Original Blog Entry: Church Launches Commercials To Stop Summer Violence

truesee — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:17:58 GMT

Church Launches Commercials To Stop Summer Violence

Pastor hopes campaign gets parents attention

Stephanie Scurlock

11:50 AM CDT, April 25, 2010

FAST FACTS: South Memphis church launches commercial campaign to stop senseless killings Operation Stop started on church's door step Church hoping to prevent violent summer

(Memphis 04/25/2010) - A small South Memphis church takes its campaign to save lives to the entire community. Just over a year ago, True Life Outreach Ministries launched Operation Stop. They are expanding the program to include television commercials in hopes the movement to stop senseless killings will make a difference this summer.

Church for the Members of True Life Outreach Ministries takes place not just inside the walls of their South Memphis sanctuary but outside in the community. The church started Operation Stop in hopes of putting a stop to violence. They're asking for help via the airwaves.

I hope that we can reach out like Jesus did when he hung out on the cross. He put his arms out so he could reach everybody. So, that all people will understand that what goes on in our community, each one of us is responsible, said Rev. Sam Blount, True Life Outreach Ministries.

The church started Operation Stop after the murder of 30 year old Kendrick Powell in Memphis' Oakhaven neighborhood. Powell's father, Willie Frazier, is the police chief of Earle, Arkansas. He attends True Life. His son's murder is still unsolved. The church is hoping its commercial campaign will be the catalyst to stopping this kind of crime.

Rev. Blount said, We understand we're looking forward to a long hot summer and when school is out with the crime that is existing in the school system at this time, with police present, I wonder what will happen on the playgrounds when police are not present.

Blount's wife, Nancy, is a state representative from Marianna, AR. She is also involved in the campaign.

The real work is done out in the community and parents, teachers, ministers, community at large, must work together to develop the entire child, said Nancy Blount.

The Blounts say the commercials will allow their ministry to reach inside homes, even those where they're not normally invited.

We don't need to have a million man march. We just need to have a million households of parents that will be responsible for their own child, said Rev. Blount.

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