Ebenezer Church Sermon Focuses on Obama, MLK (Photo Essay)

Ebenezer Baptist Church Sr. Pastor, Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, making a point to the audience on Sunday, January 18, on the eve of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Day, and Tuesday's inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)


Worshipers link arms, singing "We Shall Overcome," at Ebenezer Baptist Church in downtown Atlanta, on Sunday, January 18, on the eve of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Day, and Tuesday's inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Several thousand worshippers filled the historic Ebenezer Church in downtown Atlanta.

Adults at prayer, children and infants attended Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church on Sunday, Jan., 18, 2009, on the eve of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Day, and Tuesday's inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)

They came to hear an impassioned sermon on the eve of Martin Luther King Day, and Tuesday’s inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

A television news cameraman watches Rev. Warnock through his viewscreen at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., on Sunday, January 18, 2009. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)


Earnest Adams of Atlanta, in rapt prayer during services at Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Senior Pastor Raphael Warnock, told some 2,000 churchgoers that many historic figures made Obama’s election possible.

Ebenezer Baptist Church Sr. Pastor, Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, exhorting the audience on Sunday, January 18, on the eve of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Day, and Tuesday's inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Warnock's examples ranged from the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt to the Land of Israel, African-America slaves, slain civil rights workers and King himself:

”…HE SITS ON THE KNEES AND STANDS ON THE SHOULDERS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., WHO SAID, ‘I MAY NOT GET THERE WITH YOU, BUT WE AS A PEOPLE WILL GET TO THE PROMISED LAND,’ SO KEEP ON MOVING – FREEDOM LOOMS!”

Warnock said the Obama inauguration was but another step on the road to freedom, and urged the audience to have faith in the face of domestic and international adversity.

A woman in rapt prayer during services at Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)

King would have been 80-years-old today.


Pastors and choir at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Sunday, January 18, on the eve of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Day, and Tuesday's inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama. Click on the photo for a full-sized image. (Photo: Dave Bender)

GPB Radio News will air a segment of Pastor Warnock's sermon on Monday.

Charity Battling Donor Fatigue, Obama Inauguration

A 38-year-old charity that supplies food to Atlanta's poorest residents has decided to go forward with an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day dinner despite lowered donations and many volunteers leaving town for the presidential inauguration.

Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless organizers told The Associated Press Wednesday that a lack of donations - including corporate gifts of hams and turkeys - meant the dinner wouldn't take place. Spokeswoman Dee Dee Cocheta later got word that a donation of hams would come through after all. Combined with a modest gift of 216 turkeys Tuesday, it's enough to let the dinner go on.

But the group still faces a struggle. Organizers say many of the staff who would have worked at the dinner will be in Washington for the inauguration.

In related news, President-elect Barack Obama says the inauguration is about more than him, and that it should be about getting all Americans involved in community service.

Obama said Wednesday that his Jan. 20 inauguration should bring the country together to volunteer. He says if everyone rolls up their sleeves, the county will improve. Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and their families will volunteer in the Washington area
Jan. 19.

Obama's aides have posted thousands of volunteer opportunities on a Web site, USAService.org.

(AP)

Click here for more GPB News reports about homelessness and hunger issues in Georgia.

Local school band picked for inauguration

Cogdill (top right) with some of the band members. (Dave Bender)

An Atlanta-area high school band has been picked to perform at the presidential inauguration.

Austell’s South Cobb High School marching band will represent Georgia in the parade from the Capitol to the White House following President-elect Barack Obama's swearing in ceremony on January 20.

Band Director Zachary Cogdill made the surprise announcement on Sunday at an awards banquet for the band members:

"They just went nuts! Jumping up and down, hugging, crying..."

Senior Dana Scherer is a drum major with the band, and was stunned by the news:

“I was just so in shock, I was just so overwhelmed - I began to cry. Mr. Cogdill’s announcement was so amazing - I didn’t know whether he was going to tell us yes or no, and it was so overwhelming. It was so cool.”

Sherer’s one of the 95 band members who’ll perform Georgia On My Mind, and Summon The Heroes, which was composed for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Letter of acceptance from the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Click image for larger version. (Dave Bender)

The Presidential Inaugural Committee chose the 2,200-student school from nearly 1,400 applicants.

Secret Service investigating threats against Obama

The US Secret Service is investigating reports that high school students in western Georgia posted threatening entries against President-Elect Barack Obama.

The Facebook group is called Not My President. Some of its nearly 400 members attend Columbus High School.

A number of them allegedly made racist and possibly threatening comments against Obama.

Valarie Fuller of The Muscogee County School District:

"There's one thing to have freedom of speech. But there's a whole other thing when you start making threats against president elect – or against anybody. And I think that has to be taken seriously, and under no circumstance will that be tolerated in the school district per se, as far as making threats on anybody here. But like I said, when you have the Secret Service investigating – that's a pretty serious matter."

Fuller says that the school district and the police also investigate such reports.

The principal of Columbus High School refused to comment on the report or the ongoing investigation.

Click here for more GPB News coverage about Barack Obama.

US Senate run-off heats up

Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin, speaking with Georgia Public Broadcasting at a Veteran's Day parade, in midtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender)

Aides from President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign are coming to Georgia to help Democrat Jim Martin, in his runoff bid against incumbent Senator Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Chambliss will get help from John McCain who’s coming to Georgia on Thursday for a rally.

Democrat Martin says they have no commitment for President-elect Barack Obama to visit Georgia, but he says Obama staffers are coming to help:

“it’s a Georgia race, and we’ll be happy to have people come in and pay us a visit, but this is really about Georgians and who will be the best senator in the United States Senate to represent Georgia.”

Martin says his campaign has 25 field offices.

Chambliss announced yesterday he’s opening ten campaign offices.

Experts say the winner will be the one who’s got the best ground game at getting their voters back to the polls on December second.

Neither candidate got enough the necessary 50-percent plus one of the vote on Election Day.

Click here for GPB News election coverage.

McCain coming to stump for Chambliss

Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley, incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss, Democratic candidate Jim Martin at the GPBTV pre-election debate. (Dave Bender)

Republican presidential candidate John McCain is coming to the aid of incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss in the upcoming runoff vote.

Chambliss campaign officials have confirmed that McCain will come to rally voters here before a December second race against Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

A campaign official says they were nailing down a date for the visit.

Chambliss’ campaign is also trying to cadge an appearance by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Martin campaign officials say they’re hoping for a visit by President-elect Barack Obama.

Obama had not confirmed an appearance as of Friday.

Neither Chambliss nor Martin got a majority of votes in the November 4^th three-way race with Libertarian Allen Buckley.

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.

Chambliss, Martin rev up for runoff

Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis and Democratic Senate candidate Jim Martin and at the GPBTV pre-election debate. (Dave Bender/file)

Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin were in full campaign mode this weekend, trying to coax enough votes to prevail in a Dec. 2 runoff election.


Republican incumbent Senator Saxby Chamblis talking with reporters at a press conference held at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Dave Bender/file)

Chambliss’ camp is preparing for a visit from former GOP presidential candidate John McCain. Martin is meeting with Cobb County Democrats and planned to visit a party phone bank operation in Decatur.

Democratic Senate race candidate Jim Martin, talking to reporters at a press conference in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender/file)

With less than four weeks until they face voters again, neither campaign was waiting for Secretary of State Karen Handel to make it official when she certifies election results next week.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting throughout Georgia, neither Chambliss nor Martin accumulated enough ballots to pull above the needed 50 percent plus one of the vote. The Moultrie Republican is just short, with 49.8 percent. Martin, a former state lawmaker from Atlanta, has 46.8 percent. The race also included Libertarian Allen Buckley, who drew 3.4 percent.

Military and overseas ballots were among the last to be tallied by county officials. To be counted, they had to arrive by Friday.

The state’s most populous county had been set to certify its results Saturday. But a spokesman for Fulton County’s Board of Elections said problems with a faulty memory card delayed the effort.

Voters register to cast their ballot in advance voting at the Fulton Co. Government Center polling station in downtown Atlanta. (Dave Bender)

Fulton County Board of Elections spokesman Mark Henderson said the problem had been resolved but officials decided to audit the process before making the elections results official. The certification is now expected to take place Sunday or Monday, Henderson said.

Handel’s office has criticized Fulton County for being slow to count thousands of absentee ballots and her office is investigating. Henderson said county workers were exhausted after a marathon Election Day and were sent home for a few hours to rest.

The expected Chambliss-Martin contest is already drawing a national spotlight to Georgia.

The race is one of three unresolved Senate contests nationwide, along with Minnesota and Alaska. All involve Republican incumbents. If Democrats capture all three, it would give them a 60-seat majority in the Senate, a margin needed to block Republican filibusters.

Chambliss’ campaign said they’ve also been in touch with McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, about a possible Georgia visit.

McCain carried Georgia on Election Day by 52 percent to President-elect Barack Obama’s 47 percent.

Nonetheless, Martin has asked Obama to help out, but no word yet on whether he’ll stump for Martin.

Then President-elect Bill Clinton came to Georgia to campaign for Democratic Sen. Wyche Fowler in his 1992 runoff race. But even with the high-profile help, Fowler went on to lose to Republican Paul Coverdell in what was the last U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia.

Martin and Chambliss arguing a point during the GPBTV pre-election debate. At bottom is Libertarian candidate Allan Buckley. (Dave Bender/file)

Click here for more GPB News election coverage.