All about reaching out: Greater Dimension Ministries strives to make members community servants

Editor's note: The following is the second part in an occasional series on faith, worship and beliefs in Cape Girardeau's black churches.

By Tristram Thomas

Southeast Missourian

The Rev. William Bird Sr. of Greater Dimension Ministries wants to train his congregation members in the word of God to be community servants.

"We want to reach a greater dimension in our ministry," said Bird, referring to the name of the church.

At lively worship services on Sundays, he said, he hopes to bring congregation members closer to God and to equip them with the tools to go out into the streets.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Truevon Alford led the praise and worship Sunday at Greater Dimension Church of God in Christ in Cape Girardeau.

He cited this passage from Ephesians when he described the goals of his church: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

Greater Dimension Ministries, an affiliate of the Church of God in Christ, has some form of community program almost every day of the week. Prayer sessions, Bible studies and choir rehearsals take place during most of the week. Members attend a 5 a.m. prayer service on Saturdays. On Thursday evenings, a men's group holds its meetings.

The group focuses on making participants "godly men" and preparing them for both their Christian and everyday lives, according to Broderick Brevard, second administrative assistant at the church.

"There are issues men do not want to talk about," Brevard said, but they are able to discuss sometimes at the meetings.

The church also offers several support services, such as assistance to addicts, help in finding and maintaining employment and transportation to medical services. During the school year, the church holds after-school programs; it used to sponsor a day-care program.

During the summer, the church, along with the Salvation Army, sponsors Camp CARE (Concerned About Reaching Everyone), a weeklong summer camp intended for children ages 5 to 16. The program, in its 16th year, ended Friday.

"It went over and above what we expected," said Tina Right, the director for Camp CARE and the public relations coordinator for Greater Dimension Ministries.

Right said they had "maxed out" with the number of children they could handle this year and had to turn some away. The camp had to limit itself to receive only 100 children per day.

According to Right, one of the highlights of the camp was a group from Southeast Missouri State University that came one day to discuss drugs with children ages 11 to 14.

Bird, who became pastor in 1981, said he began extending his church's outreach program in the mid-1990s. At the time, he served on the Cape Girardeau School Board and worked in the Caring Communities Network with state Rep. Mary Kasten. He said his involvement with the latter organization allowed him to "solidify some ideas" for the various outreach programs he already had for his church.

Bird said he places a great deal of emphasis on reaching out to the younger generation because he said he believes they need the most guidance.

"It takes a village to raise a child," he said. "We want to attract youth and let them know there's a better way than crime, let them know that God does care and matter -- individuals do care."

Changing the world

He said he believes three institutions play a critical role in the raising of a child: home, school and church.

"We want all three working as partners to help make a difference because we are world-changers whether we know it or not," he said.

Bird said much of his congregation is composed of young, recently married couples and their children. When some move away from Cape Girardeau, they end up being involved elsewhere where they can use their training.

One of the ways the church reaches out to a younger crowd is through his worship service and the lively music.

"It's not starchy," said Calvin Bird, assistant pastor at the church and son of the pastor, about the worship service.

During a typical three-hour service, some form of music is played at all times. Conga drums, an organ and a drum set take over the left side of the altar. The praise team lines the back wall.

Services tend to follow a general order, but, according to Calvin Bird, "sometimes we get caught up" in the singing of the praise and worship.

Songs can go for 20 minutes with the whole congregation bouncing, cheering, clapping and singing along. When a song ends, the organist accompanies the speaker.

"We believe in it," William Bird said about the music. "It challenges us to praise the Lord on the instruments. It enhances our worship experience. It brings a lift."

Bird cited Psalms 92:1-3, which says to praise the Lord "upon an instrument of ten strings," as the reason for the abundance of music in the celebrations.

Church leaders said the message of the pastor is key to training congregation members for work in ministry.

"With the help of the Lord, we can do anything," Calvin Bird said. "The message is extremely, extremely positive."

William Bird said his positive message is different from that of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama used to be a member of the church and attended services there for many years.

Wright caused controversy earlier this year for saying that black Americans should say "God damn America," calling the United States "the U.S. of K.K.A." and saying the AIDS virus was a government plot targeted against blacks. As a result of the controversy, Obama ended his membership with the church and broke with his former pastor.

William Bird said he felt Wright was not representative of the black church community.

"I don't feel as if he speaks for the American black churches," he said.

He also said he believed Wright's frame of reference on certain issues to be different from his own.

"My frame of reference cannot be the same as those who've experienced lynchings," he said. "I haven't experienced that hurt, that hatred. My perception of men, with the Lord's help, is different. His message was love."

Even though Greater Dimension Ministries tends to attract a predominantly black congregation, the services are not restricted based on race.

"We welcome everybody," said Calvin Bird, who greets most of the Sunday church-goers with kisses.

William Bird said his community has not put forth a "mass effort" to recruit new members of different ethnic groups to the congregation, but he said it should not be a problem to recruit them. He also said he believed new progress was being made with advertisements for the church placed on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

"The vision has to be expanded to go to all over the world, not just the colored world," he said. "I believe I have a message that appeals to all people. It's just that comfort zone. People just don't cross that comfort zone too easily, and a lot of it goes back to perception."

tthomas@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 197

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