The Victorious Vessel

Transcription

1 The Victorious Vessel Have something you d like to contribute? Submissions for the Victorious Vessel are due by the 15th of each month. See Sis. Emily L. Smith or Sis. Wendrah M. McCoy. MORRIS STREET BAPTIST CHURCH 25 Morris Street Charleston, SC Rev. Leonard O Griffin, Pastor P: F: MSBC is a body of baptized believers led by the Holy Spirit to make disciples of Christ through Teaching, Evangelism, and Worship. Vol. 17 Issue 1 - January 2017

2 FROM THE PASTOR'S PRINTER A new year has dawned! Happy New Year to you. We thank the One Who has brought us thus far along this tedious journey, namely God in Three Persons! God brought us through the epitome of a roller-coastertype of twelve months. We have endured two of the most racially charged legal cases we have seen since the O. J. Simpson trial! We have endured the ups and downs with strong faith, prayer, and application of The Word of God! We must collectively tell God ' t h a n k s '. H e h a s b e e n tremendously good to us! We have more than enough to meet every one of our needs because God fulfills His promises! We are to be mindful of the fact that we are beginning a new year and a new opportunity to serve the Lord in different ways. We are praying that God will inspire us all the more to bring into reality the Food Bank in this year! We have been informed through the presentation by Sister Elise Davis-McFarland that many people are experiencing food insecurity wherein they are not sure about sources where nutritious food can be purchased or acquired. If you are so inspired, inclined, or otherwise influenced, I encourage you to make a sacrificial gift towards this new ministry endeavor. You may give to this effort by making a note on your offering envelope or through the Givelify App on your smartphone. As you know, we are in need of replacing the shingles on the roof and effecting roof repairs over the sanctuary. Many of our fellow MSBC members have responded to the Macedonian Call to make a pledge toward the expenses for this necessary, emergency, and urgent work! Now begins the phase of paying the pledged amount by Friday, March 31, 2017! With your help, the work can be completed before the rainy season of the Spring is upon us! We are also once again the Host Site of the Annual Y.W.C.A. Tri-County Martin Luther King, Jr. Ecumenical Worship Service on Sunday, January 15, 4PM. The Guest Speaker is the famous attorney Mr. Benjamin Crump, Esquire! We hope you will support this effort! The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. The LORD preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, And all flesh shall bless His holy name Forever and ever. Psalms 145:17-21 NKJV Relationship with the Lord results in royal benefits and blessings from the Lord! Through a strong and serious relationship with God we gain access to the Almighty's secure surveillance over us! Since God loves me/us enough to be God enough, when I/we call upon Him, to show His might and His mercy toward me/ us, the least we could do is offer up the sacrifice of praise! Take a reflective moment to replay in your mind the DVD of the memories of your life where and when God has manifested Himself, and I m convinced that somewhere along that DVD that you will discover at least ONE reason to praise Him, thank Him, and glorify His Name! He alone is Worthy!! As we embark upon the new year, let us bear in mind this: Worship Matters: Worship That Glorifies God, Psalms 8:1; 24:7-8; Matthew 4:10; Revelation 7:9-12. When God gets glory, when God supplies us with His glory, and when God allows His glory to be manifested in the worship experience, HIS glory will appeal to the multitudes! HIS glory will be attractive to multitudes! HIS glory will arrive and create a desire for believers to worship HIM! Multitudes will gather around HIS throne on earth as it is in heaven! And, I can envision the angels leading a chorus shouting holy, holy, holy! Don t you want to be in that number shouting Holy??!!? Let us practice while we are able to do so and while the blood is running warm in our veins! Be safe! #IAmMSBC151 #warmestchurchincharleston BIBLE TRIVIA QUIZ 1) In the Old Testament, Deborah was a: A) Princess B) Gladiator C) Judge D) Chef 2) Who was the strongest man in the Bible? A) Job B) David C) Jonathan D) Samson 3) The first three books of the New Testament are: A) Matthew, Mark, John C) Matthew, Luke, John B) Matthew, Mark, Luke D) Matthew, Acts, Romans 4) Christ was baptized by his cousin John. True False 5) The apostle Matthew was a tax collector. True False 6) The book of Proverbs was written by: Solomon B) Samuel C) David D) Jonathan 7) In Genesis, after the Lord had created the earth, he rested on which day. A) Third day B) Seventh Day C) Fifth Day D) Tenth day 8) Which of these is not one of the fruits of the spirit? A) Kindness B) Quickness C) Gentleness D) Faithfulness 9) Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of nickles. True False 10) She was a queen. A) Delilah B) Esther C) Rebekah D) Jane 11) Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. True False 12) This young man had a coat of many colors and a God-given ability to interpret dreams: A) Timothy B) Joseph C) Michael D) Jake 13) Philemon is a book from the New Testament. True False 14) Both Jesus and John walked on water together. True False 15) Which Chapter is known as the Chapter of Love? A) 1 Corinthians 13 C) Revelation 2 B) 1 Kings 13 D) Matthew 2 16) In the book of Matthew it says that the gate that leads to life is A) Narrow B) Wide C) Straight D) Windy 17) What is the first commandment? A) No other Gods B) Don t Steal C) Don t Lie D) Honor Parents 18) In which river did Pharohs daughter find baby Moses floating in a basket? A) The Red Sea C) Nile River B) Euphrates River D) Thames River ACROSS KID S CORNER 1 Noah found in the eyes of the LORD.(Gen 6:8) KJV 5 God made a with Noah after the flood (Gen.9:9) 7 Second son of Noah (Gen.7:13) 8 God caused the flood because the earth was filled with (Gen. 6:13) 9 The last bird Noah sent out to search for dry land (Gen.8:10) 10 God asked to build an ark (Gen.6:14) 13 Noah brought all the into the ark two by two (Gen.6:20) 15 How many people were on board the ark? (Gen.7:13) DOWN 2 The waters all the mountains in the world (Gen.7:20) 3 God put a in the clouds as a sign of no more floods (Gen. 9:13) 4 Third son of Noah (Gen.7:13) 6 The first bird Noah sent out to search for dry land (Gen 8:7) 11 The ark came to rest on the mountains of (Gen.8:4) 12 How many days did it rain during the flood? (Gen.7:17) 14 First son of Noah (Gen.7:13)

3 MSBC Annual Sunday School Fellowship December 16, 2016 Morris Street Baptist Church is a member of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM) an ecumenical organization of 30- member congregations that promote social justice. At the Nehemiah Action in 2014, CAJM received a commitment from then school superintendent Dr. Nancy McGinty t o i m p l e m e n t t h e P o s i t i v e Behavioral Interventions and Support and Restorative Discipline System (PBIS) in schools with high suspension and expulsion rates. CAJM cited research that indicated punitive discipline measures seldom achieve the desired results. PBIS allows teachers to set clear and definable guidelines for positive student behavior and reward students who adhere to those guidelines. Restorative discipline requires students to make amends CAJM Update for offenses with face-to-face meetings and service projects. A review of discipline policies and suspension and expulsion data across the Charleston County School District revealed 1000 juvenile students, who were in Charleston County schools were arrested and received criminal charges between 2014 and the first half of the 2015 school year. Although black students are 42% of the district population they accounted for 84% of the arrests. Charges brought against the youth included disturbing schools (43%), third degree assault and battery (17%), alcohol and drug charges (10%), and weapons possession (5%). In a Charleston County School Board meeting in March 2016, Alternative Programs Director Jennifer Coker said zero tolerance behavior policies are punitive and exclusionary and discipline policies across the district are inconsistent. She recommended adoption of consistent discipline policies across the district. In November, Coker reported to the CAJM Community Problem Assembly that plans are moving forward to implement PBIS district-wide. The schools currently using PBIS have seen a 50% decrease in the number of students arrested, suspended, and expelled. The next Nehemiah Action will be held in April, 2017 when CAJM will again be encouraging city and c o u n t y o ff i c i a l s t o h i r e a n independent external auditor to review policing practices as a measure to address discriminatory policing. On November 23rd, MSBC s youth were a blessing to the residents of the local Ronald McDonald House by bringing, cooking, and serving breakfast. They were on-site by 7:30AM on their first day of Thanksgiving Break! Several other members contributed behind the scenes as well.

4 The Social Butterflies January Birthdays Benjamin Hanna, Jr. 2 Mary Cason 2 Darlene Holmes 13 Marcus Grant 13 Wayne Robinson 3 Zaria Stewart 4 Patricia Brown 6 Eunice Waddy 8 Barbara Calvary 8 Deborah McCoy 14 Stephan Slaughter 14 Kathleen Hall 15 Monica Bland 15 Regina Gamble 17 Tyler Singletary 8 Briana Hudson 8 Michael Bryant 8 Theola Jones 8 Ethel Brown 9 Dolores Diggs 20 Renee Richardson 20 Marvetta Holmes 24 Darlene Mitchell 24 Faye Singleton 25 The Social Butterflies had a session with Live 5 TV news reporter Aaron Maybin at Simmons- Pinckney Middle School. Dea. Isaac Singleton 9 Marion Hamilton 10 Sophronia Feaster 11 Jasmine Ladson 12 James Buist 12 Ramsey Hamilton 25 Sonja Jackson 27 Shana Middleton 30 Vernon Holmes 30 January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month Many thank you s to our Morris Street Baptist Church Family for the kindness and generosity that you have shown so lovingly in helping in the ministry of the Christmas Child Shoeboxes. We submitted 320 boxes this year. We re very blessed to have the support of the church. Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Every shoebox gift is an excellent resource for e v a n g e l i s m a n d discipleship which lead to the multiplication of new believers and churches around the world. By s h a r i n g t h e g o s p e l, children are invited to trust in Jesus. These boys a n d g i r l s r e c e i v e a surprise that may be their first gift ever. They hold in their hands a tangible expression of God s love. After receiving their shoeboxes, the children participate in a 12 lesson Discipleship program, through The Greatest Journey, a storybook that shares the message of salvation. The course includes Bible stories, Scripture memorization, and learning how to follow Christ as they continue to grow in faith in their daily lives. The children are encouraged to share this good news with their friends and families. Thus we see E V A N G E L I S M, DISCIPLESHIP AND M U LT I P L I C AT I O N. Again, thank each and every one that made these gifts possible. -MSBC Senior Missionary and Woman s Auxiliary MSBC s Young Women s Auxiliary adopted a precious 6- year-old angel and pooled together to honor several items on his wish list, including a 20 bike. Members devoted themselves to aiding in our missionary Thanksgiving basket donations. What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. It is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain. There is no cure for glaucoma yet. However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss. Types of Glaucoma There are two main types of glaucoma: primary openangle glaucoma (POAG), and angle-closure glaucoma. These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye. Currently, more than 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma. The National Eye Institute projects this number will reach 4.2 million by 2030, a 58 percent increase. Be Aware Glaucoma is called "the sneak thief of sight" since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it's permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing. Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations, glaucoma is more prevalent. Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians. Please visit the following link for more information: - MSBC Health Ministry Make Morris Street Baptist Church your home church on Givelify Giving to Morris Street has never been so easy! 1. Get the Givelify app- FREE 2. Search Morris Street Baptist Church in Charleston, SC 3. Give JOIN US ON THE PRAYER CALL The Prayer Conference Call number is: The PIN number is , then press #. Please join us every Tuesday morning at 7:30 am. Spendify is a digital platform that makes it easy for consumers to discover amazing black-owned businesses in their city.

5 Our annual Christmas production was held Sunday, December 18th at 4pm. This year s play was entitled Joy! JOY! Way to go, High Academic Achievers!! November 27,2016 Congrats to all ministry leaders installed for 2017! November 20,2016

6 2017 MLK Celebration "The YWCA is honored and privileged that The Pastor and congregation of Morris Street Baptist Church will once again open its doors and hearts for this community-wide event. Together we honor the legacy of Dr. King" - LaVanda Brown, Executive Director Charleston s ten-day Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, the largest and longest-running event of its kind in South Carolina, will be headlined in January by social justice activist and attorney Benjamin L. Crump, Esquire and Eugene Woods, president and CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System. The annual tribute s theme will be A Dream Unfulfilled. The MLK Ecumenical Service will be held on Sunday, January 15 at 4:00 p.m. at Morris Street Baptist Church, where Mr. Crump will deliver the address to more than 1,000 expected attendees. The service is free and open to the public. The noted civil rights attorney, who is currently representing the family of slain black teenager Trayvon Martin, is also the president of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association and CEO of the Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute, created Benjamin L. Crump to address social issues that disproportionately impact the nation s most vulnerable citizens. He has been recognized by Ebony magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans and has received the National Civil Rights Museum s Freedom Award, the American Association for Justice Johnny Cochran Award, the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference s Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award. SCHEDULE OF CONFIRMED EVENTS SUNDAY, JAN 8 Area Worship Services at selected tri-county places of worship: Downtown 3 PM at Mount Zion AME Church, 5 Glebe St. West Ashley 4 PM at Bible Way Baptist Church, 2019 Savage Rd. James Island 5 PM at Emmanuel Baptist Church of James Island, 1440 Folly Rd. Edisto Island 3 PM at Allen AME Church, 1860 Botany Bay Rd. North Charleston 4 PM at Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, 1561 Mosstree Rd. Johns Island New Hope Baptist Church, 661 Hughes Rd. (time TBD) Western Charleston County 3:30 PM at St. Paul Presbyterian, 7404 Hwy.162 FRIDAY, JAN 13 Day One of Racial Equality Institute (invitations to be sent) SATURDAY, JAN 14 Day Two of Racial Equality Institute (invitations to be sent) SUNDAY, JAN 15 MLK Ecumenical Service at Morris Street Baptist Church, 4 PM MONDAY, JAN 16 MLK Parade from Burke High School to Marion Square, 11 AM MONDAY, JAN 16 Youth Speak Out at the College of Charleston, right after MLK Parade TUESDAY, JAN 17 MLK Business & Professional Breakfast at The Gaillard, 7 AM