The Ecumenical Leadership Council and the Citizens’ Task Force met on Friday December 20, at Calvary M. B. Church located at 2822 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., to discuss a strategy to repeal the decision by the Ferguson Florissant School Board to move towards termination of Art McCoy Jr. as the superintendent.
The two organizations agreed to support a slate of three candidates for the three board seats that will be contested on April 8. The meeting resulting in selecting Val Bush as one of the candidates. Two more candidates will be selected on or after the next meeting of the organizations, which will be held on January 6 at Shalom Church (City of Peace).
Attending the meeting were Dr. Lawrence M. Wooten, president of the Ecumenical Leadership Council, and Council members Rev. and State Rep. Tommie L. Pierson, Rev. Douglas M. Parham, Rev. Carlton Caldwell, Bishop James Stewart, Bishop Larry Jones and Rev. Wilbert Goatley, who served as the host.
The Task Force members present included Alfred Long Sr., Dr. Arthelda Busch, Judy Shaw and Casandra Butler. Former Ferguson Florissant School Board member and current member of the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees Doris Graham was also in attendance.
Graham said, “Finally, African Americans were using the tools of empowerment to protect and advocate for their interests, instead of being driven by the decisions of others.”
Pierson agreed with Graham and added, “The Ecumenical Leadership Council, which I have been a member of since their beginning, and the Citizens’ Task Force are setting a goal to benefit not just the African-American community, but one that will support the children of all races that attend the Ferguson-Florissant School District.”
The Ecumenical Leadership Council is an organization of African American churches including the leadership of several Christian denominations. Its mission statement is focused on political and economic empowerment for the African-American community. Collectively, the Council represents over 90 churches throughout the St. Louis area.
The Citizens’ Task Force was developed in response to the actions of the all-white Ferguson-Florissant school board against McCoy, who is an African American.
Both organization also agreed to vigorously support Redditt Hudson for a seat on the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees.
Newstead mourns First Lady
Mary Jean Cox Pearson, beloved First Lady of the Newstead Avenue Baptist Church, went into the presence of the Lord on Friday, November 15, 2013, at Barnes Jewish Hospital, with her family at her side.
In addition to her husband of 43 years, Pastor Richard L. Pearson Sr., and children, Yolanda (Buford) Hawthorne and Richard (Alicia) Jr., she is survived by eight grandchildren, three brothers and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and friends.In addition to being First Lady, she was known for her lovely soprano voice and was one of the lead soloists in the music ministry. She taught in the Sunday School and Vacation Bible School ministries and was a member of the Mother and Deaconess Board, Women’s Missionary Union and the Minister’s Wives Group of the Antioch District.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Willie and Lizzie Cox, four brothers and three sisters.
