Seeing a cool, calm and collected Denzel Washington accept two Academy Awards and a Tony Award as millions watched, it would be easy to assume he also has a talent for maintaining his composure.
But the 1200 or so saints and guests in the Majestic Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel Saturday afternoon for The 14th Annual COGIC Cares Banquet saw a different side of the iconic actor when he served as the keynote speaker.
Washington appeared “full” as Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Charles Blake used his introduction to describe him as a faithful parishioner first and foremost.
Of course he was bestowed with the title of “the world’s greatest actor,” but only after Blake pointed out Washington’s devotion as a faithful COGIC member– and for leading his entire family in sharing their time, talent and resources to West Angeles Church.
“I thought I would introduce him to you in this way,” Blake said. “You are aware of the great roles that he has played – for some of the most significant and some of the great movies of our time. And he has an extensive resume describing the roles that he has played and awards that he has received.
But as his pastor, I just want you to know him. Here is a man who has shown great love and great respect for his church and his pastor.”
Blake spoke of how the two met.
“It must have been in the early 1990s where I went to a social event and sitting in a ballroom much like this one. I had the privilege of sitting beside a young actor,” Blake said. “He was the MC and I was either saying the invocation or either getting an award. As I sat beside the young man, I said to him ‘I enjoy your acting very very much.” And he said to me I enjoy your preaching very very much – I attend your church when I can.”
At the time, Blake had no idea that Washington attended his church.
He sat in the back inconspicuously during his visits to West Angeles. He never asked for any sort of special recognition or introduction. Washington soon brought his wife Pauletta. And when they began having children, church became a fully committed family affair.
“There were there every Sunday. They were involved. Their children worked in our nursery and attended Sunday school,” Blake said. “Whenever there was a need Mr. Denzel Washington was always overjoyed to respond with generosity – unprecedented generosity to the life of our church.”
The crowd erupted with applause.
As the camera panned to where Washington was originally sitting to capture him in the moment of being praised, the seat was empty. In his excitement, he had already walked to the side of the stage and was waiting to come to the podium.
Audiences would soon learn in detail why this moment seemed to be of the utmost emotional significance.
A generational COGIC connection
Washington was clearly overjoyed as he asked his wife to stand. And upon reciting the Lord’s Prayer, he spoke of how his family’s connection with the Church of God in Christ – and The Holy Convocation.
“My father, my earthly father, Denzel Washington Sr. was a pastor for the Church of God in Christ for 60 years,” Washington said. “I can remember the most important time in our house – and he would be so excited – was when he was preparing to attend Convocation in Memphis, Tennessee. I didn’t know what he was doing when he got here – in fact I couldn’t even say the word, but I knew it was important to him.”
Washington then described the care that was taken as his father prepared to make his annual trek from upstate New York to Tennessee.
“He would get his best two suits together and my mother would fry him a tin of chicken and prepare a thermos of coffee and he would make the drive,” Washington said. “I know he’s smiling in heaven, seeing his son doing the best I can do today, by the grace of God.”
He took a moment to take it all in – and contain his tears.
The purpose of the COGIC Cares Banquet, which is part of the Holy Convocation programming, is to raise funds for international disaster relief and scholarship funds. 2015 was a record year for the fundraiser as they bestowed 37 scholarships to students around the nation.
Washington gave his denomination a nod for recognizing the importance of sowing into young people both in faith and finances before offering his own testimony on how doing so changed his life.
“Forty years ago, march 27, 1975 I was in my mother’s beauty shop. I had flunked out of college. I had a 1.7 grade point average. I had no future,” Washington said. “I was sitting looking in the mirror and I see a woman behind me sitting under the dryer. Of course, the voice of God always comes from under a dryer.”
The woman, one of the oldest members of his family church, began asking for a pen and paper so that she could write down the prophecy she had for Washington’s life.
“She said, ‘young man, you are going to travel the world and speak to people,” Washington said. “Now mind you I was 20 years old, with a 1.7 grade point average and had flunked out of school. She said, ‘you are going to preach.
In this 40 year journey, I guess she was right,” Washington said. “Through my work I have spoken to millions of people. In 2015 I said I’m no longer just going to speak through my work. I’m going to make a conscious effort to get up and speak about what God has done for me.”
Just minutes after his proclamation to do so, Bishop Blake called and asked him to keynote this year’s banquet.
His faith-based nuggets over the course of his talk were simple, yet profound and seemed to resonate especially well with the audience – partly because of their source.
“I remember saying to my mother at a time when I was feeling myself, ‘Ma did you ever think that I was going to become this…”” Washington said as he spoke on the power of prayer. “She said ‘boy, do you know all the people who have been praying for your behind…all the prayer cloths, and prayer meetings…” And she made me clean the windows.”
His was a message that served as a reminder of the power of optimism, gratitude a positive attitude as well – but most of all he seemed to hope to drive home the points of practicing what the church preaches and to work their faith.
“There has never been a time when God didn’t, direct, protect or correct me,” Washington said. “There may have been times where I was less than faithful to him – but he had faith in me.”
