Monday, November 17, 2008
In today’s edition of the New York Times, the article “A Time of Hope, Marred by an Act of Horror” caught my attention, simply because of the implications made in the title. This article relates the story of Bishop Bryan Robinson Jr. and his mostly black congregation in Springfield, Massachusetts.
On the same night that Barack Obama was elected president, and blacks across the country breathed a sigh of relief that change had finally come; Robinson’s almost-complete church was burned to the ground. The church, which was 75% completed, was a project almost 7 years in the making.
On the same night that Barack Obama was elected president, and blacks across the country breathed a sigh of relief that change had finally come; Robinson’s almost-complete church was burned to the ground. The church, which was 75% completed, was a project almost 7 years in the making.
The article opens with an anecdotal lead and continues this story-telling style throughout the piece. It relates the story of how Robinson came to be pastor of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, and explains the emotional roller coaster that he and his congragation experienced on the night of the fire.
The article also shares specific details of the fire, such as the exact location and building dimensions of the church, but mainly it focuses on the story of how the church finally began to be built. It also focuses on timing; it closely intertwines the timing of the fire in correlation to Obama's election and describes how that fact impacted Robinson.
A possible outline for the writer of this story might include the following:
1. Introduce Bishop Bryan Robinson Jr.
2. Explain his story and how he became a pastor
3. Tell the story of the fire
4. Relate the timing of the fire to the presidential election
5. Emphasize the hope that Robinson and his congregation still have for a new church
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