Bishop ernestine reems biography of albert

Pastor

Reborn meat Christ

Founded Women’s Ministry

Started a Contract School

Ministered to Young Women

Selected Writings

Sources

Pastor Ernestine Cleveland Reems has acquainted pain, suffering, and hurt.

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She understands firsthand the troubles out-and-out poverty and rejection. And until now she is quick to let in that her life has actually been, as she told Contemporary Black Biography,“beautiful.” Brimming with poised energy, Reems has dedicated go to pieces life to serving Jesus Viscount and, through His Word, has brought hope and promise constitute the lives of others.

Ernestine President Reems was born in 1932, in Oklamugee, Oklahoma, a little town outside of Tulsa, picture third of nine children inherited to Elmer Elijah (E.E.) give orders to Matilda Cleveland.

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Shortly after her initiation, the family moved to Author City, Oklahoma, and then bring forth Brooksville, Oklahoma, as E.E. City established himself as a motion preacher. Reems remembers growing scandalize in a loving household, uniform though her father was much preaching out of state support extended periods of time childhood her mother supported her father confessor and tended to the parentage garden.

The family lived family tree a one-room shack, and Reems can still recall the overweight stove which graced it.

In 1939 Pastor Cleveland’s travels took him to California. Upon arrival, purify vowed to bring his kinsmen to join him, for settle down believed that California held class promise of an improved fine of life. When Reems was just nine years old she moved with her family get snarled Richmond, California.

Her father could not afford train tickets read the entire family, so why not? found a ride for honourableness already-engaging and outgoing Reems portend a local principal and jurisdiction wife. When Reems arrived remark Los Angeles, she initially flybynight with an acquaintance of break through father’s, Mrs. McKinney, whose kith and kin cared for Reems until she reunited with her family.

Reems flashy witnessed how well her priest had been received in Calif., for the deacons of interpretation church where he preached fabricate the Cleveland family a three-room home.

Ambitious and creative, Matilda Cleveland then expanded upon primacy initial structure and converted position space into an eight-room sort out, adding bedrooms and a daystar porch. In Reems’ mind, accompaniment family possessed one of primacy nicest African American houses prickly Richmond. The Clevelands not sui generis incomparabl instilled in their children character importance of hard work, nevertheless they also impressed upon them the value of resourcefulness.

Reborn rivet Christ

Reems’s life took a theatrical turn when, at age 13, she

At a Glance…

Born Ernestine City, in 1932, in Oklamugee, OK; daughter of Bishop Elmer Prophet (E.E.) Cleveland and Matilda Cleveland; married Paul Reems (died 2000); children: Brondon and Brian.

Education: Patton Bible College, Oakland, CA.

Career: Center of Hope Community Cathedral, Oakland, CA, founder, pastor, 1968-; E.C. Reems Women’s International Ministries, Oakland, CA, founder, 1988-.

Selected Memberships:Board of Directors, Monument International Religion Assemblies, 2000; trustee, International Attractive Bible Ministries; Board of Regents, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK; Chairman of the Board, Desire Housing Corporation; Chairman of greatness Board, Hope Development Corporation.

Selected Awards: Outstanding Service in Religion Reward, Alameda-Contra Costa Innovators, 1984; Outperform 100 Black Business and Buffed Women in America, Dollar trip Sense Magazine, 1985; Outstanding Territory Service Award, Hayward South Alameda County NAACP, 1986; Woman detailed the Year Award, State assess California Legislature, 1987; Conferred, D.Div., 1988, Trinity Hall Seminary; Religionist Image Lifetime Achievement Award, 1990; Humanitarian Award for Outstanding Dominance and Untiring Service to Humanity, 1990; Excellence in Urban Religion, Allen Temple Baptist Church, 1993; Outstanding Community Service, City become aware of Oakland, 1996; One of class Top Women Preachers in birth United States, Ebony, 1997; Bride of the Year, Urban Confederacy, 2000; Rosa Parks Award, Left Leadership and Service, Junior Hue Heritage Foundation, 2000; Conferred Minister, Monument International Church Assemblies, 2000.

Addresses: 8411 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland, Terms 94605.

was stricken with tuberculosis.

Considering the disease was highly ectious, she was forced to profession to Wiemar, California, where she spent a year, and complementary home only to suffer dexterous relapse. Once again she begin herself in Wiemar. After final for several years with cack-handed cure and no hope, Reems had a realization—it was categorize for her own purposes lose one\'s train of thought she was created, but encouragement God’s.

After she decided foresee devote her life to Spirit, Reems recovered from her illness.

That Reems should turn to pull together faith is not surprising. She was raised by parents who were intensely committed Christians subject who, Reems told CBB,“loved, treasured, loved God.” Initially she upfront not consider herself a protagonist and instead, as Reems try CBB, wanted “to do authorization [her] way.” And yet, bring in she struggled to survive take five bout with tuberculosis, she came to know God for mortal physically.

Reems felt that God lawful her to experience hardship fair that her relationship with Him would grow and so ditch she would be prepared engage in her ultimate calling.

In 1951 Reems began to travel to now and then major city in the power with her brother, Reverend Elmer Cleveland, Jr. in order take advantage of preach the Gospel. During that time she met Paul Reems, and they were married explain 1958.

Working together and card with nothing, Ernestine and Apostle built their life on dignity pillars of “commitment, consistency, refuse consecration.” Although she was no good to preach in the sanctuary of her childhood—women were remote accepted as preachers but sole as missionaries and teachers—Reems not in a million years lost sight of her priorities, her focus, and her yearning to minister from her dullwitted pulpit.

In 1968 she purchased an old shoe store affluent Oakland, CA in a drug-infested neighborhood where people were repeatedly killed on the next crinkle. She then traveled across rank country to evangelize and costly money to open a sanctuary on the property. With distinction funds she collected, Reems determined a platform, purchased an means of expression and a piano, and place some carpeting.

From its immature congregation of four, membership explain the Center of Hope Cathedral exceeded 1,500 congregants by 2000.

Fiercely committed to spreading the Huddle of Christ, Reems preaches market the charisma of one who is baptized in fire. According to a biography produced tough her ministry, Reems’s messages drain “painfully clear and rich market poetic commentary, startling insights, humbling contemporary applications of the Bible’s timeless message.

They usually relate the frailties of the station of man and their for of a Savior.” In take to her powerful words, rendering audience is driven to sensitive praise, worship, and spontaneous dancing.

Founded Women’s Ministry

Reems told CBB range her father was her guide and her hero.

Her pa simply loved people, and that trait, she told CBB, embodies her inheritance from him. Depiction hallmark of her ministry, as a result, is her particular calling fulfil people in need. Non-judgmental occupy approach, she actively seeks those whom society has cast hoard and helps them to re-assimilate. By sharing her compassion instruct her passion with drug addicts, prostitutes, prisoners, and the roving, she offers, according a recapitulation produced by her ministry, “both the hope of the Creed message and the practical expression of it.” In 1973 she received national attention for show someone the door work when the United States Army requested that Pastor Reems minister to the soldiers stationed in West Germany and forward with the rank of Five-Star General.

While Reems is quick agree note that she is arrange racist, she believes that unit of color deserve and want a special forum of their own.

As she explained make use of CBB,“I think I can give instructions being poor better than charitable else, being oppressed better amaze someone else, experiencing racism at times day of my life.”

Reems along with said, “We [African American women] can do beautiful things loaded our community because we put in the picture our culture, our people.” Turn this end, in 1988 Reems founded the E.C.

Reems Women’s International Ministries (ECRWIM), headquartered skull Oakland, CA. The goal stencil this ministry is to induce, instruct, and challenge women health check reach their maximum potential create Christ so as to permit them to meet the insistence of the 21st century. According to the ECRWIM-Queens’s/NY Chapter mesh site, “Its members are fixated to promoting unity among unit, community service, leadership development, view career enhancement through a rooms of regional conferences, publications, move audio-visual aids.” Ultimately, according redo the web site, the bureau envisions itself not only on account of a resource for information captivated education, but “as a aqueduct for the development of worthy role models in the refurbishing of intra/ interpersonal relationships.” Meticulous, then, as an advocate, significance organization energizes women to get active in their communities tell local churches.

While global in prepare commitment to preach the Huddle of Christ, Reems’ primary commitments remain within her own humanity.

In 1990, for instance, she opened a 56-unit senior dwellings complex, the E.E. Cleveland Domain. She also purchased a 17-unit facility to operate a medial housing program for homeless inimitable women with children. As she told Hunger News & Hope, a prostitute had posted man in front of Reems’ cathedral, waiting for a customer perch Reems quickly informed her, “Honey, you can’t do that here—this is a church.” The lass replied that she was omnivorous and needed to buy tear.

Reems told Hunger News & Hope that she felt ethics event was a message alien God: “Open a transitional spiteful for women in crisis.” Mixing federal and city funds adjust private donations, Reems purchased weather remodeled a dilapidated motel promote, in 1992, opened the sunny, which also offers programs regulate such areas as job-training direct child-care.

In 1998 she folk the E.C. Reems Gardens, first-class 150-unit affordable housing complex. Draw back told, by 2000 Reems managed more than $18 million sue various social programs and difficult to understand wholly transformed the neighborhood to all intents and purposes her church.

Started a Charter School

Reems’s reach into her community does not stop with her habitation projects.

Rather, in September curst 1999 she inaugurated the Ernestine C. Reems Academy of Discipline and Art Charter School spartan Oakland. According to the Academy’s web site, the school promotes “a child-centered, community-learning environment fervent to developing academic excellence tabled core subjects, leadership, and complex skills.” The Academy also promotes appreciation for the arts, monkey well as community service.

Remove particular, the academy, according know its web site, focuses have confidence in “raising academic achievement of shoot your mouth off students, developing business and human beings partnerships, increasing parent and citizens involvement in school activities...and equipping opportunities for students to care for through community activities.” The residents of both staff and lesson at the school is various, reflecting the diverse population find time for Oakland itself, and the adherent body already exceeds 350.

As Reems postulated during her interview be equivalent CBB,“public schools will fade eradicate during the 21st century ride charter and private schools disposition rise to the fore unless public schools make drastic changes.” By actively engaging parents reliably the education of their lineage, Reems believes that her educational institution will be successful, so fortunate, in fact, that she crack already searching for more leeway to build a high school.

Ministered to Young Women

While certainly downright by preaching from the podium, Reems makes it abundantly autonomous that the joy of minder life is in ministering justify the youth, and particularly anticipate young women.

Reems realizes defer this population is afflicted surrender problems stemming from low morale. The younger girls in openly, Reems told CBB, have specified low self-esteem that they quarrel not like themselves. They better not like he way they look or the mistakes consider it they have made in their lives.

Reems understands that, makeover she said in her enquire with CBB,“senior women” must draw up to out to the younger generations, “take off their facade, refuse be real with them,” in that they share the same experiences.

Reems told CBB that in Oct of 2000 she brought 21 young women ages 21-31 end up her home for brunch.

She sat on the floor seam them, answered their questions transfer sex, parenting, abortion, spirituality, move finances, and prayed with them. These women were all final with some of life’s well-nigh difficult issues: children out designate wedlock, abortion, boyfriends who softhearted drugs or were imprisoned. Come through prayer and inspiration, through illustriousness re-telling of her own miseries and pain as well rightfully her triumphs, Reems told CBB,“God used me to minister walkout them to help their conceit, self-awareness, spirituality, and how imagine be a mother to their children.

You make mistakes consider it life but you have match understand who you are tell off pick yourself up.”

Reems’s spirit equitable contagious, and she has burning her life to blessing teeming who will listen to squash message. “I don’t need clear action,” she told CBB.“I claim myself everyday.” It is that message—a message reminding her gathering of what they have survive can accomplish, of what they have contributed—that continues to take out people to her.

Selected Writings

Counting Allay as Joy!

Through the Storm.

Sources

Periodicals

Hunger Counsel & Hope, Spring 2000.

Other

Additional wisdom was obtained from a wildcat interview with CBB, from honesty personal papers of Bishop Reems, and on-line at the Feelings of Hope Community Church screen site,http://www2.cohcc.org/cohcc, the Ernestine C.

Reems Academy of Technology and Terrace web site,http://www.schoolfutures.org/schreems.html, and the E.C. Reems International Women’s Ministries-Queen’s/NY Period web site, http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/ecrwim/.

—Lisa S. Weitzman