Zion Baptist Church Leading Lady Appreciation Day Dr. Gladys B. Goforth Sis. Mary Alice Graham Theme: Extraordinary Women of Faith, Prayer, Wisdom and Service Sunday, April 4,, 014-44: 11am Rev. Dr. M. A. Davis, Pastor 014 Washington Street - Columbia, South Carolina
Greetings From The Pastor Zion, truly God is in the blessing business! Today we honor two wonderful gifts God has enriched us with by way of Sister Gladys B. Goforth and Sister Mary Alice G. Graham. They are beautiful, inspirational, brilliant and bold gifts. Not only are they matriarchs in their families, but within our church family as well. Both Sisters Goforth and Graham have served, and continue to serve in various capacities within our church and throughout South Carolina (SC). Leadership activities within the church, as they served along with previous pastors Rev. Dr. Arthur W. Goforth and Rev. Dr. Lewis P. Graham, include serving as Sunday school teachers, deaconesses, missionaries, and youth director. They continue to faithfully attend Prayer Service and Bible Study. Their leadership reached beyond the walls of Zion as they taught in our state s public schools; served and continue to serve on the Woman s Baptist Education and Missionary Convention (BEMC) of SC, the BEMC Congress of Christian Education, the Gethsemane Woman s Baptist Auxiliary, and in several capacities at national convention levels. Through their efforts to serve God, they have inspired and influenced many to move forward in their spiritual walk with Christ, trusting only in Him. Sister Goforth and Sister Graham, I am eternally grateful to be graced with the privilege of being your Pastor. Your lives continue to reflect the description of Proverbs 31:26 which states, She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. In a society where men and women are often attempting to be duplicates of others, both of you have authentically spoken and served by being the Real Gladys and the Real Mary Alice. Thank you for teaching us all how to discover our identity. You truly are extraordinary women of faith, prayer, wisdom and service. Peace & Blessings, Rev. Dr. M. Andrew Davis
Order of Service A Joyful Noise Unto The Lord Praise Team Call to Worship/Invocation... Rev. Dr. Cynthia Walters Hymn No. 124 Spirit of the Living God Hymn of Worship........ Choirs & Congregation Hymn No. 14 Come Thou Fount Responsive Reading..... Dea. Herbert Barnette Announcements/Acknowledgements/Observations.....Sis. Sara Harper Tithes, Offering & Prayer....... Mass Choir Chant No. 536 All Things Come of Thee Presentation and Special Recognition of Honorees Honoree Sis. Gladys Butler Goforth Honoree Sis. Mary Alice Gerald Graham Medley Tribute........ Mass Choir The Spoken Word....... Pastor Davis Hymn of Discipleship.... Choirs & Congregation Closing Hymn Benediction and Blessing of Food Refreshments will be served in Fellowship Hall
About Our Honoree Dr. Gladys Butler Goforth Past President of the Benedict College National Alumni Half-Century Club, Educator Youth Director, Public Speaker, Workshop/Seminar Facilitator, Religious and Civic Leader, Devoted Mother and Endearing Grandmother. Gladys B. Goforth, a native of Columbia, South Carolina, is the fourth child in a family of eight children. She is the oldest daughter of the Late Deacon George W. and Mrs. Esther L. Butler, and the widow of the late Rev. Dr. Arthur W. Goforth II. They parented three lovely children: Rev. Chandra Goforth Irvin, Rev. Arthur W. Goforth III and Ivy Ruthel Goforth. With a very active background in religious, civic and educational arenas from her youth to the present senior years, she is quite vivacious. Having been an honor graduate of Benedict College, Columbia SC, with a degree in Education and a major in French, a Master s degree in the same field from New York University, NY, she has studied extensively in the USA and abroad. Mrs. Goforth was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Human Letters from her beloved alma mater Benedict College. Some of Dr. Goforth s involvements include: Ministries of her membership church Zion Baptist as Youth Director Emerita, wherein she established the ZYOCO s (Zion s Young People s Christian Organization), Church School Teacher, Deaconess Advisor, Drama Coach, Organizer and Advisor to the Young Women s Auxiliary, Christian Education Commission: Gethsemane Baptist Association and Auxiliaries: 1 st VP of the Woman s Auxiliary (now Emerita), Advisor District YWA, Youth Program Coordinator of Congress and Association of the Women s Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of SC (WBEMCSC), from which she retired in 2003, after twenty-five years of faithful and productive leadership, Chairperson of the Historical Commission of the WBEMCSC; various positions (Chaplain International Alliance of Ministers Wives and Ministers Widow of Greater Columbia and Vicinity, as well as life member of the National Alliance; Jones-McDonald Community Club; National Association of University Woman, past President of the State Foreign Language Teachers Association of SC, Life member of the NAACP, IAMWMW, Life member of the National Council of Negro Women, BCNAA; Educational Associations: RCEA-R, SCEA-R,NEA-R; past President of the Benedict College National Half-Century Club, VP of the Columbia Benedict College Alumni Club #1. Grateful for many honors bestowed upon her, Dr. Goforth was her BTW High School Valedictorian. While matriculating at Benedict College, she was a Charter member of Psi chapter of Alpha Kappa, Alpha Sorority Inc. and the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society. She reigned as Miss Benedict College during her junior year. Other honors and award recognitions include: Teacher -of-the-year (twice), Outstanding Minister s Wife (Gaffney and Columbia), the Gladys Butler Goforth Laboratory for Chemistry Research and Teaching 304/306 in Alumni Hall, Superb Leadership as Youth State Director, Zion Baptist Church s Woman-of-the-Year, Outstanding Leadership to the Gaffney Chapter of Benedict College Alumni Club, Presidential Citation from Morris College as Educator, Church Worker, Community Leader and Supporter of Morris College, Living the Legacy via NCNW, Carolina Scholarships Inc. Lifetime Service, Gethsemane Youth Department Dedicated Leadership, Gethsemane Woman s Auxiliary Exemplary Service, Benedict College Outstanding Support to Zion Baptist Church, the 2003 Service National Alumni Distinguish Service She is grateful for her extensive travel experiences in 42 states, 9 European/Asia countries, including the Holy Land, Bahamas and Canada, all of which have afforded her greater witnessing opportunities.
About Our Honoree Sis. Mary Alice Gerald Graham First Vice President of the Woman s Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of SC BEMC Congress of Christian Education Instructor Librarian, Educator, Workshop/Seminar Facilitator, Loving and Devoted Mother and Grandmother Mary Alice Graham was born in Aynor, South Carolina on July 15, 1951. She is the third child of eight children born to the late Georgia and Isaac Gerald. She received her primary education from Whittemore High School, Conway, South Carolina in 1968. She obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Library Science and a minor in Social Studies from South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC in May 1979. She received her Masters of Education in Counseling from South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC in May 1982. Also, Mrs. Graham completed 30 hours above her Masters degree in Education, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC. Mrs. Graham has served as Librarian/Media Specialist/Information Technology Specialist for Thirty-Four years in the following Public Schools of South Carolina: Branchville High School, Branchville, SC; Belleville Middle School, Orangeburg, SC; Johnson Middle School, Timmonsville, SC; West Florence High School, Florence, SC; Sirrine Elementary School, Greenville, SC; and Sandhills Middle School, Gaston, SC. Mrs. Graham retired as Information Technology Specialist from Hyatt Park Elementary School, Columbia, SC, in May 2013; where she was elected as the Teacher of the Year 2009-2010, and was one of five finalist for the Richland County School District Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Graham has been very involved in the Woman s Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina. She has held the following positions: Financial Secretary, Treasurer (two terms), Recording Secretary, Third Vice President, and Second Vice President. Presently, she is serving as First Vice President. In August 2006, Mrs. Graham was elected as Corresponding Secretary of the Women s Department of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., and served for five years. In August 2016, she was elected as Recording Secretary of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. Mrs. Graham has been involved in numerous civic and community organizations. She is a member of the following: SC Association of School Librarians, Ed Tech, SC Library Association, NEA (National Education Association), National Council of Negro Women, Life Member of the NAACP, SC Congress of Christian Education, Hampton University Ministers and Lay Workers Conference, IRA (International Reading Association), and the South Carolina Black Educators Conference. Mrs. Graham is one who loves the Lord and is actively involved in winning souls to Jesus Christ. For over 35 years, she served along with her late husband, Dr. Lewis P. Graham, Sr. in biblically equipping saints, helping the poor and needy, and lending a helping hand or a comforting word to those who came in her path. She is a member of Zion Baptist Church, Columbia, SC, where she serves as Church School Teacher, member of the Missionary Society (WOW)-Women of Wisdom, member of the Pastor s Aide Ministry, Deaconess Ministry, and Ministry of Christian Education. Mrs. Graham is known to many by her cheerful and witty personality. She strongly believes in living each day that God grants to its fullness, for tomorrow is not promised. She is the proud parent of two adult children: Alicia LeWanna and Lewis, Jr. (Tara); and two grandchildren, Madison Elise and Lewis III
Responsive Reading (Litany Adapted from the UMC Discipleship Ministries) ALL: With holy reverence, we remember irreplaceable women, O God. We honor those, abroad and in our presence, who nurtured us and taught us to honor and love you, O God. May their example of Christian faith help transform us into your image. We honor extraordinary women who feed the hungry, clothe the unclothed, befriend the lonely, and comfort the comfortless. We bless them for unselfishly loving your people as you have loved us. May you continue to meet their needs as they minister to us and others. We honor women grieving the loss of loved ones. May you continue to comfort them with your Word, spoken and blessed. May we learn to encourage them as they have encouraged us. We honor women pregnant with your unborn sons and daughters, O God. May You shelter them and the children they bear under the shadow of your almighty Presence. We honor our sisters throughout the world who need your spiritual, economic, and physical healing. May you meet their needs, Holy One, according to your riches in glory, we pray. We bless those who wept for us, rejoiced with us, wiped our tears, prayed for us, laughed with us, and shared their wisdom with us. We give you thanks, O God. We bless those who undauntedly sacrificed for us. We give you thanks, O God. We honor all those who stand alongside and for these women. We bless those who can encourage them to dream, who bring out the best in them, who help them bear their burdens, and who love them rightly, O God. May you watch over and keep all your people, these women and all who love them, with your care, gracious God. Consecrate this day for your glory. In the name of the Triune God, the one who parents us and creates us, who redeems us, and empowers us forever. Amen.
Monthly Schedule & Announcements **ZBC Radio Broadcast on WWDM 101.3 FM, 7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m. every Sunday morning. *Thursday Morning Prayer led by Dea. Herbert Barnett, 7:00a.m.-7:15a.m. Please call 1-605-313-4912 and the access code is 511288#. Prayer requests should be sent to zionprayerline@gmail.com. Pastor Davis' Preaching Schedule: April 1 Bethlehem Baptist Church, Columbia, SC May 3 Rehoboth Baptist Church, Columbia, SC May 5 St. Luke Baptist Church, Salisbury, NC **June 2 Antioch Baptist Church of Deanwood, Washington, DC **Hotel reservations for the Washington trip May 31-June 2, 2019 have been secured. Please see Sis. Nikki Ramsey after church for detailed information and booking instructions. We are attempting to secure transportation for those who are interested in traveling to Washington, DC. Please contact the church office to sign up. There will be 15 seats available. *April 15-19 Kindling Girls Group Spring Break Workshop, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. *April 17 *April 21 *April 22 *April 28 *May 4 Senior Day Camp, 10:00 a.m.; Youth Choir rehearsal, 6:00 p.m.; Youth Bible Study Prayer Service, 6:30 p.m.; Adult Bible Study, 7:00 p.m. Easter Sunrise Service at Zion, 6:00 a.m.; ZYPCO's Easter Program, A Presentation of "The Last Supper, 9:30 a.m.; Arsenal Hill Circle will meet immediately after worship service. Newsletter Ministry meeting, 5:30 p.m. Deadline for Recipes. Members celebrating April Birthdays are compiling recipes for a cookbook. If you want to share your favorite recipes for a cookbook,, please submit your recipes to Sis. Kathy Javis or the church office. Loving a Healthier You, Part 2, 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Key presentation by Dr. Michelle Rojas, Grace Medical Group, Columbia, SC *A heartfelt sympathy is extended to Rev. Israel (Sis. Cynthia) Gist and family in the loss of his sister. Attention Zion Graduates: Graduation Sunday is June 16. Please submit graduation information to the church office by May 6. Community Announcements *April 27 Central Baptist Church Women s Day Committee is sponsoring a trip to the Natural Hair Show, Atlanta, GA. Cost $65 /person. This includes admission to the convention center. For more info. please call 803.252.3742; Rehoboth Baptist Ch. Next Generation Choir, 2019 Gospel Explosion Concert, 4646 Hardscrabble Rd., 3:00 p.m. *May 6-9 Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of SC Annual Session, Myrtle Beach, SC. *May 13-17 Gethsemane Woman s Auxiliary Centennial Celebration, Zion Canaan Baptist Church. Sick & Shut-In Sis. Cleo Fair Pruitt Health, Columbia, SC Sis. Annette Hill 16206 Azure Place, Bowie, MD 20716 Sis. Elise Myers 1105 Piney Wood Rd., Columbia, SC 29210 AT HOME Sis. Frances Fields Sis. Elizabeth Hall Bro. James Jones Sis. Elnora Robinson Sis. Marilyn West