Newspaper Page Text
____DECEMBER 18,1997 ___AUGUSTA FOCUS
12A
Vision moves woman to conceive art
By Christy Alles
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
I had driven around for a while,
but still couldn’t find what I was
looking for. It was beginning to get
dark in this residential Harrisburg
neighborhood an as I shuffled
through my purse for a quarter, a
man approached.
His hair was dusty blond and
jagged; his clothes, old and worn,
hung slightly from his frame. A
feeling of fear and intimidation
melted away when something
made me ask him ifhe knew where
I could find Claudia’s Body Ecol
ogy shop. Suddenly, his menacing
countenance changed. He knew
Claudianette Bady Williams —the
woman I was looking for. She was
a Christian and one of the most
giving and caring persons he’d ever
met, he told me.
After meeting Claudiain the flesh,
I became convinced that she is a
woman of deep conviction, purpose
and faith. The reason I came to talk
to her was about a painting that
had changed her life. And through
the painting, she wanted to change
the lives of others.
She explained how the images of
the cross, Holy Bible, and blood
came together in a vision and com
pelled her to act.
The Amen Corner
B The Children’s Missions
Thrift Store, 1801 Central Ave.,
will provide free children’s cloth
ing to needy families every Sat
urday. For more information,
call (706) 733-5437.
B Good Hope Missionary
Baptist Church Adult Mass
Choir will present a Christmas
Cantata on Sunday, Dec. 21, at 6
p.m. Thechurchislocated at 710
East Cedar St. in Augusta. Dr.
Universal Hinistries
Ohristian ge//owséz)o
* A Dynamic Spirit Filled Church
* Positive & Practical Biblical messages
* Uplifting Gospel Music
* Certified Bible Studies
* Warm & Friendly Atmosphere
* Family Centered - Non Traditional
* Spirit & Truth Worship
* Developing Children’s Church
* Accurate Biblical Interpretation
For Successful Christian Living!
* SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:45 a.m.
s BIBLE STUDY, THur. 7:00 p.M.
* WKZK - 1600 AM, Sun. 8:30 - 9 a.m.
* WIIZ - 97.9 FM, Sun. 7:30 - 8 A.m.
Services HeLp At: Tobacco Rd. Elementary School Auditorium » 2397 Tobacco Rd.
Mail Address: P.O. Box 1461 * Augusta, GA 30903-1461
; Ph: (706) 828-0066 « 1 (800) 731-2310 » E-Mail: umin@ntelcom.com ‘
!
2 AUGUSTA'S BEST il
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P.O. Box 1454
Augusta, Georgia 30903
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She had been awakened one
morningat 2a.m. with the desireto
create theimage that cameto herin
a vision. As she quickly sketched
her vision on paper, the details be
came more clear, and soon her work
Johnny R. Hatney is pastor.
B Tabernacle Baptist
Church, 1223 Laney-Walker
Blvd., will be holding an African-
American Summit "98 on Janu
ary 3, 1998 at 7 p.m. Hosted by
the African-American Confer
ence of the CSRA, Inc. Keynote
speaker will be Martin Luther
King 111. For more information,
call 772-9640 or 724-1230.
it 1 !
DRr. REGINALD D. StMMONS
SENIOR PASTOR
—J
of a blood-drenched cross emanat
ing from the Bible.
Though the initial sketch was
crude, the meaning was clear to
her. It portrayed sacrifice amplified
by infinity. It was the blood, sweat,
tears and the life Christ sacrificed
for the lives we live daily.
Although she had formal train
ing as an artist, she felt a more
accomplished artist should do the
final rendering. However, she
i" "
o 5
Claudia
Bady
Williams
hopes to
distribute
image to
help
others.
M Trinity-on-the-Hill Unit
ed Methodist Church, 1330 .
Monte Sano Avenue in Augusta,
will present “The Many Moods of
Christmas” on Sunday, Dec. 21,
1997, at 8:45 and 11 a.m. The
chancel and sanctuary choirs and
members of the Augusta Sym
phony will perform carol med
leys arranged by Robert Shaw
and Robert Russell Bennett.
M First Providence Baptist
Church has an educational out
reach ministry which goes to the
home of those who cannot get to
their church service as often as
they would like due to health
We are reaching out.
Come and worship with us.
*® ° -
Antioch Missionary
®
Baptist Church
1454 Florence St. (706) 724-2809
Rev. Kenneth B. Martin, pastor
Sunday School—9:3o a.m.
Sunday Worship—ll:oo a.m.
Wednesday Worship—l2:oo noon
Wednesday Praise and Bible Study—7:oo p.m.
Spirit
(706) 738-9191 Business
(706) 738-0044 Request
(706) 733-0044 Request
wanted to make sure the artist sus
tained the feeling of depth and spiri
tuality she experienced.
“I want the viewers of this piece
to look closely and think seriously
about what they see, and how it
makes them feel,” Claudia said. She
feels the understanding of what
needs to be done comes from find
ing yourself and finding the Cre
ator. Then, one must act. Through
making the image widely available,
it can change lives, Claudia says.
Her mission in life now is to see
these changes occur within herself
and others. But first, the seed must
be planted. She hopes the illustra
tion can be a seed for someone out
there living in darkness.
She feels her own life has been
preparing her to take this next step.
She had been called to launch a
Christian outreach exercise minis
try. Her mission remains to touch
those in need through the works of
the Lord, by feeding the hungry,
clothing the needy, and loving the
lost. This was the Claudia that the
homeless man knew so well.
Claudia hopes to mass produce
the painting and use the revenues
to continue God’s work. Amongthe
things she wants to accomplish is to
start a homeless shelter to bring
others closer to the Word.
conditions. This ministryis avail
able only on Tuesday evenings,
beginning at 6 p.m., for a 45-
minute visit to share God’s word,
songs and prayer. For more in
formation, call Loretta McCain
at 593-4880.
B Mt. Canaan Sunday
School Convention holds class
es about God’s word every Thurs
day evening from 6 - 8 p.m. If
interested, call deaconess Loretta
McCain at 593-4880.
B Everfaithful Baptist
Church will hold its Christmas
Celebration Program on Sun.,
Dec. 21, at 4 p.m.
lßroadway Baptist to perform
Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity
Mark Olighant
AUGUSTA FOCUS
In celebration of this holiday
season, Broadway Baptist Church
will feature one of the great works
by the legendary Langston Hughes
this weekend.
The Black Nati:lli:ny, a 1956 gos
pel musical play, will be presented
by the drama group at Broadway
composed of youth and adults on
Bltufllg, December 20,1997, at 6
pm, at the church’s sanctuary on
2323 Barton Chapel Road.
This will be the first year a non
traditional Christmas play has
been presented at Broadway. This
will simultaneously be the first in
the church’s history which adult
members will join the younger par
ticipants, who for years have been
the sole performers.
Church members are often sum
moned or encouraged by their pas
tor or church leader to contribute
their talents and expertise for the
upliftment of God’s kingdom.
After play co-director and youth
advisor Kate Watkins was asked
to coordinate Broadway’s 1996
Christmasplay, she wanted to keep
thebaton for this year’s play, envi
sioning something special.
Realizing not only the joy and
fulfillment she experienced work
ing with the Church’s last Christ
mas play, but the degree of out
reach potential existing within the
entire congregation, Mrs. Watkins
shared her idea of presenting one
of Hughes’ plays with Broadway
youth pastor Rev. Andrew Butler,
receiving an enthusiastic affirma
tive response to her vision.
Mrs. Watkins then teamed up
with co-directors Mary Davis-
Johnson, Pamela Hampton and
Sonya Cobb to organize and plan
what promises to be one of the
most exciting performance minis
tries at Broadway, with the work
of the great Harlem Renaissance
writer as its blueprint.
“In planning this Christmas
play, we decided to do something
different,” says Mrs. Johnson, who
studied theater at South Carolina
State University and will narrate
this musical. “We want to expose
our congregation and the commu
nity, especially our young people,
to a significant play that incorpo
rates the works of one of the most
prolific African-American writers
of our time.”
The setting of Hughes’ play this
Saturday will be one of reverence,
awe and jubilation surrounding
the birth of Christ. The pattern of
T&]}D ernac ]l@
Baptist Church
1223 Laney-Walker Bivd.
Augusta, Ga. 30901
Church School 9:30 A.M. * Morning Worship 11
A.M. Broadcast Hour fiWTHB 155_51) * Nursery,
Kindergarten Open * Bible Study-Tues. 6 P.M.
Prayer fi:el:ing ‘l{cs. 7PM.- Daif%wKindergarten
Services 7 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Sk, Williams Memorial
ii’%fiih illiams Memoria
WX N/ CM.E. Church
Rev. Alex R. King '
1630 Fifteenth St. Augusta, Ga. 30901
(706) 733-9430
Sunday:
Wed:.
Thurs:
the play follows the Bible's story |
of Christ’s birth found in the book |
of Luke. ‘
However, you won't hear any
Old King’s English here as scripted
in most versions of the Good Book.
The interpretation of the story is
filled with folksy expression and
humor, with an overall edge that
will make this play entertaining as
well as inspirational.
The passively comical element
of this masterpiece exists with ...
the shepherds! This unlikely com
edy relief group, dubbed as Ned,
Ted, Jed and Zed by Hughes, en- '
gage in dialogue that is a pure
signature of the great writer.
And how in the world can you
attract a girl/ When you smell like
sheep/ And your flute, it won 't beep ?
Verses of both traditional Negro
Christmas spirituals and generic
religious Christmas songs will be
rendered by a cross-generational
Broadway chorus.
What is more meaningful to
these directors, according to Mrs.
Watkins, is how the scope of
Hughes’ play brings out the true
meaning of Christmas.
“The Black Nativity is a beauti
ful, capturing play,” says Mrs.
Watkins. “When I saw it per
formed, it brought tears to my
eyes. Because it gives an in-depth
illustration of how Mary and Jo
seph struggled! No room in the
inn! Having to resort to a horse’s
stable to lay the Baby Jesus’ head!
The pain! The intensity!”
Capturing the interest of the
youth in this sacred story in a
more non-orthodoxed angle is one
of the primary reasons for Mrs.
Watkins envisioning this project.
She also believed this could moti
vate adult members to participate
and enjoy. So far, three members
of Broadway’s adult sanctuary
choir, a Sunday school teacher and
a deacon have active song and
speaking roles in this play.
“We want to open the doors of
this effort to everyone in the con
gregation to participate. There is
always room for one more. It is my
hope that this will become an an
nual event, and eventually take it
outside the church for the entire
CSRA toenjoy!” said Mrs. Watkins;
There is no need however to
wait for this interpretation of
Hughes’ Christmas play to reach
the capacity of the Imperial The
atre or the Bell Auditorium. The
publicisinvited free of charge. For
more information, contact either
Mrs. Watkins at 793-7069 or the
church at 790-8185. .
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Ist Sunday Evening 6:30 p.m.
Praise Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
Senior Services 10:00
Day Care Center:
6:45 a.m. - 5:30 p.m
