OF TWO-TO-FOUR YEARS IN PRISON.
THE PASTOR OF A PREDOMINANTLY
BLACK SPRINGFIELD CHURCH--WHICH
WAS BURNED DOWN JUST BEFORE ITS
COMPLETION ON THE EVE OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S 2008 ELECTION
VICTORY--WILL PLAY A PRESTIGIOUS
ROLE AT AN EVENT OF NATIONAL
IMPORTANCE.. THAT WILL
OFFICIALLY RE- ELECT OUR
NATION'S FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.
22NEWS REPORTER NICOLE NALEPA
HAS THE STORY.
NEXT MONDAY, THE 2012 ELECTORAL
COLLEGE WILL ANNOUNCE THE
"OFFICIAL VOTE TALLY" FOR
PRESIDENT OBAMA IN BOSTON. AND
BISHOP BRYANT ROBINSON OF
SPRINGFIELD'S MACEDONIA CHURCH
OF GOD IN CHRIST WILL BE GIVING
THE INVOCATION AT THIS NATIONAL
CEREMONY. HIS CHURCH MADE
NATIONAL NEWS BACK IN 2008,
AFTER THREE MEN BURNED IT TO THE
GROUND ON THE NIGHT PRESIDENT
OBAMA WAS ELECTED. A CRIME
WHICH PROSECUTORS SAY WAS
RACIALLY MOTIVATED. FOUR YEARS
LATER, THE MACEDONIA COMMUNITY
IS REBUILT AND STRONGER THAN
EVER.
OUT OF THAT TRAGEDY, THERE HAVE
BEEN BLESSINGS THAT HAVE COME
TO US. WE'VE GROWN AND WE'RE IN
THE PROCESS OF MATURING AS A
COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS.
WE WERE STRONGER BEFORE...THAT'S
WHY WE BUILT.
I THINK WE MADE A STATEMENT.
BECAUSE OF THIS STORY...CANDY
GLAZER--ONE OF THE ELECTOR'S
FROM THE COLLEGE--THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THAT BISHOP
ROBINSON GIVE THE PRAYER AT THIS
CEREMONY. AND PARISHONERS
AGREE...HE'S THE PERFECT
CANDIDATE.
HE IS JUST AMAZING. HE'S AN
AMAZING PERSON.
HE IS A BLESSING AND I AM SO
HAPPY TO BE A PART OF MACEDONIA.
AND THIS IS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME
OPPORTUNITY THAT BISHOP ROBINSON
SAYS HE'S PROUD TO BE A PART OF.
I'M HIGHLY HONORED AND HUMBLED
AND I'M EXCITED TO BE INVITED
TO GIVE THE INVOCATION...SO I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
IN SPRINGFIELD, NICOLE NALEPA,
22NEWS.
