The Truth Staff
The pastors of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance held their First Monday meeting on October 5 at Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church and, as usual the scheduled and unscheduled guests brought such a great amount of knowledge to the attendees.
However, the October meeting, held the day before this election season’s early voting began, brought a little added touch to the occasion – some attention to issues and candidates.
The pastors of the IMA endorsed the levy issues on the ballot that touch on the Toledo area – Issue # 9 for Toledo Public Schools; Issue # 8 for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library and Issue # 13 for Imagination Station.
Romules Durant, EdD, TPS superintendent, and Jason Kucsma, executive director TLCPL, were on hand to thank the pastors for their support.
“We are the educational arm of each other,” said Durant noting the relationship of the public school system, the library and Imagination Station. “There is a connection of learning,” he added.
“For every dollar invested in the library, another seven come back into the community,” said Kucsma about the value of supporting the library system.
Rev. Cedric Brock, president of the IMA, added of Imagination Station that it is “an extra opportunity to learn more.”
In addition to the issues, First Monday attendees also had the opportunity to hear from several candidates: Judge Myron Duhart, running for re-election to the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, also running for re-election.
“In my lifetime, I have never seen a more serious time in our nation,” said Duhart.
Kaptur iterated the point that the pastors had made earlier in the meeting about November 1 being “souls to the polls” day and the fact that the campaign would be providing transportation to the early voting center. Tina Butts of The Movement would later re-emphasize that message.
After the political messages, representatives of various community organizations spoke about their services and/or upcoming events. The Area Office on Aging, Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Lutheran Social Services, HOPE Toledo were among the organizations whose representatives brought information to the session.
One of the always interesting aspects of the First Nonday meetings is that a large portion of the sessions are open to unscheduled speakers – one can drop by and ask for a couple minutes of floor time to present his or her information
Or one can ask in advance at ima419toledo@gmail.com.