City Press on Saturday, but a local television station reported as well. To see the video clip, click on this link and then, just below the headline, you can push the "video" button.
To Poppa T (a.k.a., The Rev. Timothy Holder) - Word! (After the dismissal at St. Barnabas this morning, one of the teens who was with us in Atlantic City, shouted out, "Word!" --- a great moment!)
Guest preacher, Pastor Gary Melton, explained in his sermon the "rationale" for bringing hip-hop into the church. Hip-hop is typically associated with gangs, violence, drugs, sexual promiscuity, etc. - and all of this is glorified by hip-hop culture. By bringing hip-hop into the church, Christ can use the medium for good. Christ enters the darkest places of our lives (after all, the Christ child was born into a dark, dingy, smelly manger and out of this dark beginning, redeemed the world. I'm not doing justice to Pastor Gary's words. But the impact truly was profound.
The local media picked up the story. Not only did it make the front page of the Atlantic City Press on Saturday, but a local television station reported as well. To see the video clip, click on this link and then, just below the headline, you can push the "video" button.
To Poppa T (a.k.a., The Rev. Timothy Holder) - Word! (After the dismissal at St. Barnabas this morning, one of the teens who was with us in Atlantic City, shouted out, "Word!" --- a great moment!)
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