The author of “Can We Do That?” (2009), Rev. W.G. Robinson, M.D., a native of East St. Louis and an ordained minister for the past 10 years, has returned with another message-driven book, “A South End Sunday Dawning.”
He started off writing essays, and one of his essays developed into his new book. “I wrote the book in small chunks of essays and then blended them all together,” said Dr. McNeese. “Writing is my pastime, my love, and everybody makes time for what they love.”
“A South End Sunday Dawning” tells a story about a Christian marriage. The story focuses on the how Christian marriages are challenged from outside influences. Dr. McNeese examines a tough time period in 1959 that’s critical for his two married characters, Rev. Steven and Virginia Thompson. Steven has a questionable past life, with women and job troubles.
Christian marriages are hard to maintain, the book depicts, due to lack of communication, poor time management and not sharing a close enough bond. Rev. Steven Thompson works long weekdays, weekends and has financial heartaches due to the decline of his economic wealth.
The Thompson’s have eight children together but only five live at home with them. Virginia’s parents help take care of two children due to the financial strain on the family. Their oldest son was serving in the military, so they didn’t have to accommodate him unless he came to visit. With this type of strain on their marriage, it’s a test of will power and love that gets them to a better place. By the end of the book, the reader is assured that everything will work out fine when you trust in God.
“It is so very important to maintain a Christian marriage,” Dr. McNeese said. “After all, we have told the world that we have the answer – Jesus – that He will solve our problems and guide us through. What a lousy example we make when our marriages are no better than those who have not embraced our faith. What poor witnesses we make through our relationships.”
He faced the challenge of writing a story without any training in narrative writing, character development or historical fiction. Yet, he did a great job pulling together the story with all three of these important roles. Dr. McNeese does admit that it was challenging for him, and he’s waiting for the public to give him conformation.
Dr. McNeese said, “The book cries out for a sequel, or at least some discussion of what happens to marriages, or relationships when they go through the vicissitudes of life (perhaps even through the eyes of these two characters)? What are those ups and downs? How do people handle them? How should people handle them? Indeed, how should people who call themselves Christians handle them?”
Dr. McNeese serves as executive assistant to the dean of Diversity, Multicultural and Minority Affairs at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Ill. He is an emergency physician and an associate professor in the department of Internal Medicine and the department of Humanities at SIU.
He served as an Air Force Morse Intercept operator in Vietnam (1966) and achieved the ranks of technical sergeant before becoming a military paramedic. He was editor of The Crusader, a weekly newspaper in his hometown before attending college.
He is an ordained Minister in the Church of God of North America, headquartered in Anderson, Ind. and pastor of the New Mission Church of God in Springfield, Ill. He has eight children and lives in Springfield with his wife of 36 years.
