2007 Summer - The Way of the Cross Church of Christ, International

The Way of The Cross Church of Christ, Int’l, National Youth for Christ, Inc.
The
M E S S E N G E R
August 10-11, 2007
Volume 6, Issue 3
WELCOME TO
HENDERSON,
NORTH CAROLINA!
Inside this issue:
Speakers for Youth
Services
Candidates for
NYFC Elections
Youth News from
Various Churches
Youth Testimony
Artist Management Firm
Launched
A Letter from the Editor
Praise the Lord and welcome
to the Annual General and
National Youth for Christ
Convocation! The theme for
the general is “It’s Harvest
Time.” The theme for the
youth is “Reaping the Fruit
of the Harvest.” We thank
God for the hospitality of
this great congregation and
pastor of Greater Ransom.
We have come together in
this place to worship, to
sing, to dance, to praise, and
to just let our Savior know
how much we love and appreciate his loving kindness and
saving grace.
I am sure
many of us have
been
through hard trials and
tribulations, as well as
Sis. Keevie W. Hairston
reaped abundant blessings,
since our last meeting, but
we still need to let Satan
know that we as a body of
believers will not allow his
earthly governing power to
hinder our spiritual growth
and development in Christ.
We so often hear the words
to a popular song, “we need
to take back what the devil
stole from us.” But some
times the devil did not steal
it. We just handed it over
to him! We should stand
boldly against Satan and say
by the power of the Holy
Ghost, I rebuke your grasp
off my family, my home, my
job, my health, my finances,
and especially my church!
You do not belong here and I
command you by the God
that lives in me, GET OUT!
We need to stop living beneath our privileges in God.
It is harvest time and we
should be ready to reap our
blessings! God is our father
and he owns everything! If I
need a healing, I can call my
daddy! If I need deliverance, I can call my papa! If
I need salvation, I can call
on my father! If I need a
home, a car, a job, clothes,
shoes, food--I can call on my
daddy, my papa, my father,
and his name is JESUS! He
is the immutable God! Omnipotent! Omniscient! Omnipresent! He is able!
Live Recording Held
Bishop Green’s Obituary
Special points of interest:
• Letter from the Editor
• Recreation Schedule
• Poems
• Proposed Bill in Congress
• Godly Instructions
• Playwright Highlighted
• Old Children’s Songs
• Special Thanks
National Youth for Christ Tentative Recreation Schedule
Wednesday, August 8
Bowling
11 pm - 1 am
Carolina Lanes
Henderson, NC
252-492-1112
$5/person
(shoe rental included)
Concession stand available.
Thursday, August 9
Roller Skating
11 pm - 1 am
Skateeum
Coble Boulevard
Henderson, NC
252-492-5033
$5/person
Concession stand available.
Friday, August 10
Basketball Tournament
11 pm - 1 am
MVP Sports Center
South Main Street
Wake Forest, NC
$8/player
$2 admittance for observer (seating available)
Concession stand available.
Page 2
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Pastor Davis to Speak in Intermediate Youth Service
Pastor Reginald J. Davis
Refuge Temple Church
Burlington, NC
Saved at nine years old,
Pastor Davis was called to the
ministry at the age of eleven.
Pastor Reginald J. Davis
was born in New York, NY.
Educated and raised in New
York and in North Carolina,
Pastor Davis was brought to
Christ and saved under the
ministry of Chief Apostle
William L. Bonner of Greater
Refuge Temple, New York,
NY, and Bishop Rufus
Hargrove of Greater Refuge
Church, Henderson, NC.
Saved at nine years old, Pastor Davis was called to the
ministry at the age of
eleven. He was ordained in
1990 and served as associate pastor to Bishop
Hargrove for six years before being sent to Burlington
to establish the Refuge
Temple Church.
Beginning
with eight charter members,
with the favor of God and
under Pastor Davis’ leadership, Refuge Temple has
grown to a vibrant congregation approaching 200 souls
with members coming from
around the Triangle, Triad,
and Metrolina regions of
North Carolina and portions
of
southern
Virginia.
Through radio and television,
Pastor Davis reaches hun-
dreds of people in the Burlington, Greensboro, High
Point, Graham, WinstonSalem, and Mebane areas.
To accommodate the expanding vision and ministry
of Refuge Temple, the pastor and church are currently
engaged in a capital campaign to establish The City
of Refuge in Burlington.
Pastor Davis’ ministry has
always had a focus on youth.
Pastor Davis served as Sergeant at Arms, Vice President, and President of the
International Armor Bearers
Young People’s Union of the
Church of Our Lord Jesus
Christ from 1986 to 1998.
His ministry to youth has
taken him from coast to
coast throughout the United
States, Canada, and the
United Kingdom. Currently,
Pastor Davis serves as
Chairman of the Board of
Education for COOLJC, a
member of the Board of
Directors for the W.L. Bonner College in Columbia, SC,
and Advisor to the Youth for
COOLJC. As the Advisor to
the Youth, Pastor Davis provides leadership to the In-
ternational ABYPU, the International Sunday School,
and the International Youth
Congress of this organization that serves 550
churches in the United
States and on five continents. Pastor Davis continues to travel conducting revivals, preaching at national
conferences, and leading
workshops and seminars for
youth, youth leaders, singles,
married couples, and clergy
on a host of topics.
Professionally, Pastor Davis
is a Joseph E. Pogue Scholar
and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, holding a Bachelors and Masters degree in
Education. Currently, he is
principal of Glenn Elementary School in Durham, NC.
Pastor Davis is married to
Lady Charity Davis, daughter
of Bishop Johnnie Alston and
the late Mother Geneva
Alston. They are the proud
parents of three children—
an adult adopted daughter,
Tasha Agnew, a son, Reginald
Joel Davis, II and a daughter, Geneva Andreal Davis.
Youth News - Galilee WOTCC, College Park, GA
Pastor Carlos O. Simon, Sr.
Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom: and
with all thy getting get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
Niara Boyd-Watson graduated from Lithonia High
School in Lithonia, GA, in the
top ten percent of her class
with a 3.75 GPA. Niara has
received
many awards
through the years in basketball, such as the Coaches
Award, Team Me Award, and
the Top Player of the Month
for three months in Dekalb
County.
Niara was also the Lithonia
Varsity Basketball Captain
for three years beginning
her sophomore year. During
her senior year, Niara was
on the Honor Roll for main-
taining all A’s and B’s the
entire year.
She has also received a full
basketball scholarship to
Paine College in Augusta, GA.
Congratulations Niara!
The
MESSENGER
Page 3
Volume 6, Issue 3
Elder Warren to Speak in Benedictory Service
Elder Robbi Warren, has
devoted his life to teaching, preaching, and singing
the gospel of Jesus
Christ. He is a motivator
of young people and many
lives have been changed
because of his dynamic
ministry.
In 1996, Elder Warren
founded and organized a
multi-media broadcast,
which is based out of Baltimore, MD. Since that
time, the broadcast has
grown to include The
Word
Network
and
WATC TV 57 – Atlanta.
These broadcasts are
projected to reach millions of people throughout
the Continental U.S.,
South America, Hawaii,
and Canada. He has also
appeared on World Harvest Television; BET;
KAZQ TV - Albuquerque,
Santa Fe, and Central and
North Central New Mexico; and WACX TV 55
(TBN Affiliate) - Orlando, Daytona, Gainesville, Orange County, Sanford and surrounding areas.
Over the years,
Elder Warren has been
heard over various radio
stations including WYCB
1340 AM – Washington,
DC; KYOK 1140 AM –
Houston, TX; and WCVG
1320 AM – Cincinnati, OH.
Many lives and souls have
been changed and transformed through these
broadcasts. Calls are received continuously from
people that have been
blessed and delivered, as
well as other television
stations inquiring about
the ministry.
Currently, Elder Warren
hosts a monthly talk
show, Atlanta Live, on
WATC TV 57 that tackles
various spiritual, financial,
psychological, and social
issues. His work has afforded him the opportunity to interview professional athletics, movie/
television stars, and musical artists.
He is noted by many as an
end-time
" P r o p het . ”
Elder Warren holds a
Doctorate of Divinity
from Eastern Bible Institute in New Jersey and is
the author and publisher
of the book ‘Bit, But Not
Elder Robbi D. Warren
International Evangelist
Indianapolis, IN
Poisoned.’
He also produced a CD
entitled “Scriptures and
Songs for Healing.”
Elder Warren’s passion is
to win the lost at any cost
and he serves as a prophetic voice to the body
of Christ, sounding the
alarm of the soon coming
of King Jesus Christ.
He is noted by many as an
end-time “Prophet.”
Modern Day Parable . . . just a little humor - catch the serious meaning
U.S. court case sets “new” Atheist Holiday
In Florida, an atheist became incensed over the
preparation of Easter and
Passover holidays. He decided to contact his lawyer
about the discrimination
inflicted on atheists by the
constant celebrations afforded to Christians and
Jews with all their holidays
while atheists had no holiday
to celebrate.
The case was brought be-
fore a wise judge. After
listening to the long passionate presentation by the lawyer, the Judge banged his
gavel and declared, Case
Dismissed. The lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling and said,
Your Honor, how can you
possibly dismiss this case?
Christians have Christmas,
Easter, and many other observances. Jews have Pass-
over, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah . . . yet my client and
all other atheists have no
such holidays.
The judge
leaned forward in his chair
and simply said, Obviously
your client is too confused
to even know about, much
less celebrate, his own atheists' holiday!
The lawyer
pompously said, Your Honor,
we are unaware of any such
holiday for atheists. Just
when might that holiday be,
your Honor? The judge said,
Well it comes every year on
exactly the same date . . .
April 1. Since our calendar
sets April 1 as 'April Fools
Day,' consider Psalm 14:1 and
Psalm 53 which state, 'The
fool says in his heart, there is
no God.' Thus, in my opinion, if
your client says there is no
God, then by scripture he is a
fool, thus April 1 is his holiday!
Page 4
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL YFC PRESIDENT
Elder
Torrino
Travell
Travis is running for National Youth for Christ
President this year. Elder
Travis was born in Martinsville, VA, on January 17,
1978. He was baptized at
Shiloh WOTCC under the
leadership of Bishop Earley
Dillard, D.D., on February 8,
1987.
Elder Travell was
filled with the precious gift
of the Holy Ghost on February 22, 1991. After graduating
from
FieldaleCollinsville High School in
1996, Elder Travis entered
the University of Virginia
(UVA) in Charlottesville, VA,
where he achieved his BA
degree in 2000. He immediately transferred to Howard
University School of Law to
obtain his JD, which he completed in 2003. In 2005,
Elder Travis also passed the
Virginia State Bar Exam.
During the period of time
that Elder Travell was fur-
thering his education, he
functioned in various capacities under the leader ship of
Bishop A.D. Brooks at the
Mother Church, in Washington, DC, from July 2000 –
August 2003; Elder Carl
Miller at Gates of Praise
WOTCC, Hampton, VA, from
August 2003 – Present; and
Vice Presiding Bishop James
C. Jackson at Living Waters
WOTCC, Newport News, VA,
from August 2003 – Present.
Elder Travell was called into
the ministry and became an
ordained minister in the
WOTCC on August 6, 2000.
Later, On July 29, 2005,
Elder Travis was ordained an
Elder also in the WOTCC.
Previously, he held the office of NYFC Intermediate
Youth Vice President from
1991-93. He also served as
the NYFC Intermediate
Youth President from 1993 –
2000.
Elder Travell currently serves the NYFC in
the capacity of Second Vice
President. He has held the
position from 2000 to the
present. Under his leadership and instruction are the
Intermediate Youth, Hospitality Committee, Membership Committee, Newsletter
Committee, and Scholarship
Committee. Elder Travell is
currently employed by the
Hampton University School
of Business as Assistant
Professor of Entrepreneurship/Assistant to the Dean.
Elder Travis has also managed to establish the Law
Office of Travell Travis,
Attorney and Counselor at
Law.
On December 31, 2006,
Elder Travell Travis was
married to the former
Sherina Mason. Elder and
Sis. Travis currently reside
in Hampton, VA.
the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute and was an
Honors College Distinguished
Scholar.
Throughout his
matriculation at Hampton,
Steven served as Mr. Music
2006 – 07, Student Conductor and President of the
Hampton University Choir,
President of the National
Association for Music Education, President of Hampton’s first official chapter
of the National Association
for the Study and Perform-
. . . but whosoever will be
great among you, shall be
y o u r mi n i st e r :
And
whosoever of you will be the
chiefest, shall be servant of
all. For even the Son of man
came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for
many.
Mark 10:43 - 45
First Ford Memorial Scholarship Recipient Graduates from College
Bro. Steven R. Plater
graduated Magna Cum Laude
with Honors from Hampton
University in Hampton,
VA, on May 13, 2007. He
earned the Bachelor of Arts
in Music with a minor in
Leadership Studies. In the
fall, with the help of the
Lord, Steven will obtain a
Master in Teaching in Music
Education from Hampton
University while touring with
the Virginia Opera. In addition, Steven graduated from
Elder T. Travell Travis
Second Vice President
National YFC
Hampton, VA
ance of African-American
Music, Secretary of Phi Mu
Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of
America, Inc., on-air announcer for WHOV 88.1 FM,
Scarecrow in The Wiz; Arab in West Side Story;
Johnny Casino and Teen Angel in Grease; a member of
the world-renowned Hampton University Concert
Choir; Opera Theatre; and
Madrigals.
Steven holds memberships in
Golden Key International
Page 5
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Bro. Steven Plater (continued)
Honor Society, the National
Dean’s List, and Alpha Kappa
Mu Honor Society. Steven
attends Bethel WOTCC in
Huntingtown, MD, and is the
National Intermediate Youth
for Christ President.
Steven gives all glory, honor,
and praise to his Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ for the
miraculous things He has
done!
CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL YFC PRESIDENT
My name is Elder O’Brien
Echols, and I am a native of
Danville, VA, and currently
reside in Owings, MD. I am
a member of Bethel WOTCC,
Huntingtown, MD, where
District Elder Darnell
Easton is Pastor. I currently
serve as an Associate Minister, Adult Sunday School
Teacher, Minister of Music,
and with my wife, LaVonya,
head the Singles’ Ministry. I
am currently the National
YFC First Vice President,
former Third Vice President,
and have held numerous positions within the YFC including Music Chairman. LaVonya
and I have a six-year-old
daughter, Brieana, who is
following our paths in our
love of music.
I am running for the position
of President of the NYFC.
My desire is to help our
youth today stand as bold
witnesses for Christ in an
age where it is not a popular
thing to do. I want to focus
on our youth, giving them the
opportunity to express
themselves in the many talents and anointing that God
has given them. I also want
to help recreate the aura of
excitement that has surrounded the NYFC for years,
and get our NYFC body flowing in this wonderful move of
God in these last days. I
want to place the NYFC in
the hands of the people,
getting them more involved
in our day to day activities,
so that you feel that this is
YOUR NATIONAL YOUTH
FOR CHRIST, and that it is
here for YOU. BECAUSE IT
EXISTS NOT JUST FOR
YOU, BUT BECAUSE OF
YOU! I have heard it often
said that nothing brings a
sense of pride more than
ownership.
I want, especially our youth, to feel that
you own this organization,
simply because you do. It
was created for your expression
and
spiritual
growth. I want to highlight,
emphasize, and give light to
the many talents that our
youth possess. I want you
to know and feel that you
have an opportunity within
the YFC to express yourselves, whether it be musically, the spoken Word of
God, or through poems,
plays, books, whatever God
has anointed you to be. We
will be an organization that
emphasizes putting Christ
first in your life, which includes seeking the anointing
of God, seeking to draw
closer to him.
We want
every person to understand
the call that God has put on
their lives, as I John 2:13 –
15 says, “I write unto you,
fathers, because ye have
known him that is from the
beginning. I write unto you,
young men, because ye have
overcome the wicked one. I
write unto you, little children, because ye have known
the Father. I have written
unto you, fathers, because
ye have known him that is
from the beginning. I have
written unto you, young men,
because ye are strong, and
the word of God abideth in
you, and ye have overcome
the wicked one. Love not the
world, neither the things
that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him.”
We will emphasize and provide both instruction and
opportunity for our National
YFC to receive the anointing
of God through the receiving
of the Holy Ghost, thereby
equipping them to be strong
in this world, inside and outside of their local church
walls. We will spread the
message of Jesus Christ
through evangelism and create college campus ministries and connect our
WOTCC youth with local
WOTCC ministries so that
they can continue to grow in
the Apostolic faith.
There is so much that has
been accomplished over the
years and so much more to
For I know the thoughts that I
think toward you, saith the
LORD, thoughts of peace, and
not of evil, to give you an
expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11
Elder O’Brien Echols
First Vice President
National Youth for Christ
Huntingtown, MD
Page 6
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
CANDIDATE - ELDER ECHOLS (continued)
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:13
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Leviticus 18:22
accomplish.
With your
prayers and support, we can
unlock the great potential
that this organization possesses, and create young
people who are strong in the
Lord and in the power of his
might. I leave you with the
words of Paul to Timothy,
recorded in I Timothy 4:12,
“Let no man despise thy
youth; but be thou an exam-
ple of the believers, in word,
in conversation, in charity, in
spirit, in faith, in purity.”
A Bill in Congress makes it a Crime for Pastors and Churches to
Speak Against Homosexuality
‘Message to pastors and Christians: Just keep your mouth shut’
If pastors and other Christians do not aggressively oppose a bill now in Congress, in
the near future they will be subject to huge fines and prison terms if they say anything negative about homosexuality.
The proposed law would make it a crime to preach on Romans Chapter 1 or I Corinthians Chapter 6 or even to discuss them in a Sunday School class. If churches and
individuals want to keep the government from telling them what they can and cannot preach and teach about homosexuality, they better get involved now!
House bill H.R. 1592 and Senate bill S. 1105 would make negative statements concerning homosexuality, such as calling the practice of homosexuality a sin from the
pulpit, a "hate crime" punishable by law. This dangerous legislation would take away
your freedom of speech and your freedom of religion. Consider what has already
happened:
A California lawsuit which is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court would make the
use of the words "natural family," "marriage" and "union of a man and a
woman" a "hate speech" crime in government workplaces. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has already ruled in favor of the plaintiffs!
CNN and The Washington Post both reported that General Peter Pace, former
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was fired because he publicly expressed moral opposition to homosexual behavior.
Thank you for caring enough to get involved. Please help us get this information
into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your family and
friends.
Sincerely,
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association
Visit the American Family Association website to learn more and sign a petition being submitted to congress.
Page 7
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Youth News - Mother Church, Washington, DC
Bishop A. D. Brooks, Pastor
Greetings in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ!
We thank God for allowing us to gather together
another year to fellowship. It has been a fruitful and exciting year! At
the Mother Church, we
are continuously working
to better equip our young
people with all the tools
needed to be spiritually
sound and successful.
Listed below are our baptisms, new church and
Youth for Christ members, marriages, births,
and christenings.
We
know our new members
will be received with open
arms!
We believe that our
youth should display
Christian excellence in
every area of their lives.
On July 8, we held our
annual Graduation and
Awards Ceremony. There
we honored and celebrated them for their
achievements. In addition to our graduates,
many of our young people
were given outstanding
performance awards for
the 2006-07 school year!
Join us in congratulating
our 2007 graduates:
Middle School
Christopher Gardner
Patrick Mahone
Brittany Magruder
Lynsay Yelder
High School
Jean Brooks
Graduate School
Yolanda Miller
Baptisms
Damon L. Braxton
Kimberly N. Byrd
Gerard P. Contee
Jonelle Sanders-Walker
Africa E. Shiflet
Taylor M. Woodson
Tyler M. Woodson
Patrick L. Yancy
Fredricka A. Yancy
Mileija T. Yancy
Penda E. Byrd
Demetria N. Coulter
Kevin M. Dyatt
Jason A. Feeyster
Monique R. Johnson
Michelle Kibunja
Gemma Kibunja
Ramya A. Manning
Meyana N. McCombs
Ava Gaye McNab
Kevin Murphy
Daniel C. Parker
Kamali A. Payton
Brenda Smith
Tarrie L. Whiting
Derrick D. Wiggins
Ciera C. Wiggins
Alan D. Williams, Jr.
Kevin Williamson
Taneka J. Cabbagestalk
Christenings
Taylor Destiny-Aymya
Harrell
Zoe Halyn Rose
Alyssa Nicole Johnson
Jayla Simone Hill
Bernard Andrew Anthony
Howard
Mylie Francis
Births
Nicholas Leon Crosby
born to Leon and Kendra
Crosby
Marriages
Mr. & Mrs. Dominc L. Frye
New Members
Joyce M. Tyson
Paige I. Williams
Jason Brown
Julius Brown
Ra’Chael Brown
Precious Brown
Tamara J. Smith
Hameka L. Walker
Karol Anderson
Latrice Y. Cheeks
Michael Pressley
Bria A. Turner
Donald H. Greenfield
Lyndsay M. Mendenall
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
Page 8
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Live Recording at the Mother Church, Washington D.C.
by Sis. Crystal Fleming
On a chilly Friday night in
May, there was a hint of rain
in the air as a large crowd
waited with anticipation for
the doors of the sanctuary
at the Mother Church to
open. The attendees waited
as patiently as they could in
the Blue Room for the recording to begin. While waiting, they watched a video
anthology of the singing ministry of Sis. Aneisa Simon
and ate from a light buffet.
Sis. Aneisa Simon
Mother Church
Washington, DC
Speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the
Lord; Giving thanks always for
all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the
fear of God.
Ephesians 5:19-21
The excitement seemed to
rise exponentially each minute as producer, Paul “PJ”
Morgan, continued a closed
rehearsal in order to perfect the audio and get the
soloist and group ready for
the live recording.
Finally, the doors to the
sanctuary opened, and attendees quickly flowed in to get
the best possible seat in the
house. You could feel the
anticipation in the air. This
may have been Sis. Simon’s
first live recording, but she
is known throughout the
Washington, DC, Metropolitan
area
for
her
ANOINTED sounds. A man
once remarked that Aneisa’s
singing “brings tears to my
eyes and chills down my
spine.”
The program begins as the
Voices of Judah (VOJ) sing
two songs - “Awesome God”
and “Faithful is Our God.”
Sis. Simon is the director of
VOJ and the choir prepares
the atmosphere for God’s
presence to abide.
Then, like a wave, the crowd
became silent, section by
section, as the Master of
Ceremony, Min. William
Craig, III, takes the stage.
His enthusiasm is contagious
as he announces “the best
kept secret in Washington,
DC” an anointed songstress
and worshiper - Sis. Aneisa
Simon!” Sis. Simon entered
the sanctuary, escorted by
her husband, Min. Chris
Simon, and thus began a
worship and praise experience parallel to none.
Sis. Aneisa was graceful in a
beautiful floor-length, crimson dress. The songs were
arranged in a way that we
began to praise the Almighty
King with songs such as
“Lord, You Reign,” Your
Name is Wonderful’,” and
“One Word.”
The angelic
blend of eight powerful and
anointed background vocals
added height and depth to
the song arrangements as we
moved into a worship experience with a medley of songs.
The recording ended with
the attendees in worship and
the altar open to anyone who
desired to seek the Lord.
This was a live recording
where God’s presence was
felt and we had an opportunity to support our sister in
Christ, Aneisa Simon, in her
debut recording project.
The project is being produced by D.C.’s own, and
world-renowned, Paul “PJ”
Morgan, former organist for
Dr. Bobby Jones.
If you missed the recording,
don’t worry, the CD project
will be released in fall 2007.
Stay tuned for more details
regarding
Sis.
Aneisa
Simon’s project and her
ANOINTED Sounds Ministry.
If you’d like to be a blessing
to Sis. Simon by way of
words and or a monetary
gift, you may contact her at
The Anointed Sounds Ministry, c/o In Harmony Management, LLC., P.O. Box 453,
Owings, MD 20736.
Sis. LaVonya Echols Launches Artist Management Firm
In January of 2005, Sis.
LaVonya with her brother,
Alvin Jones, Jr., returned
home from the Stellar Gospel Music Awards in Houston, TX.
It was on this
flight that her brother
shared his desire to launch
into the music ministry. Being the big sister that she
is, she knew that she could
not let her brother go at it
alone, so she agreed to be
his frontrunner to manage
his music career. Little did
she know that the Lord was
writing the foreword to a
new chapter in her life.
Page 9
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
LaVonya Echols
P.O. Box 453
Owings, MD 20736
301.752.1045
[email protected]
Artist Management Firm (continued)
Sis. LaVonya knew that one
day she would own her own
business so she consulted
the Lord for guidance and
direction.
In the fall of
2006, In Harmony Management, LLC, was birthed. In
Harmony Management, LLC,
is a Christian artist management firm specializing in
developing, marketing, and
promoting of ministries in all
forms.
In Harmony Management
provides services in market-
ing and promotions, bookings,
artist analyzing and imaging,
demo press kits, demo shopping, merchandising strategies, recording session facilitating, facilitating professional photo shoots, and
much more.
It is a small company with a
big vision for God’s people.
Sis. LaVonya represents her
clients with integrity and
professionalism because she
knows that she not only
represents them but she
represents
first.
Jesus
Christ
Sis. LaVonya recently received her B.S. degree in
Business Administration
from the University of
Maryland University College.
She is the wife of the First
Vice President of the NYFC,
Elder O’Brien Echols, and is
a member of Bethel WOTCC,
Huntingtown, MD.
Elder
Darnell Easton is the Pastor.
Youth News - Bethel WOTCC, Huntingtown, MD
Elder Darnell Easton, Pastor
2007 Graduates
Calvert High School
Mervin Gantt
Kieara Goodwin
DeAndre' Pickeral
Forestville Military
Academy
Justin Barlow
Glen Burnie High School
Shanequah Munford
Huntingtown High School
Kelsey Butler
Whitney Butler
Tiara Jones
Northern High School
Shequanda Creek
Termaine Creek
Brittney Johnson
Britney Jones
Hampton University
Steven Plater
Towson University
Charlana James
University
of
Maryland
University College
LaVonya Echols
Ten-year-old Amalia Parran
attends Calvert Elementary
School, where she is an
honor roll student and during
the 4th marking period re-
ceived straight A's, participates in school chorus, and
received an achievement
award for band. She plays
the flute. Amalia ranked in
the 93rd percentile of students nationally (advanced
level) for MSA mathematics,
passed to the 5th grade, and
also loves and participates in
children’s church.
She is
from Anchorage, AK, and has
been blessed to live in Prince
Frederick, MD.
Youth News - Greater Ransom WOTCC, Henderson, NC
by Sis. Yolanda Alston
Graduates
Sis. Nikia Alston
Sis. Stephanie Brown
Sis. Felicia Bullock
Bro. Detroy Harris
Bro. T.J. Hinton
Bro. Brian O’bey
Bro. Rakeem Person
Sis. Maranda Sneed
Sis. Victoria Ashley Terry
On June 30, 2007, the youth
held a car wash at the local
gas and grocery store.
Washing only 13 community
cars and selling a few slices
of cake, the youth were
blessed with a total of
$552. Two hundred dollars
was donated for the first
truck they washed, and another $100 was donated for
the second vehicle they
washed. Equipped with in-
Page 10
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Greater Ransom WOTCC (continued)
formational tracts to leave
in each car washed and a
praise, the children worked
hard during the fundraiser
and enjoyed themselves the
entire four hours of opera-
tion. Special thanks to all of
the volunteers!
Fasting for Your Health
by Sis. Frances Banks, RN, BSN, MS, Vice President, National Health Service
And he said unto them, This
kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Preach the word; be instant
in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with
all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 Timothy 4:2
I give God the highest
praise for the mercy that
He has extended unto me.
Truly, I thank God for the
high calling He has placed
upon my life as a parish
nurse. God saw my purpose
from the beginning of the
foundation of the world;
therefore, I magnify the
office for which I have been
chosen. As a parish nurse,
my ministry extends far
beyond the doors of the
church. My charge, and
yours, is to meet people at
their point of need--whether
it be counseling, visitation,
clothing, food and shelter,
education, a listening ear, or
just a shoulder to lean on.
Many of my days are spent
giving advice and guidance to
those in need. Other days,
I’m teaching the young as
well as the old. And still at
other times, I am administering
blood
pressure
screenings and lending a
helping hand wherever I am
needed.
Colossians 9:10
says, "Whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do, do it with thy
might; for there is no work,
nor device, nor knowledge,
nor wisdom, in the grave,
whither thou goest." In like
manner, every day I put my
hand to the gospel plow
(Luke 9:62) for we must
work out our own soul salvation (Philippians 2:12) while
it is day, for the night
cometh when no man will be
able to work (John 9:4).
"Fasting For Your Health" is
an informative and educational book based on biblical
principles and in-depth re-
search. There are three
significant stages associated
with fasting and this booklet
addresses them in great
detail - before, during, and
after the fast. This book is
a required reading for all
parishioners regardless of
faith. Furthermore, anyone
wanting to realize and maintain good health or an understanding of the basic principles of fasting will truly enjoy this book. This book will
change your life forever.
To view the book cover and
table of contents visit my
website: www.geocities.com/
blestwo, click "Parishing
Nursing" and then "Fasting
Booklet for Sale.” Books
may be purchased by contacting me by e-mail through
my website.
Youth News - Shiloh WOTCC, Martinsville, VA
by Sis. Phyllis D. Hairston
We, the members of Shiloh
WOTCC, thank God for our
leader and pastor, Bishop
Earley Dillard, D.D., and
for his 22 years of pastoral
leadership. Dr. Dillard celebrated his 22nd pastoral
year June 3 -10.
Guest
Speakers were Dr. Phillip
Campbell, Bibleway World-
wide Cathedral, Danville, VA;
Elder Harvey Hale, Pentecostal Assemblies of the
World, Albuquerque, NM;
Bishop Crystal Hairston,
Bibleway Worldwide, Richmond, VA; and Pastor Mark
Price, Greater New Bethel
Apostolic Church, Martinsville, VA. On Pastor’s day,
eight young brothers (teen
through thirty) of the
church delivered inspiring
testimonials reflecting the
various ways Dr. Dillard’s
sermons have influenced
their lives.
Truly God
blessed those young men and
the congregation through
them. A pastoral banquet
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The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Shiloh WOTCC (continued)
was held on Sunday, June 10,
at the Virginia Museum of
Natural History in Martinsville, VA. It was an elegant
evening and the grand finale
to a wonderful week.
We love you Dr. and First
Lady Dillard. You deserve to
receive so many wonderful
things--so many smiles, such
an abundance of joy, an
overflow of blessings--for
all the things that you do in
helping us and others to
make it to the kingdom of
God.
The Sanctuary Voices of
Praise were honored to receive an invitation to sing at
the Apostolic World Christian Fellowship in Evansville,
IN. The event took place
May 2 - 4. The choir rendered three selections in
the evening service on
Thursday, May 3. God filled
the place with His glory. A
web cast was aired on
www.awcf.org of the service.
We thank God for a beautiful safe trip. The choir and
those traveling with them
also had the privilege of seeing the motorcade of the
Queen of England as she
passed by in Kentucky.
Our Academic and Professional Recognition Ceremony
was held on Sunday, July 22.
Dr. Dillard presented each
individual with a trophy in
honor of their accomplishments the past year. Our
graduates are as follows:
High School
Sis. Bianca Williams, Bassett High School
Sis. Keisha Wooten, Virginia Tech (Bachelors in Animal and Poultry Science)
Sis. Latoya Cox Day, Patrick Henry Community College (School of Practical
Nursing)
Weddings
Sis. DeShannon Stockton
married Elder
Anthony
Smith on Saturday, April 14,
at Greater Refuge COOLJC,
Richmond, VA.
Births
Sis. Maura Carter, Tunstall
High School
Jonaven Aron, born to Bro.
JoVen and Sis. ToSheena
Millner, July 5, weighing 7
lbs., 3 oz., and 20 1/2 inches
long.
College
Deaths
Missionary Gloria Cabiness,
National College of Business
and Technology (Associates
in Business Administration/
Management with honors)
Sis.
Margaret
Virginia
Gravely Kellam departed
this life on May 21. She was
the mother of the chairman
of the Deacon Board, Deac.
Michael L. Gravely.
Sis. Jasmine Woods, Magna
Vista High School
Sis. Lavonne Hairston, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill (Bachelors of
Arts in Exercise and Sports
Science with honors)
Bro. Frank Russell Adams
departed this life on July 4.
He was the husband of Missionary Chanie P. Adams.
VA Tech Student Shares Testimony
by Bro. Jason Dodson, Shiloh WOTCC
Praise the Lord saints.
Lo, children are an heritage
of the LORD: and the fruit
of the womb is his reward.
Psalm 127:3
I do not really know where
to begin telling you how
great God is.
I have a testimony that I
would like to share with not
only the youth, but all ages
on how God can work in mysterious ways.
I am an Engineering Science
and Mechanics major at VA
Tech. During the fall semester of 2006, I was taking
classes at Virginia Tech.
When the semester was
over, my advisor and I had
meetings about my courses
for the next semester. She
began to tell me that I would
have to attend school for
another year because I was
not eligible to take certain
classes during the spring
semester and would have to
wait until next fall (2007) to
register. The devil started
trying to cause a mental turbulence with me after that
in order to discourage me
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The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
VA Tech Testimony (continued)
from being in school. When
the devil started trying his
schemes I began to pray. I
went and talked to my parents and pastor, Dr. Dillard,
and asked him to pray that
something will work out, because at this point it was out
of my hands and in God’s
hand. My pastor and my parents began to tell me not to
be discouraged because God
is always on time. I began to
praise God through my situation and never hung my head
because I had to stay another year in school, instead
I prayed that God would
ease my mind and what happened could have been for a
reason.
Afterwards, the spring semester approached and I
asked God to watch over me
this semester. On Monday,
April 16, 2007, I was at
work and began to receive
word that someone was
shooting on campus, and stu-
dents were being killed.
When I started watching
the news, I started to realize that the student was
shooting in the building
where my Engineering Science and Mechanics department is located.
I started to get calls from
my friends telling me that
some of my classmates and
teachers had been shot as
well as my academic advisor
was killed. Tears began to
come down my face as I realized that these were the
classes that I was not eligible to take and had to take
them the next semester
(fall 2007). These were the
classes that I took with colleagues of mine because we
studied and completed
homework together. But
instead, I was not allowed to
take these classes because
God new something that no
one else knew. He was closing a door in order to open
another. He allowed me not
to be able to take those
classes so I would not be in
those classrooms the following semester (spring 2007)
when a mentally disturbed
student decided to murder
32 students and faculty in
West Ambler-Johnston and
Norris Hall and then proceeded to take his own life.
I thank God everyday for
His blessings. If anyone is
looking for a miracle or
maybe something in their
life went wrong, I am here
to tell you do not doubt God;
He is always in control. I
challenge you to praise God
during trials and the blessing
will overflow. God has been
so good to me. He has
blessed me and my family in
so many ways. Thanks to all
the saints that prayed for
the youth in the WOTCC
who attend VA Tech. God
Bless You All!
Youth News - Evangelistic Temple WOTCC
Bishop Roosevelt Fulton, Pastor
Tomesha L. Shaw, received
Superintendent Honor Roll
Student, a member of the
USAA National Honor Roll
Award, selected to attend
the Early College High Program during 9-12 grades.
She is dedicated and faithful to the Youth for Christ
Department.
Tommy Lee Shaw, Jr., received
Superinten dent
Honor Roll Student and he is
also dedicated and faithful
to the Youth for Christ Department.
Jessica Fulmore received
the Perfect Attendance for
school year 2006-07 and the
Technology Award for High
Performance in Fast Forward.
Jaclyn Fulmore received the
President's Education Award
for Outstanding Academic
Excellence, Perfect Attendance for school year 2006-
07, Academic Achievement
Award in Math and Reading,
First Place Reading Counts
Award in First Grade, Superintendent Honor Roll for
entire school year, top 3 in
her class, and is in the Williamsburg County Gifted and
Academically Talented Children Program.
Wedding Anniversaries
Bishop Roosevelt Fulton and
Missionary Maggie Fulton
In all thy ways acknowledge
him, and he shall direct thy
paths.
Proverbs 3:6
The Lord is watching out
for us when we cannot and
are not watching out for
ourselves.
Page 13
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Evangelistic Temple WOTCC
celebrated 38 years on September 16.
(continued)
sionary
Dorothy
celebrated 41 years.
Brown
Brother Seaward and Mis-
Elder Tommy and Missionary Lucinder Shaw celebrated 17 years on June 30.
Youth News - Tried WOTCC, Mineral, VA
Bishop Ben Cannady, Pastor
Graduates
Sis. Clementine Anderson
graduated on June 1, 2007,
from Spotsylvania County
Public Schools. She graduated with honors and has
received many scholarships
to attend Germanna Community College in Fredericksburg, VA. She was a member
of the mentor program,
SCA, and other organizations at Spotsylvania High.
Sis. Leslie Anderson graduated from Liberty University
on May 19, 2007. She received an honorable mention
and now has a Bachelor of
Science degree. The Lord
has blessed her with her
Knowing this, that the trying
of your faith worketh patience.
James 1:3
desire and she will be working at Louisa County High
School this fall. Sis. Leslie
was blessed with a job in
Spotsylvania County teaching
high school. She had a desire
to have a job closer to home.
After a revival where the
prophecy was given that in
seven days someone would be
blessed with their heart’s
desires she reported that
she had a new job in Louisa
County doing the same thing
for higher pay and just a
few minutes from her home!
Bro. Vincent Scott graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in May. He
will be working at MCV hos-
pital and will be returning to
school to complete another
degree.
Upcoming Events:
On August 19, 2007, at 4 pm
Elder Holmes and New Life
Pentecostal will be at Tried
WOTCC.
On, September 23, 2007, we
will be having our Homecoming Service.
On September 26-27, 2007,
at 8 pm nightly, Bishop
James C. Jackson will be
preaching a revival at Tried
WOTCC.
Continue to pray for us in
Jesus Name!
Five Reasons God Permits Problems
The problems you face will
either defeat you or develop
you--depending on how YOU
respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to
see how God wants to use
problems for good in their
lives. They react foolishly
and resent their problems
rather than pausing to consider what benefit they
might bring. Here are five
reasons God may have permitted the problems you
experience in your life:
1. God permits problems to
DIRECT you. Sometimes
God must light a fire under
you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new
direction and motivate us to
change. Is God allowing this
situation to get your attention? “Sometimes it takes a
painful situation to make us
change our ways.” Proverbs
20:30
2. God permits problems to
INSPECT you. People are
like tea bags. . . if you want
to know what's inside them,
just drop them into hot water! Has God tested your
faith by allowing a problem
or two into your life? What
do problems reveal about
you? "When you have many
kinds of troubles, you should
be full of joy, because you
know that these troubles
test your faith, and this will
give you patience." James
1:2-3
3. God uses problems to
CORRECT you. Some les-
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The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Five Reasons (continued)
DIRECT
INSPECT
CORRECT
sons we learn only through
pain and failure. It's likely
that as a child your parents
told you not to touch a hot
stove. But you probably
learned by being burned.
Sometimes we only learn the
value of something . . .
health, money, a relationship . . . by losing it. "It was
the best thing that could
have happened to me, for it
taught me to pay attention
to your laws." Psalms 119:7172
4. God permits problems to
PROTECT you. A problem
can be a blessing in disguise
if it prevents you from being
harmed by something more
serious.
Last year a friend was fired
for refusing to do something
unethical that his boss had
asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem, but
it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a
year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. "You intended to harm me, but God
intended it for good" Genesis 50:20
5. God permits problems to
PERFECT you. Problems,
when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character
than your comfort. Your
relationship to God and your
character are the only two
things you're going to take
with you into eternity. "We
can rejoice when we run into
problems . . . they help us
learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of
character in us and helps us
trust God more each time we
use it until finally our hope
and faith are strong and
steady." Romans 5:3-4
Here's the point: God is at
work in your life -- even
when you do not recognize
it or understand it. But
it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate
with Him.
Youth News - Gates of Praise WOTCC, Hampton, VA
Elder Carl Miller, Pastor
PROTECT
PERFECT
“O Give Thanks Unto the
Lord for He is Good!”
Greetings in the majestic
name of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ! The Gates of
Praise is very excited and
proud of our Youth for
Christ! We wish to recognize the following:
Sister Candace Miller received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from Hampton University. She also has a licensed practical nursing degree. Candace plans to pursue a Master’s degree in
Occupational Therapy.
Sister Dominique Whitaker
graduated with honors from
Jamestown High School in
Williamsburg, VA. Dominique
was featured in the Daily
Press, the local newspaper,
in the “Top of Their Senior
Class” section. During her
senior year, Dominique participated in Jamestown’s
Student Transition Educational Program. She worked
a full-time job at the Fat
Canary, an upscale Williamsburg restaurant. The job
sparked an interest in culinary arts. Dominique plans
to attend Johnson and
Wales University in Charlotte, NC, or the Culinary
Institute of Virginia in Norfolk, VA.
Sister Joy Miller graduated
with honors from Denbigh
High School, Newport News,
VA. A Senior Class Officer,
Joy was active in the National Honor Society, Mu
Alpha Theta Math Honor
Society, high school newspaper editor-in-chief, and was
the CEO of Coffée Diem, a
Virtual Enterprise Business.
Joy plans to attend Hampton
University and major in Business Marketing.
Also, Pastor Carl and First
Lady Pamela Miller wish to
announce the marriage of
their son Jonathan Weston
Hairston Miller to LaShaun
Lynette Adams. The bride is
the daughter of Apostle
Lindsey and Barbara Adams
of Thomasville, NC.
The
couple was married April 20,
2007. They reside in High
Point, NC.
We pray God’s blessings
upon all Youth for Christ! To
God be the glory for the
things He has done!
Page 15
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Youth News - Lighthouse WOTCC, Florence, SC
Elder Steve Dukes, Pastor
Ye are the light of the world. A
city that is set on an hill cannot
be hid.
Matthew5:14
In 2005, Elder Stevie Dukes accepted the
call of God upon his life to become a pastor.
He immediately began to search for a building in Florence, SC, that he could use for
worship. He looked all over the city, but felt
that the Holy Ghost was leading him to east
Florence. He searched for approximately
one year before seeing an advertisement in
the local newspaper regarding a building for
sale. The advertisement indicated the building was ideal for a church. In August 2006,
the building located at 1504 Old Mars Bluff
Road was purchased.
Brethren from WOTCCs in South Carolina
came together to paint, repair, renovate the
building, construct an altar and office, and
place pews and pulpit furniture in the
church. Central heating and air conditioning
were installed and plumbing upgraded. Oh,
what a transformation it was from the original shell that it was when they started!
On March 10, 2007, the church dedication
service was held in the newly renovated
sanctuary. The following Thursday evening,
the week night worship service was instituted. On June 3, 2007, Sunday school and
Sunday morning worship services were instituted.
On June 12, 2007, the Governor of South
Carolina, Mark Sanford, signed a proclamation against gang activity in the State.
Channel 13 (WBTW) News aired an interview
with Pastor Dukes regarding the role his new
ministry would play in the elimination of gang
violence in the community immediately surrounding the church. In summary, Pastor
Dukes assured the community that it was no
coincidence that God sent him to this community at such a critical time and that, as
God’s instrument, Lighthouse WOTCC intends to represent hope for the community.
Lighthouse WOTCC was so named because it
is the pastor’s vision that this ministry would
serve as a beacon of hope to those who have
been lost and battered by the angry waves
of life, just as the natural lighthouses exist
to allow those on the ocean to reach safety.
Many souls have come to the Lord crying out
for forgiveness, deliverance, and restoration. To God be the glory for all the things
that He has done!
Praise Temple Apostolic WOTCC Youth News
by Sis. Sophia Hines
Tyrique Mack-Georges received first honors in kindergarten at Birney Elementary School.
Chezborn Jessup our third
grade scholar is going to the
4th grade at Birney Elementary School, and received
the Most Improved Award.
Jamésa Hines conquered
her first year of high school
at the Philadelphia High
School for Girls. She came in
strong and received all A’s
every report card in her all
honor classes. Because of
her distinguished merit, she
was able to participate in
the Rosemont Initiative for
Success through Education
program. During this program, she continued her
studies in higher-level Math,
English, and SAT prep
courses and received the
highest average in her
classes. Outside of school,
she went beyond academic
greatness and achieved
great things in her practice
of classical violin. She won
3rd place in the NAACP Act-
So competition for classical
music.
Montrell Mitchell gave his
mother the ultimate gift by
being baptized in Jesus’
name on Mother’s Day.
Sophia Hines finished her
junior year at Central High
School in Philadelphia with
honors and as a National
Honor Society candidate.
Her acceptance will be announced on her return in
September. She will be entering her senior year as the
newly elected President of
Page 16
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Praise Temple WOTCC (continued)
the senior class. At the end
of the school year, Sophia
traveled with the Central
High School orchestra to
Budapest, Hungary, where
she played the viola during
the nine-day tour. On her
return, Sophia traveled to
Detroit, MI where she competed in the National NAACP
Act-So competition, and was
one of the first three visual
arts competitors to be selected to present her project during the award ceremony. Over the course of
the past three years, Sophia
has continued her research
at Drexel University and has
placed first at several Science fairs.
Sedrick Hines graduated
from the illustrious Julia R.
Masterman Laboratory and
Demonstration High School.
He was a member of the 3time PIAA district 12 and 7time city champion volleyball
team. He was captain of the
Varsity Gymnastics team and
won on floor, parallel bars,
rings, and vault. He was also
member of the school jazz
band as well as the Temple
University CSMP/Village
Vanguard Youth Orchestra
where he was first drummer
and percussion leader. In
addition to his in-school accomplishments, he competed
in the NAACP Act-So competition and received silver
in contemporary instrumental performance. This fall he
will be attending the Pennsylvania State University on
a full academic scholarship
to major in Economics.
Jerusalem WOTCC - Rocky Mount, VA
by Sis. Trivinia “Puffy” Hairston
Praise the Lord and Greetings in the precious name of
Jesus. The word of God instructs us in 2 Chronicles
15:7 to "be strong and not
give up for your work will be
rewarded." For this cause,
we want to continue to do
his will that great will be our
reward in heaven.
We are proud to announce
the birth of Jeffrey Scott
Hairston , Jr., born January 31st to Bro. Jeff and
Sis.
Trivinia
"Puffy"
Hairston.
Graduates
Sis.
Victoria
Renee
Clements graduated in May
from Radford University
with a Bachelors of Science
Degree in Interdisciplinary
Studies with a Licensure in
Hearing Impairment. She
will be teaching in the Henry
County Public School System
starting this fall.
Bro.
Andrew
Hairston
graduated in May from
Franklin County High School
and is planning a career in
Brick Masonry.
Elder Steve Howley from
Richmond, VA, was the guest
speaker at our YFC Spring
Revival May 9 - 11.
On June 10, our Missionary
and Ladies Dept. presented
an End of School Recognition
Service for our Youth.
We celebrated our 39th
Pastor and Church Anniversary throughout the month
of July, with a guest pastor accompanied by his choir
and congregation each Sunday.
Please pray for us and with
us that we will not be slothful in business, but be fervent in spirit and serve the
Lord.
Bishop C.W. Hairston is Pastor.
Youth News - Mt. Calvary WOTCC, Bishop Willie J. Davis, Pastor
by Sis. Jasmen Whitaker, Church Reporter
On June 13, 2007, the youth
hosted a fashion show entitled Phases of Life. The
fashion show project was
developed and implemented
by Sis. Tyree Joseph and
Sis. Ashley Matthews. The
youth models showed Christian fashions from birth,
“Born Blessed” to School to
Crazy Attitude to Career to
Dressy. The fashion show
ended with the church scene
and was a huge success.
Page 17
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Mt. Calvary WOTCC (continued)
The following students received awards for the school
year and were honored at a
service on June 24, 2007:
Sis. Ebony Johnson, Sis.
Antoneice Long, Sis. Jessica Singh, Sis. Vedina
Singh, Sis. Lashanda Long,
Sis. Jasmen Whittaker,
Sis. Tyree Joseph, Sis.
Ashley
Matthews,
Sis.
Danielle Joseph, Sis. Raynesha Freeland, and Sis.
Melissa Brooks. The brothers who were honored were
Bro. Antonio Long,
Mark Davis, and
James Davis.
Bro.
Bro.
We would also like to acknowledge Sis. Christine
Singh for graduating from
Lanham Christian School, as
the class Valedictorian.
Christine was offered full
scholarships to Howard University and Elmira University. Christine has decided
to attend Howard University
as a Pre-Med major.
Youth News - Atlanta Metro WOTCC, Stone Mountain, GA
Elder Eric L. Cannady, Pastor
Greetings and praise the
Lord!
Here’s what’s been
happening with the youth of
Atlanta Metro WOTCC.
We would like to congratulate the newly married couple Daniel Millner and Alisha Moncrief who wed on
June 2, 2007. They had a
wonderful wedding and reception with almost 230
guests attending. During the
ceremony, Daniel Millner, of
Shiloh WOTCC, gained full
membership under the
teachings of Elder Eric L.
Cannady at Atlanta Metro
WOTCC. The couple honeymooned in the Bahamas and
now reside in Lawrenceville,
GA.
Atlanta Metro would also
like to congratulate the following graduates:
Louis Manning, III graduated from Stephenson High
School. Louis has received a
full football scholarship for
the upcoming fall semester.
Tiffany White graduated
from the University of
Georgia. She received her
Bachelors of Science degree
in Business Education. She
will be teaching at Miller
Grove Middle School in the
fall.
Lena
Joseph
graduated
from Brenau University.
She received her Master of
Science in Organizational
Leadership.
For the past two years, Atlanta Metro has hosted the
annual Voices of Stone
Mountain talent show featuring local and recording
artists. This year our featured artist was Greg Kirkland and the Generation of
Praise. Bro. Kirkland is the
voice for Boris Kodjoe, the
lead actor in the movie, “The
Gospel.”
Pastor Cannady has implemented a program that will
be a collaborative effort
between parents and their
children. The goal of this
program is to inform the
parents and youth about the
dangers of the hip-hop culture, MySpace, and other
internet and technological
advances that are a real
threat in our society. He
has also initiated a parental
package that will feature
these dangerous websites, a
dictionary of slang terminology, latest trends, fads, and
more.
Please continue to pray for
Atlanta Metro as we continue to strive to “Impact
the future by pointing to
the Cross!”
We would also like to congratulate Sis. Erica Johnson for her graduation from
Hood College, in Frederick,
MD. Erica graduated with
honors with a BA degree.
Erica’s major was Management with a concentration in
Accounting, and a minor in
African Studies.
We are very proud of our
youth as they strive to become successful in their
natural and spiritual growth.
Page 18
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Youth News - New Beginning WOTCC, Washington, DC
Elder Bennett Gamble, Pastor
Celebrates Six Years
of Favor
The theme for our 6th
Church Anniversary was
“Thank You for Your Favor –
A Celebration in Appreciation of God’s Favor Towards
Us.” The scripture reference was II Corinthians
Chapter 6:1-2 “. . . now is the
time of God’s favor, now is
the day of salvation.” Services were held Thursday,
May 24 - Friday, May 27.
On Thursday, May 24, we
welcomed Pastor Solomon
Butler and Little Rock Bible
Way Church. There was not
a seat in the house or the
vestibule. You’ve heard the
saying “Standing Room
Only” . . . well, there was
hardly any standing room
either. What a way to kick
off the celebration!
On Friday, May 25, our
guests were Apostle Pete
McKinnis and Higher Praise
Outreach Ministries. Apostle McKinnis informed us
that he lost his sister just
that morning, but still chose
to honor his commitment to
us. His sermonic selection,
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,” was a
true testament to the sovereignty of Christ. The service took off during the
first verse of the song and
continued to climax well after the refrain, almost an
hour later.
On Sunday, May 27, the
Sons of New Beginning, Minister Wayne Greene and
Minister Jessie Williams,
tag teamed showcasing their
unique styles of preaching.
The results of serving and
studying under our very own
Pastor Gamble were evident.
At our 10:45 am Morning
Glory service, our guest,
Elder Wallace Williams,
blessed us with his unique
style of preaching.
Our 6th church anniversary
is one to be remembered and
we’re looking forward to
God’s continual blessings in
the years to come.
Graduates
Elementary
Bro. Joshua Boone graduated on June 12 from Clark
Elementary. He will be attending Paul Public Charter
in the fall.
Bro.
Brandon
Gamble
graduated with honors from
John Burroughs Elementary
on June 8. In the fall, he will
be attending Friendship Edison Public Charter School.
Sis. Ashley Stevenson was
promoted on June 8 from
Francis Scott Key Elementary and will be attending
Drew-Freeman
Middle
School in the fall.
Junior High/Middle
Bro.
Christopher
Allen
graduated from the SEED
School in Washington, DC.,
on June 26. He will continue
his educational instruction
at SEED.
Bro. Bennett Gamble, Jr.,
graduated with honors, from
Friendship-Edison Junior
Academy in DC on June 8.
He will attend FriendshipEdison Collegiate Academy in
September.
Sis.
Delantia
Hellams
graduated from Kipp-DC
Academy on June 8. She will
be attending McKinley-Tech
Senior High, in DC.
Bro. LaRob Payton was promoted on June 8 from Benjamin Stoddert Middle
School and will be attending
Crossland High in the fall.
College
Sis. Nakia Turner graduated from Bowie State University on May 19, with a
Bachelors of Arts degree in
Social Work.
Other Accomplishments
Symara Cole was on the
2006-07 Honor Roll at
Woodrow Wilson Senior
High, accepted to National
Cathedral School’s Scholars
Program 2010, and invited to
represent Woodrow Wilson
Senior High School in the
D i s t r i c t
P u b l i c
School’s International Foreign Language Program that
includes a 3-week all expense paid trip to Costa
Rica.
Brandon Gamble was a 1st
Place Winner of City-Wide
History Bee and on the
2006-07 Honor Roll.
Bryan Gamble was on the
2006-07 Honor Roll at KIPPWILL Academy.
Kasmir Green was on the
2006-07 Honor Roll and had
Perfect Attendance the entire year.
Delantia Hellams was on the
2006-07 Honor Roll.
Ashli Holloway received a
perfect score on English
HSA (Maryland High School
Assessment Test).
DeVon Payton was promoted
to 3rd Grade.
Page 19
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
New Beginning WOTCC (continued)
Next Generation Choir and Youth Ministry
New Beginning WOTCC
Washington, DC
LaRob Payton received a certificate for Most Improved in Science
and achieved a 3.09 GPA the 4th
quarter.
Christopher Allen, Jr., appeared
in his school’s musical production
of “High School Musical” and visited Greece as apart of the SEED
school’s Greek Scholars Program.
Youth Ministry - Next Generation
Choir
Congratulations to the Next Generation Choir and Youth Ministry
of New Beginning WOTCC. They
c e l e b r a t e d
t h e i r
rd
3 Choir Anniversary on Sunday,
July 8.
An awards ceremony at
9:30 am kicked off the day followed by the choir in concert reciting scriptures and praisepacked music ministry at 3 pm.
The standing room only Annivers a r y C el e b r a t i o n f ea t u r e d
the Voices of God of Benjamin
Stoddert Middle School in Temple
Hills, MD, and The Brotherhood –
Mime Ministry, of Forestville, MD.
It was truly a blessed occasion.
Youth News - Living Waters WOTCC, Newport News, VA
Bishop James C. Jackson, Pastor
Over the last few years,
Ashley Pair has expressed
her talents that God has
blessed her with.
While
attending Living Waters
WOTCC, under the leadership of Bishop James C.
Jackson, she has really made
her work known.
Ashley attends church
faithfully; while going to
college as a full-time student, and still finds time to
express herself through her
plays that she writes. Ashley has become very successful at what she does.
One of her original plays was
“Freedom Song.” Ashley felt
a need to get a message
across during black history
month. Through her performance, you learned that
the story revolved around a
black family of five way back
in the 1850’s. As you all
know slavery played a main
role in the black family in
the old days. This play expresses that trial that
blacks went through from
being beaten to raped and
then sold. Getting down to
the nitty gritty, the black
family survived with God on
their side and later on resigned to a new life and a
new home in New York
(freedom land). After seeing how well her first play
went, Ashley had a burning
desire to produce another
one.
On June 23, 2007, to be
exact, Ashley brings a play
to Living Waters WOTCC
entitled “Ruth.” Ruth was
based on a real story, taken
right out of the King James
version of the bible. Ruth
portrayed a character that
was very loving and showed a
lot of devotion. With Ashley’s touch, and her directing
skills, “Ruth” became a huge
success.
Ashley’s journey will not
stop there. The Lord has
put a special talent in her
heart.
Ashley is on the
move, her next project will
be called “Get right or get
left.” Watch out Hollywood,
here comes ASHLEY PAIR.
Be on the look out because
the next movie you see,
could be produced by Ashley.
Cast of the play “Ruth”
Page 20
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
Jacob’s Journey - Senior Bishop John Jacob Astor Green
The Man - The Shepherd - The Servant
Bishop John Jacob Astor
Green, Founder and Pastor
Emeritus of Bethel WOTCC
was called home to his eternal rest on Saturday, December 23, 2006, at Doctor’s Community Hospital in
Lanham, MD.
John Jacob Astor Green was
born at home on July 24,
1914, in Franklinton County,
NC. He was the youngest of
five children born to the
late Henry and Chanie May
Green.
Bishop Green did not have
a favorite scripture because
he loved them all. However,
he did have some well-liked
scriptures. One of them was
I John 1:7, “But if we walk
in the light, as He is in the
light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ his
son cleanseth us from all
sin.” In reference to this
scripture, Bishop Green
would say “I know my
redeemer liveth and one
day I am going to see Him
for myself.” Another wellliked scripture of Bishop
Green’s was Psalm 34:1, “I
will bless the Lord at all
times; His praise shall
continually be in my
mouth.” He was nicknamed
“the Long Head Preaching
Machine.”
Jacob received his primary
education from Franklinton
County Elementary School.
He worked in the tobacco,
corn, cotton and sugar cane
fields. For 12 years, Jacob
worked at McRenolds Apartments as an elevator and
switchboard operator. He
then went to work at the
Sheraton Park Hotel in the
laundry department for 35
years. In 1967, Jacob went
back to night school and at
the age of 55 he received
his GED from Woodson High
School in Washington, D.C.
He was very proud of this
marvelous accomplishment
and God, once again, had
given Jacob his heart’s desire.
Jacob met the late Arnetta
Mangrum at the Mitchner
Grove Baptist Church in
Franklinton, NC. They dated
for two years and were married on December 21, 1935.
From their bountiful life
together God blessed them
with four children, Mattie,
Jacob, Jr., James, and
Robert.
In 1935, Jacob went to the
United Holiness Church in
Free Hale, New Jersey. The
Lord then led him to Washington, D.C. where he met
the late Elder Harris who
introduced him to the late
Bishop Henry C. Brooks.
Jacob was baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ on
April 18, 1936, at 4th and
Virginia Avenue, S.E., which
started his Christian walk
with the Lord. In that same
year, he was called into the
ministry and in 1944; he was
ordained an Elder, which
established his ministerial
status; and he received his
official credentials and
documentation.
Jacob
preached the Word of God
in Washington, D.C., at the
Way of the Cross Church.
Jacob served under the late
Bishop Henry C. Brooks for
17 years. In search of a minister to oversee a small mission in Huntingtown, MD,
Mother Nellie Gibson met
with Elder A.R. Harris to
assist her in finding someone. Three preachers were
sent in rotation on a trial
basis to serve a 21 member
congregation until a permanent pastor could be found.
Elder Green was one of the
three ministers and when he
came to preach the Word,
the saints knew he would be
the one to carry the church
on. His first message at the
mission was “Surely the Lord
is in this Place.” On February
11, 1953, Elder Jacob Green
began his establishment and
leadership role with the Calvert County Mission, now
called Bethel WOTCC.
Elder Green was ordained to
the office of Bishop in 1970.
In 1985, he was appointed
Middle Atlantic Diocesan
and Vice Presiding Bishop of
the WOTCC. He also serviced as a member of the
National Trustee Board for
18 years and held the title
of Senior Honorary Bishop.
On February 11, 1998, after
serving as Pastor for 45
years, he relinquished the
reign of Pastor to the late
Bishop Allen H. Easton.
Bishop John Jacob Astor
Green had much to be thankful to God. Not only did he
have longevity in his natural
family, he was the eldest
pastor in the Way of the
Cross organization.
Bishop Green was preceded
in death by his parents; his
stepmother; his wife, and his
siblings, Martha, Robert,
Sylvester, Bertha, Asbury,
Charlie, Henry, Jr., Ina Bell
and Algie Lee.
Jacob is survived by his children Mattie, Jacob, Jr.,
James, and Robert; three
daughters-in-law, five sisters-in-laws, three brothers-in-laws, six grandchildren; seventeen greatgrandchildren, three greatgreat grandchildren, three
godchildren, a host of other
nieces, nephews, cousins,
family, and church friends.
HE WILL BE MISSED!
Page 21
The
MESSENGER
Volume 6, Issue 3
GOD’S BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Mat. 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant ( Phil. 3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor. 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18 )
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God ( Rom. 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor. 1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15:1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3:16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10 )
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14). I have been adopted as God’s child (Eph. 1:5)
I belong to God!
Do you know
who you are?
Author Unknown
The Bible and the TV Guide
They lie on the table side by side,
Maybe a verse before they fall into bed.
The Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide.
Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be,
One is well worn and cherished with pride,
Not from reading the Bible, from watching T.V.
Not the Bible, but the T.V. Guide.
So then back to the table side by side,
One is used daily to help folks decide,
Lie the Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide.
No, not the Bible, but the T.V. Guide.
No time for prayer, no time for the Word,
As the pages are turned, what shall they see,
The plan of salvation is seldom heard.
Oh, what does it matter, turn on the T.V.
But forgiveness of sin, so full and free,
So they open the book in which they confide,
Is found in the Bible, not on T.V.
No, not the Bible, but the T.V. Guide.
The Word of God is seldom read,
Author Unknown
The Way of The Cross Church of Christ, Int’l, National Youth for Christ, Inc.
Sis. Keevie W. Hairston
MESSENGER Editor
722 Prospect Hill Drive
Martinsville, Virginia 24112
Phone 276.632.2450
[email protected]
[email protected]
The way of the cross leads home . . .
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who emailed information to me or Elder Travis for the 2007 Convocation Issue of the Messenger, a newsletter for the youth, of the Way of the Cross Church of
Christ, International. The response was overwhelming and I guarantee
this will be the most informative publication we have had and the lengthiest. We received information from over 30 churches and/or individuals. I
have enjoyed editing and publishing this edition. Our youth are strong not
only in spiritual, but natural gifts and they are displaying these gifts within
their schools, communities, churches, and on their jobs, giving the glory of
their success to God!
If you were not able to provide your information this time, we look forward
to receiving information from your church on the next appointed time. We
can only publish information that was received on time and in legible condition. All information is edited for content and space.
We look forward to seeing you on the next appointed time in October at the
Fall Jubilee. Remember the MESSENGER deadlines. God bless you all!
Travel Down Memory Lane with these Children’s Songs
I GOT SHOES
I got shoes, you got shoes
All of God’s children got shoes
When I get to Heaven,
Gonna put on my shoes,
I’m gonna walk all over God’s Heaven, Heaven, Heaven
Everybody talkin’ ‘bout Heaven ain’t going there,
Heaven, Heaven,
Gonna Walk all over God’s Heaven
I got a robe, you got a robe
All of God’s children got a robe
When I get to Heaven,
Gonna put on my robe,
I’m gonna shout all over God’s Heaven, Heaven, Heaven
Everybody talkin’ ‘bout Heaven ain’t going there,
Heaven, Heaven,
Gonna shout all over God’s Heaven
I got wings, you got wings
All of God’s children got wings
When I get to Heaven,
Gonna put on my wings
I’m gonna fly all over God’s Heaven, Heaven, Heaven
Everybody talkin’ ‘bout Heaven ain’t going there,
Heaven, Heaven
Gonna fly all over God’s, shout all over God’s, walk all
over God’s Heaven
OH, YOU CAN’T GET TO HEAVEN
You can’t to get to Heaven on roller skates
You’d roll right by those pearly gates
You can’t get to heaven on roller skates
You’d roll right by those pearly gates
You can’t get to Heaven in a rocking chair
A rocking chair won’t take you there
You can’t get to Heaven in a rocking chair
A rocking chair won’t take you there
You can’t get to Heaven in a limousine
The Lord don’t sell no gasoline
You can’t get to Heaven in a limousine
The Lord don’t sell no gasoline
If you get there before I do
Tell all my friends I’m coming too.
If you get there before I do
Tell all my friends I’m coming too!
Tell all my friends I’m coming too!