v"" & ' v " - ey w . S " lack poe :o give readinas tonight "America . has called Itself the promised landand themselves God's chosen people. This is where we come in. Black people. God's chosen people have always had to suffer to endure-to overcome. We have suffered and america has been rewarded. This is a foul equation." These are the words of poet Nikki Clovsr.ni 'torn "Reueciians on April 4, 1968." Giovanni will read and comment on her works tonight at 8 p.m. in the Nebraska Union. Regarded as one of America's loading black poets Giovanni has printed essays and poems in such publications as Essence, Negro DigestBlack World, Journal of Black Poetry, and Encore. She is currently working on the editorial staff at Encore. Giovanni was born in Knoxvllle, Term, end grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was graduated with honors from Fisk University where she helped found a SNCC chapter. In 1972 she was presented an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Wilburf orce University. She hss toured Europe and Africa, taught, lectured and written. ' Among her books are Black Feeling, Black Talk (1968), Re.Creation (1971), and Black Judgment (1968). An album. Truth is on Its Way (1971), uses her poetry with a background of gospel singing. Giovanni regards her poetry as an exploration of black consciousness. Black music often plays a centra! role. In a section of "The Geni in a Jar" (frorrvN Re: Creation) she writes: take the air and weave the sky around the Black loom around the Black loom , , make the sky sing a Black song sing a - blue song sing my song make the sky sing a Biack&ong from the Black loom from the Black loom . ': : careful baby don't prick your finger An informal discussion with Giovanni is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Culture Center, 16th and "Y" streets. This event is sponsored by the Nebraska Union ; Black Activities, and Talks and Topics Committees. cbu v , tuesday, april 9, 1974 lincoln, nebraska col, 97, no. 43 vftf ft A rVfi",: St. Mark's on the Campus at 13th and R streets. I MB rlcs ministers , By Rebecca Brite St. Mark's On the Campus is, a flyer proclaims, an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska. It is one of eight ministries, sponsored by various denominations, included in the UNL campus church directory. "(St. Mark's) concern will be to minister to the University -a . community," continues the flyer, quoting the Canons of the Episcopal Church. But the brochure goes on to stress that St. Mark's strives to minister to a broad base of people in a Christian community, and the center's staff echoed, this goal. "We are . organized much like any parish church," Vicar Ron Wiley said. "We are primarily a worship community, and our congregation includes many nonitudents." St. Mark's offers a traditional schedule of services-including Folk Mass twice a month as well as church school clasps and youth arouos. Wiley compared his pastorate with those that might be found in an inner city area. "The University is kind of like a ghetto." he said. "So we try to expose ' our student parishoners to a variety of experience, and appeal to a broad spectrum of age groups in order to widen that experience." As part of this effort, St. Mark's holds some weekday services throughout the year, as well as special . services such as late right Lenten season masses. Brent Bohlke, chaplain at the center end a Ph.D. candidate at UNL, outlined some other programs St. : Mark's offers. ' . ' ' Study and meditation groups,, . classes in church doctrine and a choir are organized by the tenter's staff and " . " priahcwH'f$, Bohika $akl. beyond UNL perimeters "And we have social action groups," he said, citing St. Mark's Project, which collects food for distribution to people in need. Both Bohlke and Wiley also are involved actively in individual counseling. In addition to the programs organized from within St. Mark's, the church building is open for use by any University group not involved in fund raising, Wiley said. Organizations such as Free University, the High School Equivalency Program, Prayer and , Praise and a food coop ha used, and continue to use, the center's facitilites. "In fact, there is such a variety of groups meeting here, it becomes difficult to talk about a sense of community," Bohiks said. "But that creates a diversity in our ministry which we feel is healthy," he continued. "It (the diversity) enables us to ran- rn Wiley objective and subjective,' added. St. Mark's on the Campus is funded by the state diocese of the Episcopal Church, and by pledges from the congregation. Bohlke and Wiley agreed there has been little trouble procuring funds for the center. "Of course, we mmi continually justify lite programs we have," Bohlke said, "but that's both inevitable and essentiaL" Wiley said St. Mark's also is on good terms with the UNL administration. . "We are affected by University policy," he said. "However, there have been no real problems in communication. We go through the channels-it's a fairly formal relationship." Asked whether they though general religious activity was increasing, both hesitated to comment. Bohlke said he thought it dangerous to "project new trends in religious activity." "There's been a definite pulling in of social action," he said, "and more visibility of new searches for something or other. "But it's hard to tell if it's happening, or if it just looks like it's happening (religious revival)," he said. "It may just be a fragmentation of spiritual direction. "It's human nature, you know, to look for easy answers to the problems of religious life," he added. Wiley expressed doubt about the 'futures of many now-popular religious movements. "The charismatic movement (speaking in tongues, etc.) may have more long term effects than some of the others," he said. "As for the Eastern religions-they" may provide insights, as the Native American Church has done but, in the long run, I believe Western Christianity will prove to make the most sense in cur culture," he said. n- f"i ti ri i ft' if KS 6 Ja " v " i "i ft- - r i i i i 1 I 1 f 1 I '4 q H i i I f' s n I 4 I 1 K b k s a ll '4