ONE-ON-ONE | The Rev. Alfred Coward Pastor's faith keeps him working to help others

Tell me how you got into the ministry.
My father stayed in the penitentiary quite a bit. He was a good man, but he just decided to go the wrong direction. I wanted to do the right thing. Treat my family right, treat my wife right. As I grew up, I started associating with people like Bishop Norman Wagner (of Mount Calvary). I started enjoying the church life, the atmosphere. It seemed like the people I was around ... were positive people. One day we had a special service. That's when God called me to the ministry. Some people would not believe it, but God touched my right arm. It was God really dealing with me.
How do your childhood experiences play into your ultimately becoming part of a ministry?
My mother struggled with us, trying to rear three children. She gave me to her sister. My aunt, Naomi Carpenter, took me into her home, and it just so happens she was a part of the church. I started becoming church-oriented. It was just a blessing to be put into a family like that. I changed my whole mind-set.
You were headed toward a career in social work. What happened from there?
There were jobs galore in the late '60s and '70s. So that's what I did. I was just making money and not really concentrating on the big picture of my life. I got married young. Once the first child came, it wasn't about thinking about going back to school. My mind-set was taking care of my family because my father didn't.
What's the best part of having faith?
It helps you to wake up every day with a new determination to get something done, to help somebody else have a better quality of life.
What's the hardest part of having faith?
You feel God wants you to do something, then when you attempt to do it, there are stumbling blocks that hinder you, and so then you question "Did I really hear from God or not?"
You've made the Mayor's Task Force on Crime and Violence Prevention very active in your couple of years as chairman. Why is it so important for you to have that group so active?
People are the ones that make changes in a community. Community has to be involved in change. I think involvement is a key in any improvement.
Give me your thoughts on crime in Youngstown, vs. the perception.
I believe we have men and women of integrity in office. We knew for quite a while there was corruption in our political offices in our city. I can definitely see the difference in our city. I think we're going forward instead of backward.
Are the streets safer than three of four years ago?
I think so. We've seen block watch people get involved. Youngstown is a safer place because people are getting involved now and not afraid to come forward. It's difficult to come forward if you know a judge or a prosecuting attorney is crooked.
What do you like about teaching?
You have such an influence on young people's lives. To me, there's nothing more powerful in the world than the power of influence. All of us, there was somebody who affected our lives as we grew. A majority of us can remember a schoolteacher that really stuck out in our minds.
What do you teach now?
It's called leadership. My lessons deal with making the proper choices; every choice they make has a consequence.
You're the most punctual person I know. Why is that?
I grew up using what they called CP time -- colored people time. That was years ago. They used to say "The meeting starts at 8, but you know, CP time is 8:30." That used to bother me. Why do colored people have to be late all the time? I used to say, if I'm ever in charge of something, I won't run on CP time. If we say 8 o'clock, we mean 8 o'clock.
Your favorite sport?
Basketball. That was my sport coming up. I didn't play for South High because in those days you had to be tall ... to make the squad. I wasn't big. I was a little fella. I'm 6-2 now.
What's the one thing people don't know about you?
I'm a loner. People do not believe that in this church that I'm a loner. I can intermingle with people, be friendly. I'm a happy-go-lucky kind of person, but I am an individual. I have no problem not being in the crowd.