Good News. Volume 8 Issue 5 May WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MOTHER By Deretha Green

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1 A monthly publication for Members of Macedonia Baptist Church Good News Rev. Charles D. Twymon Macedonia Baptist Church Southfield Road Detroit, Michigan Volume 8 Issue 5 May 2010 WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MOTHER By Deretha Green He maketh the barren woman to keep house, (and to be) a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 113:9 Being a mother is a very important role that the Lord chooses to give to many women. If you have children, then you know what it s like to be a mother. It s a tough job, but through God s grace and mercy SHE rises to the challenge. Children are a gift from God and He has given the task of nurturing them to mothers. Mothers seek guidance from the Word of God to say the right words at the right time, to lead in the right direction, to teach God s Word and to be the example the children should follow. She asks God for the strength to complete the task of raising the children and grace for them until they really understand that they must seek God for themselves. A mother is so gentle but yet so strong. She is a master of every task, and a dependable source of comfort. A mother is a cushion for when her child falls and a source of support when they call. Mothers are overworked and underpaid, but they don t complain, they say a quiet prayer, take a deep breath and move on. She works her fingers to the bone for her children and will come to their rescue no matter what the cause. A mother is on duty every hour of every day. Oh! Make no mistake about it, sometimes we do feel taken for granted but knowing that her child is counting on her for everything, reality sets in and she realizes how important she is to that child and it touches her heart. A mother s love is unconditional. How does she do it all? She takes and uses, for the glory of God, her given talents and that s how she does it. Mother s love with a never failing love, but as we must love we must also then set them free. God expects Mothers to raise and nurture her children so that they can become the best they can be in this world. In the wake of a storm, she is the light at the end of the tunnel! She is MOM! Because a mother carries a child in her heart, not time, not space, not even death will ever separate them. Being a mother is a tough act to follow for she is truly amazing!! A mother s prayer: God thank you for this opportunity at motherhood because we know we cannot do this without you. Please continue to guide and strength us as we seek your direction. May the Lord continue to guide the path of our children as they travel through this life of uncertainty. It is amazing what a mother can endure and accomplish through Christ Jesus that strengths her. Inside This Issue Announcements... 2 MBC Women s Ministry... 4 Sermons... 3 May is Tithing Month... 5 New Members... 3 Macedonia Bible & Book Corner... 4 Cartoon... 4 Sunday, May 9, 2010 A Mission Visit on Good Friday... 5 Didn t File? Now What?... 5 Dr. Irma Hamilton receives. Award

2 Pastor Twymon leads Bible Study every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. All members and guests are encouraged to attend. Bible Study, lead by Rev. Moncrief, meets at 7:00 p.m. every Wednesday in Fellowship Hall. All members and guests are encouraged to attend. "Real Talk" - A Bible discussion has formed for those who are in their 20 s and 30 s. Get the biblical perspective on issues and topics that concern your life. Real Talk is open to young men and women. The group meets on the 2nd Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. For more information, please see Bro, Jason Twymon. United Voices-N-Christ Male Chorus - which includes our own Deacon Lewis Redden will be in concert on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist Church in the Sanctuary. The Macedonia Male Chorus will be singing a selection, as well. Please plan to come back and worship in praise and song. King s Kids Scholarship Committee The scholarship recipients have adopted the following theme and scripture: Theme: Education: The Road to Success Scripture: Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Proverbs 3:13, KJV Throughout the months of May, June and July members of the 2010 King s Kids Scholarship Committee will be selling popcorn and certificates to Hungry Howies Pizza. Please plan to support their efforts. For more information see Dea. James Ross or Bro. Allen Barksdale. Donation Envelopes - If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the King s Kids Scholarship envelopes will be provided in the church bulletin on Sunday, May 23, Your contribution will assist college-bound graduating seniors. King s Kids Skating Fellowship Monday, May 31, 2010 (Memoria Day) from 7:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. At Northland Roller Rink, West 8 Mile Road, Detroit, MI 48219, (313) Admission - $6.00 per person, Skate Rental - $2.00 additional. For more information see Dea. James Ross or Bro. Allen Barksdale. We have members of Macedonia that specialize in many different services which we learn about during the course of conversations and or exchange of information. Generally we file the business cards and sometimes forget about them. I m not especially fond of critters that belong outdoors, I don t mind them, I just like to keep my distance. It may look comical on a TV show, but it did not feel funny to me when I came face to face with a young opossum in the hallway of my home at 3:00 in the morning!! This encounter scared my socks off! Following a very long rest of the night, it didn t take me long to remember the business card from Bro. Murphy Jones and the Silver Springs Pest Control Co., (586) Better keep up with those cards, sometimes they come in handy: Submitted by Maxine Gardner May

3 SERMONS Tapes and CDs are available through the Tape Ministry. NEW MEMBERS We welcome our new members who joined in April. Pastor Charles D. Twymon April 4 8:00 a.m. The Living Evidence, Luke 24:36-43 Pastor Charles Twymon April 4 11:00 a.m. Back From the Dead, Luke 16:27-31 Pastor Charles Twymon April 11 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Going Through Trouble II Corinthians 4:14-18 Pastor Charles Twymon April 18 8:00 a.m. Falling Down, II Peter 1:3-11 Pastor Charles Twymon To Macedonia Ronald Foster Jr. Jonathan Hunter Patrick Johnson Deborah Jones Robert Jones Shandriel McCary F. Carlton Peeples Michael Pressley April 18 11:00 a.m. More Than Meets the Eye II Kings 6:8-17 Rev. Terry Minor April 25 8:00 a.m. If You Want to Walk On Water, You Gotta Get Out the Boat, Matthew 14:24-28 Minister James Jones April :00 a.m. The Need For A Midnight Theology Acts 16:25-31 Rev. Ronald Davis May

4 MACEDONIA Bible and Book Corner Victoria Christopher Murray introduces her teen collection of Christian fiction. The Divas is a series of fiction novels that targets the issues that face our younger generation. Acceptance, friendships and living a Christian life in a world that s not always so accepting. India and Veronique are examples of young women who face these very same challenges but who overcome them with the love of God. While India Morrow is happy her BFFs (Best Friends Forever) included her in the Divas, she knows she's not cute like Diamond, cool like Veronique, or smart like Aaliyah. Maybe if she were supermodel-thin, like her mom, she'd stand out in a crowd, but dieting never seems to work for her. The Divas are poised to win the next level of the competition and India is scared she'll let her friends down. With only fifty-eight days to get it all right, her cousin Jill tells her the secret -- how to lose weight while still eating. By Barbra Pugh The Women's Ministry of Macedonia invites the women of Macedonia to their Annual Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. The theme this year is Women With A Praying Spirit. The speaker is Jacquelyn Craighead. Judith Thurman is our featured guest soloist. The pounds start falling away; India is finally getting lots of attention. If only she didn't feel bad about keeping a secret. She's scared of what her friends, parents, and Pastor Ford would say. What she's doing isn't so wrong, is it? All she wants is to be a star...but will the price be too great for her body and soul? National Day of Prayer - is an annual event in which millions of Americans unite to pray for our country and leaders on the first Thursday in May. On May 6, 2010, pray for our Nation's leaders. May

5 MAY IS TITHING MONTH Submitted by Barbra Pugh The month of May has been designated as Tithing Month at Macedonia Baptist Church. Tithing is a biblical mandate. A tithe means a tenth part. The words tithe and tithing come from the Old English language which means tenth. At Macedonia, Pastor Twymon stands on the biblical foundation of tithing as noted in Malachi 3:8-12 and many other scriptures that reference tithing. Tithing is a tried and proven pattern of giving practiced by committed Christians throughout the ages regardless of cultures and income levels. Macedonia, as a church body, is blessed individually and collectively by supporting the biblical principles of tithing. It strengthens the ministry, outreach, and stability of the local church. In doing this, we reverence God and realize how much He is taking care of us. A MISSION VISIT ON GOOD FRIDAY By Wilma Parham Following the Good Friday Service at Macedonia, members of The Missionary Society and the Women s Ministry loaded up two vehicles and left for a pre-scheduled visit to the YWCA Interim House Shelter. We went with a message of hope and encouragement for the women and children who are temporary residents of the shelter due to being victims of domestic violence. We carried bags of toiletries for the women, Easter bags with treats, and personal items for the children. Additional personal donations were prepared by Sisters Evelyn Littles, Genevieve Grant and Norma Jones who could not attend. As we shared tracts and talked with the women about our Savior, they in turn blessed us as they shared stories of their experiences, yet expressing hope and contentment in their current situation because of their faith. Many of them expressed a relationship with Christ. The children were a blessing as well, as each one was eager to share with us a Bible verse or prayer that they had learned. DIDN T FILE? NOW WHAT? Submitted by Gloria Crawford As Christians, we recognize that all of what we have ultimately comes from and belongs to God. This includes what we give and what we keep. We are also cognizant that God has total claim on 100% of our income, not just 10%. If you ask how much should I give to the Lord, ten percent is a great starting point. If you are not tithing, May would be a good month to begin and experience God s creative care and provisions in ways you would not otherwise believe. It is only through obedience that God increases our faith. So we encourage you to step out on faith, and tithe during the entire month of May. If you owe taxes and didn t file your tax return or request an extension by the April 15 deadline, you may face interest on any unpaid federal taxes you owe, as well as, a failure-to-file penalty. The IRS will deny a request for an extension that is filed after midnight on April 15. However, you should still file your tax return, even if it s late. The failure-to-file penalty is five percent per month, or part of a month, of the balance due, up to a maximum of 25 percent. If the tax return is more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $135 or the balance due, whichever is less. Interest and penalties add to the total amount you owe. The sooner you file, even if you can t pay all or some of the taxes due, the less you will owe. For more information about penalty and interest charges, please visit and review Chapter 1, Filing Information, of IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax. May

6 DR. IRMA HAMILTON RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD On Tuesday, February 23, 2010, Macedonia s own Dr. Irma Hamilton was honored by the City of Detroit Council President Charles Pugh with the Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding dedication as principal of Renaissance High School in Detroit. From 1993 through 2002, Dr. Hamilton led with excellence and integrity at the college preparatory high school. During Irma s tenure as principal, Renaissance was recognized as a Michigan Blue Ribbon School and a National Blue Ribbon School in The high school was featured in ACT Magazine for having the highest ACT scores of any other predominately African American urban high school in the nation. Featured in U.S. News & World Report and on Good Morning America, the school was honored as an Outstanding American High School. Renaissance was granted approval for a new building on the site of the old Sinai Hospital. Dr. Hamilton exclaims the new school was a God given vision and a legacy to the hard work and dedication of all former, present and future staff, students and parents. Irma is the Director of Education at the Detroit Zoological Society. She was retired, but you never know what path God has for you. That s why she s where she is today. She has a passion for educating young people and sharing her personal testimony of what God has done for her in her life. Irma is a keynote speaker and presenter at many conferences, she has been an educational consultant and state leadership coach for principals in high priority schools. Irma s goals in her current position are to ensure that the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Zoo remain a source of formal and informal community education. Dr. Irma Hamilton joined Macedonia on September 6, She and her family had been members at another church for many years. The church was going through a number of serious challenges and I was looking for another church home. Her sister and mom attended Macedonia one Sunday and gave her a copy of the bulletin. When she saw the bulletin she felt she had found her new church home. They went to Macedonia the next Sunday and she joined. Irma had prayed for His guidance and this is where the Lord led her. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that some of the students were also members. Irma has one married daughter, DeAnna Arthur and two grandchildren. DeAnna Arthur is also a member of Macedonia. Her granddaughters are Kayla and Alexia Arthur. Irma enjoys reading, traveling, sightseeing, good movies just enjoying life. She loves singing in the Gospel Chorus and listening to gospel music. Her work schedule however, prevents her sometimes from attending rehearsal on a regular basis but she still loves the choir. After graduating from Mumford High School, Dr. Hamilton went on to Northern Michigan University where she earned her Bachelor Degree in Social Science. Leaving a teaching position in Vestal, New York she returned to Detroit and continued to teach. Among many educational accomplishments, She completed a Master s Degree in Learning Disabilities from the University of Detroit, May

7 a second Master s in Guidance and Counseling from Wayne State University and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Wayne State University. During her career, Irma advanced from teacher to coordinator, department head, assistant principal, principal, Supervisor of Secondary Education for the Southfield Public School district and adjunct professor for Concordia University. Her passion for education is equal to her commitment of working with young people. An impressive array of awards and accomplishments are the results of her support and dedication to her students. Among them are: Distinguished Alumni Award from Northern Michigan University, Principal of the Year from the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, the Booker T. Washington Educator s Award and Educator Of The Year from Phi Delta Kappa. What she loves most about Macedonia is the people, the friendliness, people are always smiling. It s a good feeling when you walk in the church. Hearing Pastor Twymon telling it like it is. Not only does he say it, but he backs it up with scriptures. Irma advises all young people to develop a relationship with the Lord. Spend time away from everybody else, by themselves to discover who they are and what they are all about. They need to believe in something substantial so they won t fall for anything. A relationship with the Lord really helps because He gives them the power of discernment to see clearly and follow the right path and listen to the right people. She also advises young people to learn to forgive themselves and others and know God cares and will never give up on them. She credits her parents Leroy and Della Mae Kelly for the kind of home they raised her in. It was a Christian home. She saw her parents get on their knees saying their prayers, reading the Bible to them and singing songs. Her dad made sure they went to church every Sunday regardless of how late they were up Saturday night. Irma s favorite scriptures are the 23rd Psalm and the 27th Psalm. She said, I always ask God to lead and guide me in the direction He wants me to go in. Let it be His will not mine so I can complete the mission He has set before me. This is very real for her and a part of her spiritual foundation. She may not know the future but she knows He holds the future. Irma is motivated by her faith and belief in God and her optimistic view of life as a glass half full and she had to fill it the rest of the way with faith, humor, love and laughter. Dr. Hamilton says faith in God keeps the pep in her step and a smile on her face and that it is God that sustains her through today s many challenges. May

8 Macedonia Baptist Church Southfield Road, Detroit, Michigan "Come over into Macedonia and help us. ACTS 16:9