LifeSong Our Legacy is in Your Hands Strengthening …...LifeSong Our Legacy is in Your Hands...
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LifeSong Our Legacy is in Your Hands Strengthening Families by Strengthening Faith Did you know that for every white baby that dies, two – three black babies die? What Can We Do To Help Our Black Babies Live? We must come together as an entire “Village” and find ways to help educate, strengthen and empower our families so that they will have good spiritual, parenting, decision making and social skills. African & African American Traditions “Always Remembering Who We Are and Whose We Are” Christening of Baby Elias Joseph Johnson Contact: Maria A. Long, M.Ed., CCHW, COPE Healthy Start LifeSong Community Liaison, 386-295-1947, [email protected] BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9 July 2018 Issue 10 AFRICAN PROVERB A family is like a forest, When you are outside, it is dense, when you are inside, you see that each tree has Its place. Want to Learn More About LifeSong and How We Can Help Keep Our Babies & Families Healthy & Safe? Contact: Maria Long [email protected] 386-295-1947 Together We Can and Will Change Lives !!!! Family and Friends (“The Village”) gathered on Saturday morning, June 30, 2018 at Flagler Beach, FL to celebrate the Christening/Dedicaon Celebraon of Baby Elias Joseph Johnson, son of Ethan and Arielle Johnson of Ormond Beach, FL. The Celebraon was a mixture of African and African American Tradions performed by the Rev. John T. Long III (longme family Pastor and extended family) as a means to honor God, Family, Friends and Our Ancestors. We Thank God for Ethan and Arielle’s decision to have this Christening Celebraon as it is a open display of their faith and belief that Elias has been given to them by God and therefore must be dedicated back to God so that his STEPS will be ordered, ordained and guided throughout his life. The Christening Celebraon proved to be a blessed and joyful event craſted with loving hands and hearts from the selecon of the locaon (Flagler Beach) to the blessing and sharing of a home cooked meal prepared and provided by the loving hands of his parents and grandparents. Several components of our African heritage was woven into the Celebraon. African Stoles were made specifically for the men; prayers were liſted up by Grandparents Earl, Jewel and Elaine thanking God for Elias and praying for his anoinng and protecon as he grows into a man child; each “Villager” spoke blessings into Elias’ ears followed by the reading of “Children of the Village” (an African poem which talks about the role of the Village in the life of an African Child) in addional to several African arfacts being used. Thank You Lord and Thanks to each of the “Villagers” in the life of Elias Joseph Johnson. To God Be The Glory!!!
Transcript of LifeSong Our Legacy is in Your Hands Strengthening …...LifeSong Our Legacy is in Your Hands...
LifeSong
Our Legacy is in Your Hands
Strengthening Families by Strengthening Faith
Did you know that for every white baby that dies,
two – three black babies die?
What Can We Do To Help Our Black Babies Live?
We must come together as an entire “Village” and find ways to help educate, strengthen and empower our families so that they will have good spiritual, parenting, decision making and social skills.
African & African American Traditions
“Always Remembering Who We Are and Whose We Are” Christening of Baby Elias Joseph Johnson
Contact: Maria A. Long, M.Ed., CCHW, COPE Healthy Start LifeSong Community Liaison, 386-295-1947, [email protected]
BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE
“Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be
with you wherever you go”
Joshua 1:9
July 2018 Issue 10
AFRICAN PROVERB
A family is like a forest, When you are outside,
it is dense, when you are inside,
you see that each tree has Its place.
Want to Learn More About
LifeSong and How We
Can Help Keep Our Babies &
Families Healthy & Safe?
Contact: Maria Long
386-295-1947
Together We Can and Will
Change Lives !!!!
Family and Friends (“The Village”) gathered on Saturday morning, June 30, 2018 at Flagler
Beach, FL to celebrate the Christening/Dedication Celebration of Baby Elias Joseph Johnson,
son of Ethan and Arielle Johnson of Ormond Beach, FL.
The Celebration was a mixture of African and African American Traditions performed by the
Rev. John T. Long III (longtime family Pastor and extended family) as a means to honor God,
Family, Friends and Our Ancestors. We Thank God for Ethan and Arielle’s decision to have this
Christening Celebration as it is a open display of their faith and belief that Elias has been given
to them by God and therefore must be dedicated back to God so that his STEPS will be
ordered, ordained and guided throughout his life.
The Christening Celebration proved to be a blessed and joyful event crafted with loving hands
and hearts from the selection of the location (Flagler Beach) to the blessing and sharing of a
home cooked meal prepared and provided by the loving hands of his parents and
grandparents. Several components of our African heritage was woven into the Celebration.
African Stoles were made specifically for the men; prayers were lifted up by Grandparents Earl,
Jewel and Elaine thanking God for Elias and praying for his anointing and protection as he
grows into a man child; each “Villager” spoke blessings into Elias’ ears followed by the reading
of “Children of the Village” (an African poem which talks about the role of the Village in the life
of an African Child) in additional to several African artifacts being used. Thank You Lord and
Thanks to each of the “Villagers” in the life of Elias Joseph Johnson. To God Be The Glory!!!
