Fellowship Presbyterian Church USA · Honor provided an effective, moving, and timely sermon to...

December 2014 Volume 7 Issue 12

Fellowship Presbyterian Church USA 3406 Meridian Street, Huntsville, AL 35811 Office 256.539.2418 Fax 256.539.2492 e-mail:[email protected]

The HAND of Fellowship

(Helpful and Nurturing Disciples)

Reverend Gregory J. Bentley, Pastor

Motto

The loving place that is

Reaching, Growing, and

Sending people with

Christ.

Vision

Fellowship is a Christian

ministry that glorifies God

and transforms humanity

by doing justice, living

mercy, and walking

humbly with God.

Mission

Fellowship is called to

make disciples by leading

people into a personal

relationship with God

through Jesus Christ and

equipping them for the

work of ministry in the

church, community, and

world.

During the 11:00 a.m. worship service on November 14, 2014,

the Ernest Dees and Pauline Bodiford families, who donated

significantly to purchasing shades for the sanctuary, formally

offered their gift to the church family. Donors to the Capital

Fund, which assisted in the purchase, were also thanked. The

Dees family presented their gift in memory of wife and mother

Dr. Constance Dees, and Mrs. Bodiford’s gift was made in

memory of husband Bob Bodiford. Both Constance and Bob

were active, beloved members of the Fellowship Presbyterian

Church family. The dedication concluded with a “Litany of

Dedication for Sanctuary Window Shades,” written especially for

the occasion by Joyce Pettis Temple.

New Sanctuary Shades Dedicated

L-R: Pauline Bodiford; Ernest Dees; Gregory Dees; Abigail, Jeffery, and

Agatha Dees

Photo credit: Christopher Evans


STAFF

Reverend Gregory Jerome Bentley Pastor

Mrs. Brenda Davis Director of Music Ministry

Mrs. Antoinette “Toni” Franklin Inspirational Choir Director

Ms. Darlene Richardson Children’s/Youth Choir Director

Mr. Jason Sellers Pianist, Children’s/Youth Choir and

Director, Praise Team

Mr. Ryan Felton Percussionist

Mrs. Wanda Williams Secretary

Mr. Theodus Friend Sexton

DIRECTORY OF SERVICES Early Morning Service 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Breakfast 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School 9:45 a.m.

Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.

Choir Rehearsals

Inspirational (Tues.) 6:00 p.m.

Chancel (Tues.) 7:15 p.m.

Praise Team (Wed.) 6:00 p.m.

Adult Bible Study (Wed.) Noon

Prayer Service (Wed.) 5:30 p.m.

Youth and Children

Bible Study (Tues.) 5:45 p.m.

Choir Rehearsal (Tues.) 6:30 p.m.

Church Office Hours Monday - Friday

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

256.539.2418

[email protected]

Newsletter Team Dr. Barbara Anthony

Mrs. Pauline Bodiford

Mrs. Gladys P. Bracy

Ms. Cheryl K. Johnson

Mrs. Mary E. Mitchell

Dr. Joyce Pettis Temple Mrs. Lois N. Thompson

Photographers

Dr. and Mrs. James (Gertrude) Hicks

DATES TO REMEMBER

December

1 - Worship Ministry Team meeting at noon

3 - Christian Education Ministry Team meeting at 5:30 p.m.

6 - Evangelism Ministry Team meeting at10:00 a.m.

7 - 2nd Sunday in Advent

8 - Property & Maintenance meeting at noon

10 - Witness and Service meeting at 6:00 p.m.

11 - Stated Session meeting at 6:00 p.m.

14 - Presbyterian Women Gathering

17 - Food Distribution at 1:00- 2:30 p.m.

18 - Stewardship & Finance meeting at 5:30 p.m.

20 - Presbyterian Men meeting at 8:00 a.m.

21 - 4th Sunday in Advent

21 - Annual Christmas program at 5:00 p.m.

21 - Christmas Joy Offering

24 - Christmas Eve

25 - Nativity of Jesus Christ/Christmas

The most valuable gift you can give

another is a good example.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

For I have given you an example, that ye should

do as I have done to you. John 13:15

Source: God’s Little Instruction Book: Inspirational

Wisdom on How to Live a Happy and Fulfilled Life.


“Black Lives Matter” A high school classmate and clergy colleague of

mine, Reverend James Ross, argues that the African

American experience can be seen through the lens of

five ‘Ps’: property, problems, performers, purchasers,

and paranoia.

1. Property: For 250 years African Americans were

seen as chattel and worked from “can’t see to

can’t see” to enrich the slaveholding class in

particular and the nation in general. This is the

foundation, along with the genocide of the Native

people and the theft of their land, for the wealth of

America and its super power status today.

2. Problems: After Emancipation, what do we do

with these 4 million ex-slaves? Houston, we have

a problem so let’s enact Black Codes, Vagrancy

Laws, keep them in their place with terrorist

organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, and

return them to a form of neo-slavery called

sharecropping.

3. Performers: Well, they sure can sing and dance

and play ball. So let’s use them as entertainers for

our amusement.

4. Purchasers: Some of them have some money and

want badly to spend it with us, so let’s do away

with this pesky thing called segregation so that we

can have unfettered access to their pocketbooks.

5. Paranoia: Y’all see racism in everything. If you

learn how to follow the rules, work hard, and be

people of high character, you will make it in

America. Stop blaming everything on racism.

Y’all have had enough time to get your act

together.

These five ‘Ps’ still persist in our day and time and

are seen in the dynamics of the various responses to

the non-indictment of Darren Wilson in the shooting

death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. It

seems that the legacy of another legal case associated

with Missouri--the Dred Scott Decision, which

essentially concluded that no black person in America

had any rights which any white person had to

recognize--still haunts us to this very day.

So what is the good news in this Advent season in the

midst of the turbulence and turmoil of our times? Is

there a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole?

Is there a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul?

Yes there is! That balm is love and the application of

that balm begins with affirming that BLACK LIVES

MATTER!

Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as we love

ourselves. We cannot extend to others what we do not

have for ourselves. Loving ourselves is not wrong; it

is life affirming and healing and the only authentic

way that we can love others. What are some ways in

which we can apply the healing balm of love to

ourselves? Here are just a few suggestions:

Love ourselves by realizing that God is with us and

that we are made in God’s image; love ourselves by

forgiving ourselves and one another; love ourselves

by resisting any type of degradation or

dehumanization; love ourselves by building one

another up and not tearing one another down; love

ourselves by encouraging and not running one

another down; love ourselves by learning about our

rich heritage and our contributions to the elevation

and well-being of the human family; love ourselves

by attending to our emotional, spiritual, physical, and

economic health; love ourselves by moving from

consumerism to Christ . . . from materialism to the

Messiah; love ourselves by refusing to cooperate with

evil and standing for what is right even when it is

difficult to do so; love ourselves by working for

freedom, justice, and equality for all God’s children.

When we love ourselves—truly, unconditionally,

unreservedly, unabashedly, genuinely love

ourselves—we show the world, indeed, that BLACK

LIVES MATTER.

Reverend Gregory J. Bentley


“The Gospel According to

The Color Purple!”

No, Reverend Billy Michael Honor did not

actually use Alice Walker’s novel The Color

Purple for his text. But his provocative title

primed everyone’s attention for a familiar scene

from the popular work. “It blew my mind,”

Reverend Honor exclaimed, when he had

initially read scenes that offered a theological

perspective, where characters Shug and Celie

know and feel the significance of God’s creation,

even in purple-colored flowers in the field. From

the Bible, the reverend read 1 Chronicles 12:32

as the text for his sermon, emphasizing human

understanding of ’the present time.’ Reverend

Honor provided an effective, moving, and timely

sermon to commemorate the fifty-four year

presence of Fellowship Presbyterian Church.

You’re Invited to Fellowship’s Annual Christmas Program

On third Sunday, December 21,

at 5:00 p.m., you’re invited to the

annual celebration of Christ’s

birth, organized by the Music

Ministry and directed by Brenda

Davis. Titled “Jesus, the Light of

the World,” the program will

retell and celebrate the story of

Christmas through music and a

narrative written by Linda Burruss and Joyce Pettis

Temple. All the choirs of Fellowship will

participate—Men’s Chorus, Youth and Children’s

Choir, Inspirational Choir, and Chancel Choir. Guest

groups—The Huntsville Spiritual Chorale and The

Singing Pearls of Alpha Kappa Sorority, Inc., Epsilon

Gamma Omega Chapter—will also be a part of the

program.

Come and enjoy the varied program of favorite hymns,

new Christmas music, solos, storytellers, and

costumed performers, all in the spirit of celebration for

the birthday of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Bring your

many friends!

Golden Charmers Exercise Class

Golden Charmers is offering an exercise class to

persons with "golden abilities.” This class, led by

Lucille Grayson, is especially designed for those with

arthritis. The exercises are designed for participants to

stand or sit. The following church members have taken

advantage of this opportunity: Thelma Canady, Bettye

Dixie, Norman Fletcher, George Grayson, Lucille

Grayson, Frances Harris, Gertrude Hicks, Carolyn

Jackson, Rosalie Lane, Mary Mitchell, Minnie Moore,

Evelyn Rich, and Arinzie Steele.

Lucille has always been concerned about the health of

the congregants. In the early 1980s, she led an aerobics

class using Jane Fonda tapes, and people from other

churches joined us. Now, in our “golden years,” here

we go again.

Volume 7 Issue 12

What is the Presbyterian Giving Catalog? In the

words of Reverend Gregory J. Bentley, “Glad you

asked.” The catalog is a compilation of missions

supported by the PCUSA. The catalog brings real-

world pictures of how your resources help to provide

livestock, seeds, water, filtration systems, school

supplies, cleaning tools, or pots and pans. Each gift

pictured in the Presbyterian Giving Catalog

exemplifies the work prayerfully supported by the

four churchwide special offerings through the

Presbyterian Mission Agency to support ministries

of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Those special

offerings are One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost,

Peacemaking, and Christmas Joy. See the insert to

the newsletter and display in the narthex on how you

can contribute.

Community Service Award for

Carolyn Jackson

L-R: Guest speaker, Lakeside Pastor, Carolyn W. Jackson, and

Laura Clift Harvest Committee Chairman.

Carolyn Jackson has received several awards from

organizations and churches for her work with young

homeless pregnant women and young homeless

women with children. RiahRose Home for Children,

Inc., has been a 501(c)3 agency since 2009. The

State of Alabama Department of Human Resources

has licensed it as a group home. Laura Hall was

instrumental in moving the Department, finally, to

license the home.

The home has no public funding except for a utility

grant by the City of Huntsville. All of the staff are

volunteers. The home is fortunate to receive

donations from churches, fraternal organizations,

and individuals.

The latest recognition was the Community Service

Award by Lakeside United Methodist Church. This

designation was made during the church's inaugural

banquet as a part of i ts Harvest

Celebration. Lakeside is very familiar with the work

of RiahRose and has made substantial contributions

on a regular basis.

Congratulations to Carolyn and Nathaniel Jackson

for their dedication to helping the homeless.

PRESBYTERIAN MISSION

AGENCY

Source: 2014 Presbyterian Giving Catalog,

Presbyterian Mission Agency, PCUSAs

Volume 7 Issue 12

Magazine Donations

Thanks to Joyce Pettis Temple, Eddgra

Fallin, Cheryl Johnson, Evelyn Rich, and

Gladys Bracy for magazines donated to

Huntsville Hospital.

“God provides us a second chance . . .

God allows u-turns.”

Sermon: “Let’s Stop Killing our Children”

June 22, 2014

Reverend Bentley’s

Quips and Quotes

Ministry Support

Session approved receiving a special offering on

Sunday, December 21, 2014, for the Presbyterian

Home for Children. “Since 1868, when children in

Alabama were orphaned, neglected, and homeless,

the Presbyterian Home for Children has been there

to take care of them, Physically, Emotionally and

Spiritually.” The 2014 deficit for the Presbyterian

Home for Children is $323,000. The children in

Fellowship’s Children’s Church have accepted the

challenge to lead the effort to support the

Presbyterian Home for Children. “Please give

generously, as you have in the past, so the children

of Alabama will have the resources they need to

grow up to be the people God meant them to be.”

From the Newsletter Team

Volume 7 Issue 12

Innovation: JSU Blueprint

Mississippi entrepreneur award

winners announced by

Jackson State University (JSU)

The tally is in and the award for top project in the

JSU Social Entrepreneurship Business Plan

Challenge is …. drumroll please…. Mississippi

Urban Organics!

Sierra Jackson (right) and Javis Jones (left) are

congratulated by Dr. William McHenry, executive

director, Mississippi eCenter @ JSU for winning

the JSU Social Entrepreneurship Business Plan

Challenge on November 14, 2014. The three dozen

students — and half a dozen faculty advisors —

who competed waited two days for the winner of

the Challenge to be announced.

Mississippi Urban Organics includes:

Faculty advisor: Dr. Kenneth Russ

Business advisor: Mr. Steven Shelt, Garden-to-

Table, LLC

Sierra Jackson

Javis Jones

D’Angelo Mitchell

The team’s business plan includes addressing

urban blight, boosting employment, and promoting

health by farming on unused urban land owned by

the university. The urban organic farm, at least in

its initial stages, would grow tomatoes, say

Jackson and Jones.

Photo credit: Anissa Hidouk, JSU

Source: http://www.jsumsnews.com/

Fellowship Officers-Elect

Receive Preparation for

Service

Members elected to the offices of elder and

deacon assembled on Saturday, November

22, for the second of three preparation

classes taught by Reverend Gregory

Bentley. Some presently serving elders

joined them.

L-R: Elder Jane Ford, Loretta Moore and Bill

Davis, elder ordination and installation,

respectively, in January; Elder Clif Canady; Clerk

of Session Mary Mitchell

L-R: Elder Frances Harris; Diann Bentley,

deacon installation in January.

L-R: Bentley; Elder Tonya Gaines; Moses Ogbu and

Steve Anderson, installation as deacons in January;

Reverend G. Bentley.

Photo credit: Elder Joyce Pettis Temple

Volume 7 Issue 12

As the first recognition of Advent, Fellowship members participated in the annual Hanging of the

Greens, adorning the sanctuary in poinsettias and evergreens. Steve Anderson narrated the event

held on Sunday, November 30, 2014.

Photo credit: James Hicks

First row (L-R): Clifton Canady,

Liturgist; Steve Anderson, narrator for

Hanging of the Greens; Theodore Dixie,

Jr. presented the sermon.

Second row (L-R): Men’s Chorus

directed by Brenda Davis.

Back row: Nathaniel Otey, Christopher

Gaines, Henry Muse

Front row: William Davis, Nathaniel

Jackson, Robert Wilson

Third row (L-R): Kyler Evans and

Leyanda Jones offered the Advent

Wreath.

Volume 7 Issue 12

Left: Ernest Dees, James

Hicks, and Felix Battle

waiting to offer the

greens.

Right: Felix Battle

hangs the wreath.

Left: Women placing

Chrismons on the tree.

Right: Gloria Evans and

Gladys Bracy place their

Chrismon.

Left: Cerisa Rice and

Kaylin Houston hang

their Chrismon on the

tree while Lois Dade,

Lucille Grayson, and

Jannie Jones wait their

turn.

Right: Lula Jones hangs

her Chrismon.

Photo credit: James Hicks and Joyce Pettis Temple

Volume 7 Issue 12

Golden Charmers on the Road to the

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Photo credit: Gertrude and James Hicks

Left: Bettye

Dixie

Right: Gladys

Bracy and Gloria

Evans

Left: Gertrude

Hicks

Right: James

Hicks

Volume 7 Issue 12

4 Jannie Campbell Jones

5 Henry Muse

8 Valerie Jackson

9 Reginald Grayson

16 Lewis Singleton, III

17 Archie M. Johnson

18 Clifton Canady

18 Kimberley Evans

18 Mattie Ford

20 Michele Hicks

22 Jason A. Anthony

29 Gregory Dees

30 B. Janine Anthony

30 Vincent Brown

30 Denita Gardner- Walker

Checkout Fellowship on the web:

www.fpchuntsville.org

www.facebook.com/fpchuntsville

9 Loretta and Marvin Jackson

16 Kanika and Lewis Singleton, III

20 Lucille and George Grayson

22 Joyce and Enoch Temple

23 Mary and Horace Mitchell

Parents, please make sure your child is dressed

appropriately on their scheduled Sunday!

December 7

Gakari Horton Burks and Destiny Canady

Advent candle - Kyler Evans

December 14

Destine' Brown and Dana Bone

Advent candle - Dezmyn Coleman

December 21

Kyler Evans and Leyanda Jones

Advent candle - Ryan Gordon

December 28

Miriam Bentley and Parker Ford

Advent candle - Destine' Brown

**Please wear black pants or skirts/dress on your

scheduled Sunday**

Parents, if your child is not available on his/her scheduled

Sunday, please call or text me, Ollie Smith, at 256-527-

4147, so that I can find a replacement.

Altar Flowers

Poinsettias The Moses Ogbu Family

and Congregation

Volume 7 Issue 12

Fellowship Member

Sick List

The Prayer of Faith James 5:13-16

“ 13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray.

Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of

praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call

for the elders of the church and have them pray over

them, anointing them with oil in the name of the

Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and

the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has

committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess

your sins to one another, and pray for one another,

so that you may be healed. The prayer of the

righteous is powerful and effective.”

The Jackie Bennett Family (daughter Monica

Bennett and twin sons Stephen and Michael Bennett)

Clara Bryant

Richard Evans

Jonathan Ford

Antoinette “Toni” Franklin

Thelma Gardner

Brandie Hampton

Dana Smith

Geneva Wright

Sick List of

Family and Friends of

Fellowship Members

Fannie Brooks Adams

(Aunt of Martha Mullins)

Doris Bradford

(Sister of Haley Bone)

Robert “Larry” Cleveland

(Brother-in-law of Bettye Dixie and Carolyn Jackson)

Mary B. Dixie

(Mother of Theodore Dixie, Sr.)

Flossie Henderson

(Mother of Barbara Anthony)

Stokley Gardner

(Brother of Lloyd Gardner)

Shielda Yvonne Ross

(Sister of Thomas Ross)

Luther Scales

(brother of Geneva Scales Wright)

Fannie P. Thompson

(sister of Lois Dade and Eulasteen Muse)

Valerie Thompson

(Sister of Debra Evans)

Hattie Wall

(Sister of Charles Penn)

Roderick Wall

(Nephew of Charles Penn)

LaVon White

(Son of Thomas and Doretha Ross)

In Loving Memory

Fellowship’s Members

Martha B. Cooper – 1992

Judge Harris – 2001

Wilbert Cooper - 2013

Herbert Canady-1955

Curtis Jones -1969

S.T. Johnson – 1993

Elizabeth Herndon – 1993

S. Q Bryant -1996

Daisy Watson – 1997

C. S. Scales – 2000

Annie Loritts – 2003

Josephine Barden – 2004

Arthur Cunningham -2004

Silvester Doster – 2004

Mary Ruth Echols – 2006

Marshall Fallin – 2006

Vera Thompson - 2010

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