Gloria Ford: Remember the families of those lost
Last Updated on 3/12/2010
Published on 7/9/2009
By Gloria Barr Ford
"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." -- Hebrews 8:22
Hopefully all of you have enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend.
For those of you who did not, we pray upcoming blessings.
Let us remember the families of Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett and Ed McMahon, and all families who have lost loved ones.
I grew up in the North Santee section of Georgetown County in the late forties until 1965.
During that time, I was an active member of Mt. Zion AME Church. The church was located across the yard from Mt. Zion Elementary School.
Sometimes when we didn't have enough room for all of our classes, we studied on the benches around the wood burning heater in the church.
This was the first Mt. Zion Church that I could remember.
It sat surrounded by graves. Sometimes at recess, my friends and I would venture to look at the tombstones.
My earliest recollection of being in the church itself, was on a Sunday morning where I vaguely remember drinking or sucking on a bottle of milk.
As I think back now to baby formulas back then; I 'm sure it must've been a bottle of Carnation milk mixed with equal parts of water.
Anyway, to me it was a taste sensation on a Sunday morning as the rest of the family enjoyed the church services.
As I grew older I attended Sunday School at Mt. Zion by taking the same walking path as I did for week day school.
My best friend, the late Carol Joye Williams and I walked down what seemed to be the longest aisle in the world to give our hand to the preacher as we "joined the church" as probationary members.
We became Sunday School officers, attended Sunday School conventions at various churches, became ushers, I even became a class leader at one point.
We had a new church built in the 70's, about a mile from the old location.
It was a bigger and better church, but the same wonderful church family.
I left for New York shortly after graduation and missed my church family sorely.
When I returned, I made sure that I visited the church.
No matter where I went or what church service I may have attended, I missed being at Mt. Zion.
We had several pastors at the church for various time limits. When I returned from a tour abroad, the pastor in charge was the late Rev. Elmore Williams.
Rev. Williams welcomed me back warmly and I became a part of Mt. Zion church life again.
I was called to the ministry just before Rev. Williams was assigned to another church, but he had me to do my very first sermon.
Our next pastor was the Rev. Joseph J. Grant who took me under his wings.
He was followed by the late Rev. James Witherspoon. The present pastor of Mt. Zion is the Rev. Alfred Darby.
Rev. Darby is perhaps the youngest pastor Mt. Zion has had.
He has been at the church for almost fifteen years and has made many additions and is an excellent leader.
On Sunday, July 19, at 11 a.m., you are invited to the 142nd anniversary of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church.
The speaker for this glorious occasion will be The Rev. Representative Carl L. Anderson and his choirs and congregation from St. Stephen A.M.E. Church.
Dinner will be served after the services.
God bless Mt. Zion.
Trinity A.M.E. Church in the Pee Dee/Hemingway area, will be celebrating Family and Friends Day on Sunday morning, July 12, at 11 a.m.
The speaker will be Minister Ernie Young of St. Luke UME Church. You are invited to attend.
Rev. Herman Ford Jr. is the pastor
Nazareth AME Church in the Choppee area will be celebrating Men and Women's Day on Sunday afternoon, July 12, at 5 p.m.
The speaker will be yours truly, Gloria B. Ford, with a word from the Lord.
You are invited. Sister Florene Linnen and Brother William Ladson are the chairpersons.
Rev. William McNeil is the pastor.
Please remember to pray for our sick and shut in, the bereaved, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the bedridden, our men and women on the battlefield in Iraq, the leaders of our land, our churches, and for each other.
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Don't forget to join Jackie and Zenobia Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. on 1470 WLMC Radio for the Jump-Off talk show, then join me on Saturday morning from 11-11:30 a.m. for Saturday Morning Sunshine.
God bless you and may your days be filled with the Joy of the Lord.
