--4ocepl rIeU' po.storial responsibililies

At Second Calvary

Rev. Lemar Foster To Preach His Fin81 Sennon

By Teresa Simmons Post Staff Writer

Often it is difficult to express what is within an­other's heart, especially when it is of a spiritual nature. In the case of Rev. Dr. Lemar Foster, Sr., it will be even more difficult for the members of Second Calvary Baptist Church to grasp reality when he preaches his final sermon there March 25.

Rev. Foster described what led him to accept a pastoral position in San Bernadino, California, as a "spiritual mandate and baciaily a challenge." .

Perhaps Rev. Foster's calling can be compared to what brought him into the ministry in the first place.

. "I entered this profes­sion because of a sense of divine calling. One's par­ticular awareness grows by

whatever means God chooses. The Lord has ways of making His will known."

At an early age, Rev. Foster dedicated his life to God. As a child, . many thought that he would enter the profession of . min­istry. Life, however, has a way of turning people's 0b­jectives around. First, he entered school with the am­bition of beccning a doc­tor, but theN Wai that tugging ·at his heart which ultimately turned him down a different path.

He graduated valedicto­rian of his class in 1959 from York Road High School. After obtaining an A.B. degree from Johnson C. Smith' Univer­sity in 1963, his intel­ligence and charisma made him stand out. Dur­

.ing that time in history, fellowships were being granted to promising young black leaders to further their . educa­tions. Rev. Foster ac­cepted a fellowship and completed his Doctor of Divinity studying at the Neotarian College of Phi­losophy in Kansas City, MO, the University of Chicago and the McCor­mick Theological Sem­inary in Chicago, .

Rev. Foster was actually licensed in 1959 as a min­ister. Between this time and 1969 when he became an ordaiiled minister, he called on much of his spi­ritual strength to aid the civil rights movement. He has worked with Jesse Jackson, The Operation Bread Basket and the Black Panthers. As a freedom rider in the 1960's,

Rev. Foster was often blacklisted. He was fight­

ticular awareness grows by

ing for justice while ex­posing: "We should accept every man on his own merit and try not to be prejudical. "

Locally, Rev. Foster's campaigns for civil rights lPrl to the building ~f the Regional Community Cen­ter presently located in Charlotte on Park Wood Ave.

In many ways, you could compare Rev. Foster with the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As God used Rev. Foster as an instrument of oeace, monu· mental advances in civil rights were being formu­lated. As minister, his message to individuals would contain one message _ love. "First of all to be motivated for this profes­sion, one must be God sent," Rev. Foster offered. "You must act with God as your partner and the Holy Spirit as your enabler. .,Then, and only then, can you accomplish that which

See Rev. Foster Page 19A

? CUPPING SERVICE 1115 HILLSBORO

RALEIGH, Ne 27603 TEL. (919)833,2079

POST CHARLOTTE, N. C.

MAR-22 ~84

Foste~'s Final Sennon Continued From Page l~ tie sent you to do. My ministry is characterized by one word: love. By loving one another, men shall know that you are a disciple of God. Any Christian that cannot show love cannot show any other spiritua l gift" he con­tinued (John 13:34-35),

, Through his ministry of

love, about 400 new mem­bers or re-dedicated soUls have joined the Second Calvary roster. The church has become deeply in­volved in civic affairs such as Head Start and for two years sponsored a Hot Meal Program for the Elderly.

Financially, the sacristy and the nurses' station has been outfitted, an organ purchased and various im­provements to the edifice and grounds completed.

More than anything, however, is Rev. Foster's

accomplishmen~ of being a real past?r. Wit~ a strong physical ~ulld as ·

_ well asa strong mental character,. he seems to have ~e nght answer for ~ny dilemma. From talk­109 personally to someone until.l a.m., to goin~ t.o the hospital to see an lOJured church member and friend, he distributes an array of energies in helping others. They are energies quite impossible for a motal man to muster - so they have to come from One Divine Being.

In addition to pastoring an 800 flock congregation, Rev. Foster is also in­volved in several civic and hligious affiliations in­cluding (presently) MOTION, Inc., the Board of Directors~ 2nd vice moderator of theMecklen­burg General Baptist As­sociation, chairman of the Committee on Christian Education; Dean of the

Annual Training Institute and a member of the state level of the General Board of the General Baptist State Convention NC and a member of its Evangel­ism Committee.

Among some of the honors Rev. Foster has received include the Neo­tarian Fellowship for graduated study in 1968; a Ford Foundation Scholar­ship for further study in 1971 andoJte is listed in the 1976 edition of Who's Who in NC published by the Gold Book Publishing Co. of At­lanta, Ga.

Rev. Foster is married to the former Betty J. Blimes of Salisbury. They have four sons: Lemar, Jr., Jeffrey, Kevin and Tavis. Rev. Foster began pastoring at ·Second Cal­vary in 1976. He pastored Mt. Hebron Baptist Church in Smyre, Gastonia for eight years prior to

. coming to Second Calvary.

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