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St. James A.M.E. Church

“A Bible-based Ministry”

2019 VISION: This is our YEAR OF HARVEST: Supernatural Provision, Supernatural Increase, Supernatural Release! EXPECT IT!

Reverend Shirley Williams-Hayes, Pastor September 2019

From the Pastor’s Heart The Struggle Continues!

Commemorating 400 Years of the Black Presence in North America August 25, 2019 marked the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to English-occupied North America at Fort Monroe, Virginia. To commemorate this event, the National Parks Service of the United States held a bell-ringing ceremony at Fort Monroe at 3 p.m. EDT. The bells rang for four minutes to symbolize four centuries of the African American presence in North Ameri-ca. Churches and communities across the nation were asked to join in this observance. The servant leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church urge all our churches and members to participate in this national observance and to plan other empowering memorials this week and weekend.

Memorials are not only passive observances but also active reminders of our present condition. In 1619, White Supremacy brought our enslaved ancestors to Jamestown, Virginia. In 2019 White Supremacy and terror are spreading like cancer from Washington, DC throughout the nation.

In 1619 our ancestors began the contribution of Black labor in creating the wealth that built this nation. In 2019 statistics point to the relative decline in Black wealth over the last twenty years erasing most economic gains from the 1960s.

In 1919 the Red Summer was a summer filled with white terror against black communities and black people. In 2019 the rise of racial attacks and terror against black and brown people is epidemic.

We must never forget August 25, 1619! We must also never forget that our struggle for freedom, justice, and equality began 400 years ago and continues today.

We must remember that in 1787--148 years after the first slaves were brought to the American colonies--Richard Allen, Absalom Jones and a group of Black people walked out of St. George’s Methodist to protest White Supremacy and build a liberating spiritual institution. As heirs of that protest and the 203-year-old liberating legacy of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, we will remem-ber, resist and will continue to organize our churches and communities for spiritual, political and economic empowerment.

The struggle continues!

Bishop Harry Lee Seawright, President of the Council of Bishops Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, President of the General Board Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Senior Bishop Bishop Frank Madison Reid III, Chair, Social Action Mrs. Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Director/Consultant, Social Action ___________________________________________________________________________ Peace, Jeffery Cooper General Secretary/CIO African Methodist Episcopal Church

St. James, the key word in this commemorative is “remember”! Because the struggle continues! Our Justice Ministry, PEACE is in a struggle for homelessness and affordable housing. We are in a struggle for mental health access and mandatory diversion for all youth with first time offenses in Polk County! Therefore, when our Team Leaders invite you to attend a House Meeting and our Community Problem Assembly, please say “Yes”! Yes, for justice for the voiceless, and “Yes” for justice for the marginalized!

Revered Shirley Williams-Hayes, Pastor

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St. James

ST. JAMES A.M.E. CHURCH Monday, September 2—Labor Day Sunday, September 8—

Grandparents Day Saturday, September 21—

Evangelism Outreach—10:00a Tuesday, September 24—Prayer

Down Main Street—10:00 a Thursday, September 27—CA

Night at the Movies—7:00 p Sunday, September 29—134th

Church Anniversary Celebration—4:00 p

See Calendar for scheduled meetings.

September 2019

WORSHIP TIMES

Worship Service—Sunday—10:00 a.m. Church School—Sunday—8:45 a.m.

Children’s Church—Sunday—10:00 a.m. “BET” Believers Empowerment Tool Bible

Study—Wednesday—7:00 p.m. Intercessory Prayer—Wednesday

6:30 p.m. Online Intercessory Prayer

Wednesday—6:00 a.m. & Friday—7:00a

Here’s How:

Dial 1-218-339-9135

Enter the PASSCODE: 91603# MUTE your phones while on line.

LIVELY LAKELAND DISTRICT

(No events)

PEACE Thursday, September 12, 2019

PEACE House Meeting w/Kenneth & Celestine Thornton—6:30 p

Monday, September 23, 2019

PEACE House Meeting w/Harry & Carolyn Williams—6:30 p

COMMUNITY

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 Community Relations Committee

DIVERSITY LUNCHEON 12:00 p—Bartow Civic Center

PLAN to meet your obligation. Good stewardship is a planned activity. Our Conference year began in October. Obligations are given by the Conference Year, except Stewardship Legacy which is ongoing

until we meet our goal: enough to pay for the projects without having to borrow money. Use this outline as a GUIDE to help you manage your resources to meet your obligation this conference year: 2018—2019. You may continue to contribute to

First Half of Budget—$50.00

Family/Friends Day—$50.00

Unity Day $200.00

Church Anniversary $134.00

2nd Half of Budget—$50.00

February 2019 January 13, 2019

May 26, 2019

September 29, 2019

October 2019

NOTICE! NOTICE! NOTICE! SOLID WASTE COLLECTION SCHEDULE - SEPT. 2-6, 2016

THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER SOLID WASTE SERVICES UNTIL HURRICANE DORIAN HAS PASSED. The forecast track and timeline of Hurricane Dorian requires that Solid Waste collections within the City of Bartow during the week of Sept. 2 through Sept. 6, 2019 (Labor Day week) be adjusted as follows:

Monday route will be picked up on Thursday Sept.5 Tuesday route will be picked up on Friday Sept. 6 Thursday route will be picked up on Saturday Sept. 7

Friday route will be picked up on Sunday Sept. 8

DO NOT PLACE ANY ITEMS AT THE CURB UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

Stay Safe! Rick Frazier

City of Bartow Solid Waste Department 2060 East Highway 60, Bartow, FL 33830 rfrazier.sw@cityofbartow.net

PLAN NOW TO FILL THE HOUSE! We are 134 years old. Let’s make this celebration a COMMITMENT to continue the LEGACY for the NEXT GEN-ERATION.

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St. James September 2019

WORRY: Our Worst Disease Where does worry start? Some people believe it starts in selfishness. When we’re no longer surrendered to God, we start to worry about our security and our status. We put ourselves so far forward that others are put behind. We resent others, fearing they will take the things we have.

Negative thoughts produce negative attitudes. If we dwell on those negative attitudes, they become the root of our whole character. Those attitudes make us critical, negative people who are unwilling to take responsibility for our actions.

THE CURE FOR WORRY: Trust in God When worry wears us down, when we can’t cope, we need to remember who is our hope. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. — Psalm 42:5

He is our God! We have a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe when we put our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Knowing Him means we can be totally engulfed in His presence and totally intimate with Him. Not just now, but always. We’re in His hands forever because we rest in His grace. When we know Him as Jehovah Jireh, as our Father and our Provider, then grace and peace are multiplied. Worry no longer dominates our lives. “Fear not, I am with you,” Isaiah 41:10 says.

The Bible tells us repeatedly to “fear not.” Many of those “fear not” passages are followed by the words “I am with you”. That means God always will be with us. We don’t have to worry or fear because He’ll take care of us.

How do we show this trust in Him? With a thanksgiving frenzy; where we appreciated Him and love Him with all our hearts. This attitude of thanksgiving cements together our relationship with Him. It frees our hearts from the cares of the world and fills us with the joy of God’s g race now, in our salvation, and His future grace, eternity with Him. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Doris Fletcher, Coordinator

SEPTEMBER is CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MONTH

Let’s recognize all of our mem-bers who are involved with Chris-tian education: Our Pastor, Church School staff and teachers, Children’s Church staff and teach-ers, musicians, Intercessory Prayer Team, and any member(s) who engage in educating us about the way to develop a relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

During the month of September, express your appreciation to a Chris-tian educator in our church. -The CED

A TTENTION— Boards, Auxiliaries, Ministries, Members

. . . Coming SOON. Please

plan now to help honor our Pastor!

Listen for announcements

from the Board of Stewards.

Boards, Auxiliaries, Ministries—

Your 2019—2020 Conference Year budget form is due to Brother Longworth on or before October 6, 2019. Presidents and Coordina-tors, if you do not have a form, see Sister Carolyn Williams.

S TOP THE HOPPING

A church is an imperfect mix of imperfect believers, so it’s easy for members to find faults or feel disappointed. That, in turn, may tempt us to shop around. C.S. Lewis addresses that in The Screwtape Letters. “If a man can’t be cured of churchgoing,” Screwtape advises his demon protégé, “the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that ‘suits’ him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.” How Satan must hate when Christians maintain long-term commitment to one church!

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September is recognized as Prostate Health Month and also Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

In the USA, over 160,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and about 30,000 die from it. Early detection is the key to successful treatment.

KEY POINTS

Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the prostate.

Prostate cancer is the second most com mon cancer among men in the United States.

Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer.

The following risk factors may increase the risk of prostate cancer: age, family history of prostate

cancer, race, hormones, Vitamin E, folic acid, dairy and calcium.

A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a test that measures the level of PSA in the blood. A PSA test or a DRE may be able to detect prostate cancer at an early stage.

PDQ® Screening and Prevention Editorial Board. PDQ Prostate Cancer Prevention. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/patient/prostate-prevention-pdq. Accessed <08/31/2019 [PMID: 26389260]

St. James September 2019

John Ammons III Juanita Sanders Jordan Corbett Tylonda Sanders Carolyn Crawley Margaret Larkins Edwin Bennett Garnell Carter Jeff Marshall Delores Corbett Diane Marshall George Watson Mary Richardson Phyllis Forest Ch’Kyria Owens

Let’s continue to pray for the bereaved families in our congregation and in our community.

September 1—Curtis McKelvin September 1—Andrea Wright September 3—Toshiko Monroe September 3—Marcal Love September 3—Erica Potts September 3—Deja Porter September 8—Christopher Wilson September 8—Myoshi Potts September 9—Cecil Forsett September 11—Leo Longworth September 12—Timothy Sanders September 14—Ruby Bell September 16—Brayshon Williams September 18—Porcha Williams September 21—Jacari Bell September 21—Bettie Lattimore September 21—Carolyn Williams September 22—Eunice Sanders September 27—Edwin Bennett September 28—Ch’Kyria Owens

We Love you, we do! In Loving Memory: September 12—Loretta Cephus September 16—Agnes Stephens September 17—Mary White

Health & Wellness: September is . . .

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT

About 1/3 of the population is composed of grandparents.

About 1.7 million people become grandparents each year.

According to surveys, about 72% of people believe that being a grandparent is the most important thing that they can do in their lifetime.

Of all grandparents, 43% are in their 50s and 37% are in their 40s. The average age of a grandparent is 48.

43% of grandparents exercise regularly and also play sports. 28% of grandparents do volunteer work regularly.

75% of grandparents come online with 45% of them having social media accounts.

60% of grandparents still work either full time or part time. In the USA, 75% of grandparents control the wealth of the country.

Grandparents love spending time with their grandchildren.

Proverbs 17:6 shares what most grandparents already know: "Children's children are the crown of old

men; and the glory of children are their fathers.