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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Memorial Tribute to Our Mother\
Reverend Delores Johnson
Reverend Delores L, Wright Johnson, 35, Lraisilioned on August 9, 2020, at
home under Hospice Care. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Delores was bom
on February 7, 1935. Delores was the oldest child of the late Mr. Robert
Wrighi, Sr. and Lille M. Wright. She attended Chatham County Schools for
her early education and graduated from Richard Arnold High School. Delores
furthered her education by attending various classes, workshops and seminars.
She was married to the late Deacon Jessie Johnson, Sr. She was a devoted
wife and mother who gave her undivided love and attention to the home and
raising of seven children: the late Pamela Harris, Jessie Jr. (Gloria), Denise,
Jeanette (Keith), Margie, Ervin, and Terri. After she fell all was well in the
home and with her children, she entered another world of work and
exemplified that same sense of duty and commitment at Sears in Savannah
where she was employed for over 20 years until her retirement.
Reverend Johnson (“Ms. Johnson 11 ), as she was affectionately called, was a
Faithful and dedicated member of St. Philip African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Savannah, GA., where she taught the Women’s Sunday School
Class and was an active member of the Turner Missionary Society, the
Stewardess Board, Usher Board, the Pulpit Aide Board, Jail Ministry and ihc
Koinonia Prayer Group. However, Delores had a higher calling from God.
Under the guidance of Reverend Gregory V. Eason, Sr., and the support of
family and friends, she entered into the Ministry and preached her initial
sermon on November 14,1993. Delores was ordained a minister and granted
her license in December 1993, becoming an Associate Pastor ofSt. Philip
AVIE Church. She was the first female minister ordained at St- Philip AME
Church on March 21,1999, She was a dynamic preacher and spoke with
such conviction, loving, caring, and consoling to those in need. As an
extension of her pastoral commitment to caring for those in need. Rev.
Johnson also served as an on-call Chaplain at Memorial Hospital for 10 years.
We arc so grateful for the memories, the unconditional love, life lessons
and the timeless prayers for all of us - her biological children and
grandchildren as well as her many "other” children. And let's net forget that
she had a beautiful soul. She was a great mother and “other mother” and an
awesome grandmother. She received so many awards and recognitions,
but Reverend Delores L- Wright Johnson's biggest accomplishment was
being a soldier for GOD and doing His will,
forever Our Anget ~ Love, Your Children
HER CHILDREN RISE UP AND CALL HER BLESSED,
PROVERBS 31:28
The family of the Late Reverend Delores Wright Johnson extends sincere
thanks and appreciation to each person for the many acts of kindness and
condolence during the extended illness and demise of our dearly loved
one. We ask God's continued blessings upon you.
Family Promise’s Three-County
Merger Complete, Introducing Family
Promise Of The Coastal Empire
Family Promise’s
three area affiliates - in
Savannah, Bryan and Eff
ingham counties - have
undergone some significant
structural changes. The last
details are being finalized,
but for all intents and pur
poses, Family Promise’s
three area affiliates have
merged, and the new or
ganization is now known
as Family Promise of the
Coastal Empire.
Before making the
decision in 2019 to go ahead
with the merger, the three
boards discussed the po
tential benefits for months.
They arrived at the conclu
sion they could better serve
homeless and at-risk fam
ilies throughout the region
by joining forces and even
making future plans to con
tinue the expansion, even
tually moving into Liberty
County.
According to Fam
ily Promise of the Coastal
Empire Executive Director
Katrina Bostick, program
funding has been targeted
for each of the communities
being served. For example,
each county has its own op
erating budget, so that ade
quate funding is available to
serve families in each com
munity.
“We understand
that our affiliates work hard
to ensure families in their
communities are cared for,
and we respect and appreci
ate those efforts. It is expect
ed that we, as a new regional
affiliate, will be able to offer
enhanced services to fam
ilies in much of the region.
This move comes at a time
when the Bryan and Effing
ham county affiliates were
both in search of new ex
ecutive leadership, and this
Katrina Bostick
decision evolved through
open communication among
affiliates and with Family
Promise’s National Office,”
Bostick said.
The board for
Family Promise of the
Coastal Empire is com
prised of members from the
previous three boards - in
Savannah, Bryan and Eff
ingham counties - who vol
unteered to stay on through
the merger and help ensure
a smooth transition. Mem
bers include Bob Scanlon,
retired employee of the City
of Savannah; Larry Jackson,
CFO of Savannah Chatham
County Public School Sys
tem; Jason Crosby, Stra
tegic Healthcare Partners’
VP of Strategic Planning &
Population Health; Moses
Toole, Pastor of Center-
point Community Church;
Dr. Jackie Brown Pink
ney, Homeless Liaison for
Effingham County School
District; Diana My dell, HR
Director of Comcast; Wen
dy Sims, Executive Direc
tor of Bryan County Family
Connection; David London,
Retired Army and ROTC
Instructor at Groves High
School; Sara Fullerton, Se
nior Church Administrator
of The Chapel Effingham;
Jeanne Wallace, minister
of music at Richmond Hill
United Methodist Church;
and Kelvin Bryant, Chatham
County District Attorney In
vestigator. In addition, three
new staffers have joined the
Family Promise team: Lind
say Schilder, MSW; Jeronia
Clark, BSW; and Heather
Hodges, B.S., who serve as
Family Support Specialists.
This change has empow
ered Family Promise with a
larger and stronger network
of resources, supporters
and partners, according to
Bostick. Each county still
maintains its own day cen
ter and network of church
es that supply shelter, food,
donations, and various other
forms of support. Each day
center also maintains a staff,
which strives to care for and
assist all program partici
pants whenever needed as
they advance through the
programs.
“Family Prom
ise is committed to making
this merger beneficial for
all involved, and we will
not sacrifice the high qual
ity of our services nor our
commitment to the com
munities that have lifted us
to success over the past two
decades,” Bostick said. “We
hope you’ll join us in help
ing to make this new chapter
in Family Promise’s histo
ry a time of renewed hope,
strong faith, budding friend
ships and genuine compas
sion.”
For more infor
mation, please visit www.
familypromisece.org, email
info@familypromisece.org
or call 912-790-9446.
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