DATE: August 10, 2012
“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”
CONTACTS: Rev. Dr. Jon E. McCoy Phone: (773) 846-2992
E-mail:
jonmc06@aol.com
Master Maceo D. Pembroke, Jr. Phone: (312) 545-6810
E-mail:
MasterPembroke@EastSeaMA.com
Mr. Keith O. Tate Phone: (312) 608-6012
E-mail:
ktate@speakeasy.net
St. Mark’s Legal Heroes and Role Models to Be Recognized
This Sunday, August 12, at St. Mark United Methodist Church (St. Mark UMC), located at 8441 S. St.
Lawrence Ave., in the heart of the South Side’s Chatham community, four very young and four more
seasoned “legal heroes” and role models will be honored by East Sea Martial Arts and the Chatham /
Avalon Park Community Council. The four African-American young men, who are all law-abiding citizens
and role-models for their peers, are Mr. Joshua E. Mason (18), Mr. Geron E. Parks (11), Mr. Justin C.
Townsend (11) and Mr. Avery F. Ross (10). All four young men have been members of the St. Mark UMC
Martial Arts Program, which was conceived by Rev. Dr. Jon E. McCoy, Senior Pastor, since this innovative
community-outreach ministry was launched, in January of 2005. The St. Mark UMC Martial Arts Program
is administered by East Sea Martial Arts (ESMA).
Mr. Mason, Mr.Parks, Mr.Townsend and Mr. Ross have not been alone on this journey. They have
been guided and supported by Master Maceo D. Pembroke, Jr., Founder of ESMA and Martial Arts
Program Director, their parents, fellow program members and their Martial Arts Ministry family.
Importantly, both they and the program have benefited immeasurably by the presence and active
support of many strong African- American male role models, including the St. Mark United Methodist
Men. On Sunday, four of the young black belt’s law-abiding role models, three of whom are circuit court
judges, will be recognized with the awarding of Honorary Black Belts: The Honorable Judge William S.
Boyd, The Honorable Judge Orville E. Hambright, Jr., The Honorable Judge Leonard Murray and United
States Air Force Master Sergeant Timothy L. Willis (Retired). Thanks to the support and examples of
these “legal heroes” and black belts in the art of life, the Martial Arts Ministry and the love and support
of St. Mark’s congregation these young men and other program members have had only positive
interaction with the legal system and have their eyes focused solely on socially-adaptive prizes.
The major tangible goals of the St. Mark UMC Martial Arts Program are to encourage students to
resolve conflict productively, avoid participating in gangs, choose drug-free lifestyles and assist them in
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identifying their career goals and positioning themselves to gain admission to top universities in their
chosen majors. Master Pembroke, Program Director, earned a B.A. with Honors and M.A. in Sociology
from Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA), in 1986. Mr. Mason, Martial Arts Program Senior Student and
ESMA Senior Assistant Instructor, graduated from Jones College Prep this spring and will be attending
Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, IL) in the fall, majoring in Marketing and Business Administration.
Mr. Spencer K. Slaton, another Martial Arts Ministry black belt, is a top student at Purdue University
(West Lafayette, IN). Chatham / Avalon Community Council president, Mr. Keith O. Tate, whose
grandson Justin is expected to test for black belt this December states, “The program is a true gem of
the community. Pastor McCoy and St. Mark should be praised for offering such a needed set of skills and
values to our children and youth.” He adds, “I hope that proper funding will be obtained to develop and
expand East Sea Martial Arts and the St. Mark UMC Martial Ministry to effect this positive change,
throughout the City of Chicago and beyond. My deepest congratulations and thanks to all of the welldeserving
Black Belts and Honorary Black Belts, who will be recognized on Sunday, and of course,
Master Pembroke. These African-American men and now youth are making a much needed difference in
our community, and building a powerful legacy by investing in the lives of and modeling for others.”
Under Pastor McCoy’s dynamic leadership, St. Mark, which has been at the same location in Chatham
for nearly 53 years, now offers more than 100 ministries designed to offer much needed services to the
community, and to encourage persons to grow in their relationships to God through faith in Jesus Christ,
to one another and to the larger community. For many families and individuals, St. Mark has proven to
be an oasis in a South Side desert plagued with an over-abundance of violence and poverty, and a
shortage of vital resources.
The recognition of black belts will take place at each of St. Mark’s Sunday worship services, which are
held at 7:30 a.m. (Contemporary / Traditional Format), 9:30 a.m. (Contemporary Format) and 11:15 a.m.
(Traditional Format). Those in attendance will also be treated to a special worship presentation by the
St. Mark UMC Martial Arts Ministry Worship Demonstration Team (WDT), which interprets gospel,
hymns and spirituals using martial arts, dance movement and theater. The WDT ™ will be presenting its
“Seasons of Praise: Worship Extravaganza (SOPWE) ™,” in Los Angeles, this October.
Master Pembroke hopes to promote his first female black belts this December. Additionally, plans are
in the works, with 6
th Ward Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer, to offer 100 3-month program scholarships to
elementary and high school students of the 6
th Ward. St. Mark UMC Martial Arts Program classes are
held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday mornings, at St. Mark, and there is open
enrollment. For more information, please contact the church office at 1.773.846.2992
(
www.stmarkumcchicago.org ) or e-mail Master Pembroke at, MasterPembroke@EastSeaMA.com
(
www.EastSeaMA.com).
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