Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 7-3-20

Local
Pastors On Patrol Encourages People To Reflect As We Endure Together
People across Hillsborough County are nearing the end of their Fast of Re- flection and Encouragement. The three day event began at 12:01 a. m. on Mon- day, June 29th, and continues until mid- night tonight (Wednesday).
It was organized by Pastors on Patrol (POP) after Pastor Clarence Nathan
of New Victory Baptist Church became increasingly troubled by how people are
so quick to blame and so unable to solve, even as the COVID-19 pandemic contin-
ues to intensify. Pastor Nathan is POP Chairman, and says that, “God has all the power, and this Fast is our way of seeking
His guidance in overcoming our challenges.”
Of course, participants are not totally going hungry or thirsty. They have been able to eat fruits and vegetables, and drink water through- out this landmark event. As Pastor Nathan notes: “Finding the answers we need requires spiritual focus, not starvation.” POP member churches and congregation members are among those supporting the Fast and its purpose.
This is the first of a series of Fasts that Pas-
tors on Patrol believes will eventu- ally serve as a rallying point for car- ing people from every walk of life. Future dates will be announced in the weeks to come.
A similar spirit exemplifies Caring Beats Conflict, which For The Family is beginning as part of its Kindness of the Heart initiative that is underway across the U. S. and Canada.
Caring Beats Conflict is de- signed to remind the community that caring people are found in every neighborhood, regardless of
culture, income, or other factors. It’s based on people sending smartphone videos that describe the caring actions they see to ForTheFamily- Tampa@gmail.com. As with other Kindness of the Heart videos, every entry is eligible to earn a Family Flame Award at the Fifth Annual Na- tional FAM Awards in November.
For more information about the Fast of Re- flection and Encouragement, please contact Pas- tor Clarence Nathan at pastorc86@msn.com.
PASTOR CLARENCE NATHAN, Chairman, Pastor,
New Victory Baptist Church
Dust From The Sahara Desert Hits Florida
COVID-19, nation- wide protests and now a dust cloud, the size of a continent, that drifted across the At- lantic Ocean from Africa’s Sahara Desert hit Florida on Sunday.
The dust pollution
caused degraded air
quality, hazy skies and
reduced visibility, according to an update from the National Weather Service.
Florida that has had a spike in COVID-19 cases was pre- dicted to be hit the hardest as the first wave came in over the Atlantic and followed the winds to the Gulf of Mexico.
Dust particles were expected to ease on Monday before an- other wave is likely to return to the Gulf later in the week, the National Weather Service said.
Experts are suggesting peo- ple with respiratory illnesses could see their conditions aggra- vated by the dust particles.
PAGE 10-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020