“But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”  

Prayerfully you have enjoyed pleasant days since our last meeting, and lovingly you have prayed for someone else.  If you have offended someone, thankfully you have asked their forgiveness, and now you are at peace with God and all is right with your world.

Howard AME Church

I would like to thank Rev. Merrielee Salley and the members of Howard AME Church for inviting me to be a part of their Black History program on last Sunday at 4 p.m.  Many thanks also to Mrs. Clara Gadsen for the recommendation.

Rev. Lasene was the worship leader for the services, and others on program were:  Brother Charles Singleton, Rev. Warren Garrett, Sr., and visiting Sister Owens, along with Rev. Herman Ford, Jr.  Brother Peter Smalls, Jr. presented several artifacts from the early history of the black man.  Some of them were a sassafras tea bush, life everlasting tea leaves,  an iron wash pot in which the clothes were boiled after they were washed in the old tin tub, old oil lamps, cast iron skillet which was also known as a “spider,” an old corn sheller, an old ice cream churn, and many other things including the old castor oil and glass milk bottles along with an old hand pump.  Brother Smalls did an excellent job of explaining and also letting us know that back in the days with electric lights, the area where we were (Germantown) was known as lamplight city because of the number of oil lamps that lighted the town.  The evening couldn’t be complete without a glimpse of some Octagon soap that most people used to call, “Octikin.”

The theme for the program was, “Remembering our past, celebrating our legacy.” The sermonic subject was, “Deliver us from evil,” as we highlighted on the book of Genesis and the story of Joseph and his people who were made slaves in the land of Egypt, and who were finally delivered from the evil Pharaoh.

The Island Jubilee Singers

The Island Jubilee Singers of Pawleys Island are announcing their 19th and final anniversary.  They plan to have a wonderful time on Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m., and again on Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m.  at St. Mary’s AME Church, 8833 Ocean Highway.  Rev. Sandra Ladson is the pastor.

First Calvary Missionary Baptist Church

Usher Board number 3 of First Calvary Missionary Baptist Church will be celebrating their 39th anniversary on Sunday, March 11 at 4 p.m.  The speaker for the occasion will be Rev. Robert Davis of Soul Saving Station Church.  They would like to invite everyone to come out and have a wonderful time of celebration in the name of the Lord.  Mrs. Fruity Young is the president of the board, and Rev. Dr. Lorenzo Smalls is the pastor.

Mt. Zion AME Church

The Youth Department of Mt. Zion AME Church in the Bloomingvale community presented its annual Black History program on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. with Dezmeoun McClary presiding over the worship services along with  Michael Wiggins, Jr., Precious Brownee, and Shamaya Bellamy.  

Other youth members portrayed famous blacks that contributed greatly to the American society.  The program was well organized and we wish to thank Ms. Sharon McCray, Ms. Biffit Brown, Ms. Virnese Seward, and Licentiate Elinda Greggs for working with the children.  Special thanks to Mrs. Wanda Darby and Licentiate Jackie Darby for the wonderful local historical display.  Rev. Herman Ford, Jr., is the pastor.

Kenneth Gardner Middle School

I would like to say special thanks to Mrs. Lethia Pressley,  and Dr. Gardner, principal, and the wonderful faculty and staff of Kenneth Gardner Middle School of Kingstree, for having me as a part of their Black History program on Thursday, Feb. 23.  I enjoyed the well mannered students and their attention to the program.

Here are some excerpts from an article entitled, “ A word from the Lord given to Rev. Kenneth Copeland on Aug. 6, 2010:

The world is in serious trouble.  But for the household of faith and those who will cling to My Word and listen very carefully.  The world, I’ll tell you again is in serious trouble.  Some very hard things are coming, in different places around the world.  Very difficult times in a lot of places.  They are that way now, but they’ll not get better.  They will continue to get worse and worse and worse.  It is on a downhill run that the world cannot stop, But for the household of faith, everything’s going to be alright.  Everything’s going to be alright.

Stand on My Word, and it’ll not come nigh you.  Praise and worship My Name.  Don’t feed and feed fear and feed trouble into your life and your mouth.  No, no, no, no.  Quit living in that house.  Get on back over here in the household of faith.  Feed on My Word, not on the bread of sorrow.  Feed on My Word.  Look in My face.  Praise and worship.  And praise and worship.  And praise and worship.  In church, praise and worship and preach the Word.  Praise and worship and preach the Word.  Everything’s going to be alright.

Prayer

Don’t forget to pray for the sick and shut in, the bereaved families, all who hunger and thirst for righteousness, our schools and our children, our teachers and preachers, our men and women still on the battlefield and their families, those with incurable diseases, those with troubled minds, our elderly, and for each other.

Thanks for all of the encouraging words that fuel my faith and inspire me to go on.  We are each other’s strong towers.  We must seek to keep each other strong.  There is too much hate, and not enough love.  Where love is, there is liberty.  Let us strive to be liberated.

May God bless and keep you safe under the shadow of His Wings.