Winter 2016 - Word of Faith | Family Worship Cathedral

Winter
2016
NOV / DEC
2013
1 | www.woffamily.org
Contents
Winter 2016
9
From The Bishop’s Desk
Strong and Secure!
Kristie Bronner marries
Brandon Brawley in a
celebration of love, family
and new beginnings.
7
4
5
We Honor
Marriage
Annual
Sweethearts
Ball
March is National Kidney Month. African Americans are
three times more likely to experience kidney failure. Early
detection and treatment can slow or prevent the
progression of kidney disease. Learn more about
kidney donation.
10
Inside the Gates
Have You Met…? A new series
of introductions to members of
the WOF. Lafayette Hughes lifts
our spirits with his comedic talent and warm smile.
Also…
Abbey McClary shining her light
in a local beauty pageant.
Dr. George Fraser, CEO
of FraserNET.com,
Shelia Bronner, publisher
of Upscale Magazine and
NBA Great, Julius “Dr.
J” Irving at the BBI
Black History Month
Event.
“Risen”
Excellent film for
the Easter holiday.
(May not be suitable
for children under 12)
11
“Hidden Figures,” forthcoming novel
and film adaptation to be made in Atlanta.
8
Word of Faith Times | 2
W ord Of Faith Times
a publication of the
Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral’s Media Ministry
Bishop Dale C. Bronner
FOUNDER/SENIOR PASTOR
Pastor Christopher L. Boyd
EXECUTIVE PASTOR
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Mae Battle
Gloria Buchanan
Sylvia Chambless
Mattie Copeland
Ruby Dillon
Tammi Dixon
Betty Dunham
Alice Evans
Taffy Fletcher
Jerry Griffin
Lafayette Hughes
Bettye Hunter
Florence Jackson
Ruth Maddox
Alice McCloudy
Beverly Norton
Beverly Simmons
Jacquelyn Sims
Reneé Sutton
Thelma Talley
Linda Taylor
Gwendolyn Walker Glynnis Waters
Katha Waters
Beverly Wicker
Stephanie Williams
COPY EDITORS
Lillie Hinton
Linda Trotter
GRAPHICS ARTISTS
Bevis Liddelow
Gabriel Loggins
Jacquelyn Loggins
STAFF WRITERS
Eva Houston
Jill Watkins
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Lloyd Caldway, Jr.
Edward Guy
Gilbert Hunter
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Cathy B. Hope
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Marian C. Barnes
Media Ministry email address: [email protected]
WOF Times provides its readers with relevant and current
information pertinent to the Christian walk and lifestyle. The
WOF Times staff will make every effort to provide material
which is educational, entertaining, encouraging and inspiring.
All of this is done in an effort to assist WOF Times readers in
developing a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
3 | www.woffamily.org
&
Secure!
By Bishop Dale C. Bronner
From the Bishop’s Desk
N
o matter what weaknesses and insecurities we
face, God is our strength and security! Proverbs
18:10 reminds us that “The name of the Lord is
a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
Where do you go when you become frustrated or afraid?
Do you have a safe place where you are sure to find protection, confidentiality, wisdom and discernment? Or do
you flounder in your faith, moving from one false hope
to another, only to come up short and disillusioned?
When you are in danger, turn to God! There is a time to
go to others for help, but when the situation is dire we
must appeal to the Supreme Court of Heaven! The
psalmist challenges us, “Don’t put your life in the hands
of experts who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don’t have what it takes; when they die,
their projects die with them. Instead, get help from the
God of Jacob, put your hope in God and know real
blessing!” (Psalm 146:3-5 MSG).
Nothing says it clearer than the center scriptural verse of
the whole Bible: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to
put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). You see man has
his limits. Everything that is man-made eventually fails
and breaks down. You can rest assured that if it is manWord of Faith Times | 4
made, sooner or later, it will let you
down! Employers who provide for our
financial needs are instruments of the
Lord, but they are not always consistent
resources. Just ask someone about that
who is the victim of corporate
“downsizing, rightsizing, restructuring”
or whatever they want to call it.
As much as family and friends love you, they are not
always there for you, nor do they have the full capacity
to even understand everything you are dealing with mentally, emotionally, financially, relationally or spiritually.
Even ministers are not infallible. But GOD IS SO AWESOME AND HIS PROTECTION IS SO SECURE THAT
HE DOES NOT EVEN ALLOW OUR OWN FEAR TO
UNDERMINE HIS ULTIMATE PROTECTION OVER
US!
Our Savior Jesus Christ is never afraid in the face of unholy alliances. In fact, His name is sufficient for us. If
we can’t depend on Him, there is nowhere else to go!
The apostle Peter echoed this same sentiment. “Lord, to
whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and to know that you are the
Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).
Yes, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, so you can
find rest and refuge in Him when doubts and fears rise
up. Trust God even when you don’t understand what
He’s doing or why. SOMETIMES GOD TAKES YOU
INTO DEEP WATERS, ONLY BECAUSE YOUR
DOUBTS CAN’T DROWN ON DRY GROUND!
Kristie & Brandon’s
Winter
Wonderland
Wedding
O
nce upon a time….the WOF
Sanctuary was transformed
into a winter wonderland complete with gilded Christmas trees,
bridesmaids in emerald green gowns
and a glistening snowfall.
Here comes the bride, amidst
a breathtaking snowfall.
The awe-inspired marriage ceremony of Kristie
Alexis Bronner and Brandon Michael Don Brawley took place on Saturday, December 5, 2015.
Father of the bride, Bishop Dale C. Bronner officiated and father of the groom, Pastor Don Brawley
assisted with the tying of the 3-Fold Chord and the
washing of the feet.
The power of praying parents
“And the two shall become one flesh…”
Genesis 2:24
5 | www.woffamily.org
COVENANT KEEPERS CORNER
Standing Up For Marriage And Family
by Rev. Charles Houston
T
he International Marriage Conference (www.
imcphoenix.com) was started 20 years ago by
Pastor Leo and Sister Molly Godzich. The IMC is
sponsored by an organization that the Godzichs founded
called the National Association of Marriage Experts
(N.A.M.E.) and this 20th Anniversary Conference was
held in Phoenix, AZ at Pastor Luke Barnett’s church,
Phoenix First Assembly. For three days, 30 marriage experts and teachers shared and ministered the gospel and
taught effective techniques to strengthen marriages of
those who attended. Among the speakers were Dr. Molly
Godzich, Pastor Luke Barnett, Ron Deal, Drs. Les and
Leslie Parrott and our very own Bishop Dale C. Bronner.
The message that Bishop ministered was entitled,
“It’s Only a Test.” He elaborated on how a husband and
wife need to pull together when they go through a test.
Another powerful principle that Bishop ministered on
was the fact that “The test is not to punish us. It is to
show us where we need improvement”.
My wife, Monica, and I had the pleasure of managing
a vendor table with some of Bishop’s products. The main
one being his new book, “Change Your Trajectory”. Although there were a few people who did not know the
Bishop, there was a large group who did and came to the
table to purchase resources before he spoke. That group
already knew the fountain of wisdom, authenticity, and
anointing
that flows
through
him every
time he gets
up to minister. This
group also
understood
Rev. Charles and Mrs. Monica Houston
the strong
foundation of marriage, the family that Bishop comes
from and the legacy he is leaving his own family.
Sister Godzich did a great job of reemphasizing the
need for strong marriage ministry and mentorship all
across the United States. She, our Bishop, and all of the
speakers definitely spoke with passion and reinforced the
need for the church to stand up for the biblical principles
and purpose of marriage and family in the earth. I would
strongly recommend that married couples consider attending this conference in the future.
Marriage mentoring is extremely effective toward impacting the lives of married couples who desire to grow
strong together, in the Lord. Word of Faith Covenant
Keepers is committed to helping marriages heal and become whole again.
If you would like to receive more information call
Word of Faith at 770.874.8400 and ask for Rev. Houston.
I was selected to be one of the volleyball
By Eva Houston
Word of Faith Times | 6
managers at my school. Our team of 13 players, 2
coaches, and 3 managers had about 15 games, 2 semitournaments, and one tournament. Most of what I did
was the behind-the-scenes. Part of my job was to be
there if the opposing team did not have anyone to score
keep, libero track, line judge or score take/flip. I did the
board keeping using the automated system. Throughout
the season, I had the opportunity to serve in many capacities and develop new skills. The seniors on the
team were super helpful and gave us lots of advice and
the other players helped us, as well. The more games
we attended and the more time we spent with the team,
the better we got to know each other. The other managers and I were so familiar with everything by the 8th
game, that we even knew the other teams managers and
most of the referees (who were a huge help). Despite
the challenge of adjusting to my new surroundings, I
enjoyed the season.
Laugh
Lafayette moved from Memphis, Tennessee
to the Atlanta area in 2007, when he joined
WOF. Shortly afterwards, he joined the Media Ministry where he works on the weekly
production team preparing the Sunday bulletins and performing other publication duties.
He had discovered early on in life that one
thing that he really enjoyed was making people laugh. It’s the only thing he’ll do: no matter what! Over the years, he became so good
at making everyday stories hilarious that he
decided to pursue stand-up comedy. Lafayette found that humor has made for a wonderful journey in self-discovery and brings
him constant joy. It allows him to help people cope, to lift burdens and to escape for a
moment. He now performs in various comedy clubs in the metro area and finds that his
repertoire grows with each and every opportunity. He adds, “working in the Media Ministry, I’m surrounded with so much wisdom
and it has truly blessed my life.”
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a
broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”
Proverbs 17:22
Abbey McClary
Reflects: The Miss Douglasville Teen Pageant
I am so grateful that I was able to participate in this
Miss Teen pageant. Some people may not be content
with third place, but even in that I found a deeper
meaning. It was such a life shifting experience. It
pushed me to step out of my comfort zone. One of
the best parts was being able to minister and pour
into others, and also learning how to stay true to myself. I looked at the pageant as a “platform” to display the Lord. I also found some profound friendships. There were many heart-to-heart conversations
on a spiritual level. I came into the pageant terrified
and not really wanting to try, but stepped out anyway. I learned that God is always there to help me.
Winning third place wasn’t defining my worth, but
the fact that I persevered and completed the course
was victory in Christ’s eyes. That meant more to me
than a tangible prize. I thank God for giving me such
an opportunity!! He really does have a purpose for
everything. What I am taking away from this experience is that all things are possible with God and in
everything there is a deeper purpose than what we can imagine. When you know something is a challenge, but you endure…it’s just God and He gets all the Glory.”
(Abbey is the daughter of Van & Ursula McClary)
INSIDE THE GATES...
with Lafayette Hughes, Jr.
7 | www.woffamily.org
On Tuesday, February 9th, Word of Faith Family
Worship Cathedral, in conjunction with the Bronner
Business Institute (BBI), presented a special Black
History Month Event as part of BBI’s bi-monthly
Kingdom Connections Networking Event and Vendor
Marketplace. The film, "Black Friday: What Legacy
Will You Leave?" was screened at the Riverside EpiCenter in Austell, GA. In an effort to heighten the
economic awareness and financial responsibility in
the African-American community, the film, Black
Friday, presents solutions on how to better manage
the $1.2 trillion that leaves African-American communities annually. In addition, the film champions
financial literacy and the importance of leaving a financial and ethical legacy for the next generation.
Over 600 attendees packed into the Dale C. Bronner
Auditorium to watch the film.
Pictured above: (L-R) Rick Jefferson, BBI Marketing Team
Coordinator; Michael V. Roberts; Dr. George C. Fraser and
Dr. Alfred Watkins, BBI Ministry Leader
A Q&A panel discussion followed the screening.
Guest panelists included: the film’s writers/producers,
Ric Mathis and Brad Lewis; Dr. George C. Fraser,
founder of Frasernet.com; Dr. Michael V. Roberts,
billionaire businessman and real estate mogul; Thomas N. Scott of Scott Financial Group; April Love of
Ask April Love PR and Dr. David Anderson, founder
of Blackanomics and the Empowerment Radio Network. Dr. David Anderson is also a graduate of the
Bronner Business Institute's Micro-Entrepreneur
Training Program and his successful talk radio show,
Blackanomics, was birthed from the BBI course.
Rashad Richey of WAOK served as the Guest Moderator. The panel addressed several key questions posed
in the film such as, “Will you leave bills or benefits?”
and tackled several questions from the audience with
keen insights, candor and humor.
A V.I.P. reception was held prior to the film screening. During the reception, supporters of BBI had the
opportunity to meet and converse with many of the
distinguished panelists and NBA legend, “Dr. J” Julius Erving.
The attendees took to heart the message of the film
and helped make the Vendor Marketplace a huge success, with several vendors selling out of their products.
Word of Faith Times | 8
Q & A panel and moderator,
Rashad Richey (right) of
WAOK radio.
We Honor Marriage Ministry
celebrated love and happiness at the
Sweethearts Ball on Friday, February
12th at the Cathedral’s Fellowship Hall.
The guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres followed by dinner and a dessert buffet.
There were prizes, a live band and the
couples danced the night away.
George and Yvonne Amos are the coministry leaders for We Honor Marriage. Mrs. Amos offered the secret to
making their marriage vibrant. “We are
committed to our relationship with the
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ over our
lives and the intimacy of our marriage;
spiritually, physically, emotionally and
mentally. Our faith is what keeps our
covenant in marriage fresh and fun.”
Sweethearts
Ball 2016
To fully realize its mission, the ministry
offers support groups to counsel and
mentor unhealthy marriages while
providing social activities, a dance ministry, seminars, workshops, conferences
and retreats as a means of maintaining
vibrancy and intimacy to all who wish
to honor marriage.
“Give honor to marriage and remain
faithful to one another in marriage.”
Hebrews 13:4 NLT
9 | www.woffamily.org
March is National
Kidney Month
Many people who need organ and
tissue transplants cannot get them
because of a shortage of donations.
Of the 123,000 Americans currently on the waiting list for a lifesaving organ transplant, more than
101,000 need a kidney, but only
17,000 people receive one each
year. Everyday 12 people die
waiting for a kidney. Organ and
tissue donation helps others by
giving them a second chance at life.
Deceased Donation
Identifying yourself as an organ and/or tissue donor is
simple. Simply visit the Donate Life America website
and choose your state of residence to join your state's
online registry for donation. You can also declare your
intentions on your driver's license. Signing up online
through your state registry or on your driver's license is
a good first step in designating your wishes about
donation, but letting your family or other loved one's
know about your decision is vitally important. Family
members are often asked to give consent for a loved
one's donation, so it's important that they know your
wishes.
Living Donation
You can also consider being a living kidney donor.
Living donation takes place when a living person
donates an organ or part of an organ to someone in
need of a transplant. The donor is most often a close
family member, such as a parent, child, brother or
sister. A donor can also be a more distant family
member, spouse, friend or co-worker. Non-directed
donors, those who donate anonymously and do not
know their recipients, are also becoming more
common. Visit [email protected] to learn more
about living kidney donation.
Holiday Movie
In the movie ‘Risen’, Joseph Fiennes stars as a Roman official searching for the body of Jesus of Nazareth after it disappears following his crucifixion in
Jerusalem: the most important manhunt in history.
Risen might best be thought of as a piece of historical
fiction that imagines what might have happened if a
character we don't meet in the Bible interacts with
those who are found there, and observes the events
surrounding and following the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ.
(Parental discretion is advised, as some content may be
unsuitable for younger children under 12.)
Word of Faith Times | 10
N AT I O N A L W O M E N ’ S H I S T O R Y M O N T H
“Hidden FiGURes”
New Film tells story of unsung
African American Sheroes
Y
ou've heard the names John Glenn, Alan Shepard
and Neil Armstrong. What about Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Kathryn
Peddrew, Sue Wilder, Eunice Smith or Barbara Holley?
Most Americans have no idea that from the 1940s
through the 1960s, a cadre of African-American women
formed part of the country’s space work force, or that
this group-mathematical ground troops in the Cold War
helped provide NASA with the raw computing power it
needed to dominate the heavens.
STEM pioneer, Katherine G. Johnson is the subject of
the new book entitled, HIDDEN FIGURES that recovers the history of these pioneering women and situates it
in the intersection of the defining movements of the
American century: the Cold War, the Space Race, the
Civil Rights Movement and the quest for gender equality. After the start of World War II, Federal agencies and
defense contractors across the country coped with a
shortage of male number crunchers by hiring women
with math skills. America’s aeronautical think tank, the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the
“NACA”), headquartered at Langley Research Laboratory in Hampton, Virginia, created a pool of female mathematicians who analyzed endless arrays of data from
wind tunnel tests of airplane prototypes. Women were
thought to be more detail-oriented, their smaller hands
better suited for repetitive tasks on the Friden manual
adding machines. A “girl” could be paid significantly
less than a man for doing the same job. And male engineers, once freed from laborious math work, could focus
on more “serious” conceptual and analytical projects.
The war also opened doors for African Americans. In
1941, under pressure from labor and civil rights leaders
such as A. Phillip Randolph, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, which created the Fair
Employment Practices Committee, and prohibited racebased discrimination in the country’s defense industry.
Shortly thereafter, help wanted notices began appearing
in Negro newspapers around the country, looking for
blacks to fill positions at Federal agencies and defense
contractors. Langley advertised in Norfolk, VA’s Journal and Guide, seeking machine shop workers, laborers,
janitors and African-American
women with math
degrees. These
women were nearly all top graduates of historically
black colleges
such as Hampton
Institute, Virginia
State and Wilberforce University.
Though they did
the same work as
the white women
hired at the time, they were cloistered away in their own
segregated office in the West Area of the Langley campus - thus the moniker, the “West Computers.” But despite the hardships of working under Virginia's Jim
Crow laws, these women went on to make significant
contributions to aeronautics, astronautics, and America's
victory over the Soviet Union in the Space Race.
Johnson was a part of the team whose job it was to calculate the flight paths for the first space missions. She
began with the Mercury missions in the 50s and 60s
through the Apollo moon missions in the late 60s and
early 70s, ending with the space shuttle missions in the
mid 80s.
Johnson, 97, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom
(the nation’s highest civilian honor) in November, 2015
from President Barack Obama for her contributions to
the space program.
The movie, “Hidden Figures” is currently being filmed
in Atlanta, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer,
Kevin Costner and Janelle Monae and is scheduled for
release in 2017.
From the History Makers
11 | www.woffamily.org
Seasoned Saints Legacy Book
Inspirational Stories of Faith, Hope and Love
T
Volume I
his book honors the legacy of 85 victorious believers and chronicles their journeys of triumph in
love, family and career. Each author shares how their
faith has guided them through life obstacles and tragedies to a life of purpose and passion. God’s glory and
His love for His children are revealed in the unfolding
of testimonies of healing, betrayal, marital mishap and
loss. These heartwarming stories will inspire you to live
a life of integrity, courage and love.
The Legacy Book was the vision of Paula Palmer
Green. She wanted the Saints to leave a written legacy
and worked diligently to see that the project was implemented.
Seasoned Saints Legacy Book may be purchased in the
WOF Bookstore or via amazon.com. All proceeds benefit the programs and outreach efforts of the Seasoned
Saints Ministry.
Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie
For those who enjoy old fashioned
comfort food, nothing satisfies like
chicken pot pie! Delicious with
your own home-cooked chicken or
with the savory rotisserie chicken
from the super market. You’ll find
it convenient to use frozen storebought crust that makes this dish
easy as pie, of course. Great for a
quick weeknight dinner or a weekend chill-out meal.
Ingredients




4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (15 ounce) cans mixed vegetables, drained
2 (9 inch) crust pastries
Directions
1. Boil or steam the chicken breasts until done. Dice.
2. Mix together undiluted soup, canned vegetables and diced chicken. Pour mixture
into pie shell, and cover with the second crust. Crimp the edges, and make slits in
the top crust. Bake at 375o degrees F (190o degrees C) for 45 minutes, or until crust
is golden brown.