Church exercises star power
Actors in Tyler Perry film will headline benefit today for youth program
WAUKEGAN -- Stars of the Tyler Perry movie "Meet the Browns" are expected to draw an overflow crowd downtown today to Jesus Name Apostolic Church.
David and Tamela Mann will headline the church's benefit concert for its Youth of the Future program, which assists with after-school tutoring, mentoring and gang prevention. Entertainment also will be provided by the Anointed Voices Choir of Jesus Name Apostolic Church, Sonja Tate and Tiffany English.
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)
Jesus Name Apostolic Church, 208 Lake St., Waukegan, will hold a VIP reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. today followed by a free concert at 7 p.m.
For more information, contact Evelyn Chenier, executive director, Family First Support Center at (847) 244-4374.
Pastor John Caples said he hopes the benefit helps spread the word about the church's Family First Support Center of Lake County, a not-for-profit faith-based effort aimed at "rebuilding the family, repairing division and developing strategies to empower change to create a strong family support system."
"We're trying to make people aware of what we're trying to do," Caples said.
The center, which this fall will be housed in a renovated building across the street from Jesus Name, 208 Lake St., was established in the wake of the 2002 shooting deaths of two local young men, David Mackins and Jarreau Patterson. Elected officials including U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, D-Highland Park, who helped steer $250,000 in federal start-up funds for the center, will attend the benefit,.
Caples said he is mining bipartisan support for the Family First Support Center at every level of government.
"We don't want this faith-based initiative to be a Republican agenda because if you do that, the Democrats will walk away from it," Caples said.
Once in its new digs, the center will expand current offerings that include GED preparation, computer literacy, career, marriage and family counseling, addictions and domestic abuse intervention.
Audrey Kirkpatrick, 52, of Mundelein said the center helped her bounce back from an extended bout of joblessness.
"They helped me learn new skills and increase my self-esteem," said Kirkpatrick, who now works as a teacher assistant.
Caples said the church is a logical place to offer help. "The difference between programs being offered and programs being used is being user friendly," he said. "African-Americans historically go to church first for help. While we do partner with other groups for services, people really do feel more comfortable with their church. They know the people there."
Caples said the black church is a powerful means of communication.
"We see on average 2,500 people a week," he said. "If you bring it to the church -- like the recent message and meeting of black cardiologists -- we can get it to people," Caples said.
• COMMENT ON THIS STORY AT NEWSSUNONLINE.COM