Bereavment Notice

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of our beloved Missionary Sister Janet Ward, YPD Director of the Matilda Monroe Area.  Sis. Ward fought cancer for the past few months.

 

She was looking forward to (and had registered for) the Quadrennial Conference. She worked up to the end as she participated in January's Bowling and Blessings Bags Day. We are truly going to miss Ms. Janet, with her hearty laugh and can-do attitude. She had a passion for kids and mentoring others. Let us pray for the Ward family.  Details on her service are forthcoming.

 

Have a BLESSED Holy Week.

In God's Grace,

Rhatia

 

PS: Area Directors, please notify you local directors. Thanks.



Palm Sunday Praise!!

Thoughtful Thursday.....

~Dr. Pam DeVeaux

Davis Memorial AME-Baltimore, MD

Bishop DeVeaux was the guest preacher at Davis Memorial AME Church in Baltimore, MD. It was a dream come true for Bishop to worship with Pastor Hipkins during this his retirement year. Bishop preached from Luke 5:4, with a sermon title "Nevertheless." Sometimes we are tired, sometimes we have done things before, but we do them-nevertheless.  When God speaks we need to listen attentively. Do not let distractions take us away from listening to the word of God. We must act on what God says!

Fruit of Spirit Prayer Series

FAITHFULNESS

 

Faith is the unshakeable belief in God. A belief that God is the author and finisher of our lives.  We stand on the promises of God that He will be our light in the midst of darkness, our anchor during turbulent storms.  The word tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen  (Hebrews 11:1). It was faith that led the children of Israel out of bondage, faith that caused David to slay Goliath, faith that lifted the spirits of slaves to overcome the cruelty of slavery. It was faith that led Richard Allen to found the AME Church and faith that caused marchers to cross the Edmond Petus Bridge in Selma. Oh, without a firm foundation rooted in an abiding faith in God, we should be formless and void without purpose and direction.

Let us Pray:

Thank you Lord for a faith that will not quit. We thank you for your word that burns deeply in our spirits reminding us of the saints who have gone on before as a cloud of witnesses of the power of faith.  We thank you for Abraham's faith, we thank you for the faith of Sarah, Naomi, Ruth and Mary whose lives were testaments to faithful living.  Please forgive us Lord when our faith falters in times of stress and turmoil.  We ask you God that you strengthen our faith to withstand the enormous pressures that the world and Satan use to assault our spirits. When sickness comes, give us faith, when our finances falter father, give us faith, when doubt overcomes us, give us faith and when we would fall, give us a faith that will allow us to get up. AMEN.



Women's Day Mt. Moriah AME

Dr. Pam served as the guest speaker for Women's Day 2015 at Mt. Moriah AME Church-Annapolis, MD. The wonderful occasion was hosted by Senior Pastor Carrington Carter and First Lady Vernadine Carter. The program was supremely coordinated by chairpersons Sister Ingrid Colbert and Sister Monica Alexander. The theme  "Women Forever Blessed and Empowered by His Grace" was based on Ephesians 2:8-10. Dr. Pam interwove the theme into her text taken from John 4:6-10. Her subject was "She Needed a Drink"-based on the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus gives us living water to quench our thirsty sous if we ask for it! AMEN!!!

Fruit of the Spirit Prayer Series

GENTLENESS

The prime example of gentleness is Jesus. His demeanor, manner, speech and actions were characterized by gentleness.  Even when he was teaching hard lessons, he did not yell, scream or castigate his followers.  The Bible says in the Gospel of John 15:1 "A gentle answer turns anger away but mean words stir up anger."  As followers of Christ not only should we be gentle with our words, we must hone our actions to be gentle.  Gentle words and actions will build up and sustain the spirits of our brothers and sisters.  Gentleness will take away  the sting of the harshness and stress of day to day living.  We will diligently follow His ways and will as we interact with family, friends, coworkers, church members and the strangers in our midst. 

Let us pray:

Father God, we thank you for sending us your beloved son who brought a spirit of gentleness to a sin sick world.  Shape and mold us to follow Jesus' example of gentleness. We petition you God to dip us down in the well of gentleness so that we will journey through life walking with calm, considerate and compassionate spirits.  And we will continue to give you the honor, glory and PRAISE!!

"Like the dew of the morning gently rest upon my face."

Monthly Chapel Service

We were favored this month by Rev. Brenda D. White,Senior Pastor of Bethel AME Church-Port Deposit, MD. Her text was taken from Joshua 4:1-7 on the subject "Building Futures."  She reminded us to teach about our past while focusing on our future. The Lord's name be Praised!

International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day. This day represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality. "Make it Happen" is the theme this year. Let us continue to be the daughters, friends, prayer partners, activists, sisters, wives, aunts and mothers--the mighty women of strength that God has called us to be. Be Blessed!

 A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water. 

    ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Selma-50

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. We are forever grateful to those brave men and women who sacrificed for our freedoms. We recognize the progress we have made, but we also reflect on just how much further we still have to go on the path to equal justice for all Americans. We are still marching!!

Fruit of the Spirit Prayer Series

 

GOODNESS

Goodness is virtue in action.  It is characterized by a desire to be a blessing to someone else.  Goodness only comes from God. James 1:17 says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of lights. " When Jesus came to earth he brought  with Him goodness from His Father and for that we are grateful.  The songwriter put it this way, "When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he's done for me my soul cries out Hallelujah.  Thank God for saving me."  While we can never attain the perfection of God's goodness, nevertheless, we should strive to make goodness our spiritual companion. 

Let us pray:

Thank you Lord for being a good and great Father. Lord fill us with a goodness that empowers us to speak out against wrong when we see injustice.  Give us the courage to stand alone if necessary and to position ourselves on the side of right.  Move us from being quiet when morality demands that we speak to unrighteousness.  Give us a thirst for doing good, and help us long to obey Your teachings, knowing unless we follow your commandments, we cannot truly be filled with goodness.  Lord, guide us to do good to the hungry, the weak, the heartbroken and the hurting. Let us reach out in goodness to the unlovable.  Use our hands, minds, and mouths to be instruments of goodness forsaking attitudes and actions that are contrary to your will in all that we do and say let us embrace goodness. AMEN