The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current, March 21, 2013, Image 11

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The Georgia post., March 21, 2013, Image 11

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Newspaper Page TextRe-Enactment ot the Living Last Supper ”ls It I?” Thursday, March 28,7 p.m. Byron United Methodist Church Christian FEllowship Center BMS Students Chosen For All-State Byron Middle had several students to participate in All State Chorus, an annual three-day choral event hosted by the Georgia Music Educator’s Association held in Savannah, GA at the Savannah Convention Center. Over 8,000 middle and high school students in Georgia audition, but only 1800 are chosen. Byron Middle School had students pass the auditions. BMS students pictured below in All State front row: Breanna Story; back row L-R Noah Grant, Hunter Johnson(2nd year) and Tray Davis. Battle of Byron committee member, Kristi Watkins, left, and chair Karla Chidester, center, present a check for $2650 to Lisa Dills Smith from the BoB gives back benefit to help with medical expenses. Lisa has inoper able lung cancer. Her husband, Randy, is behind Lisa. They are trying to sell the business Southern Stitchin’ though Lisa wishes she did not have to sell. k matchin Upholstery 956-039*2 A Womens by Abigail Adams The Byron Buzz When God sings to your heart you listen, but when He sends you a song you share it. God didn’t just send a song to Victoria Simmons he sent a message. His message was one that Simmons knew she needed to share with those in need of his light in their own personal darkness. So the seed of light became an idea, the idea became the plans for a conference and those plans brought together three women not only in faith but in friend ship. Simmons is a 40-year veteran newspaper journal ist, who is now publisher and general manager of Crawford Publishing which publishes the local newspapers for Crawford County and Byron, The Georgia Post and The Byron Buzz. Though she presently makes her home in Byron, Simmons is known for her hard work and dedication to the news and love for the community in every place she has made her presence known. Though ink runs through her veins, Victoria has had experience in the banking in dustry, as a secretary for a law firm, and served as Market ing/Public Relations Director at Peach Regional for two years. She had a musical side growing up playing the piano in church from the time she was 12 and began singing as well. She taught piano for five years. She says she is a “Jill of all trades,” doing a little of anything ~ photography, Conference To Bring Laughter, Spread Light graphic design, speaking, writ ing, editing. She especially enjoys speaking on what God has done in her life, she said. “God laid this on my heart to step out of my comfort zone. He did away with all my objections I raised to Him and this conference is the result. To find out more you will have to attend the conference,” Simmons said. “I am wanting people to be refreshed, renewed and excited about being a light to others for the glory of God.” At the conference the ladies say you will laugh, shed a few tears, be inspired, uplifted and renewed. Though she was prepared to take on the task of planning alone, Victoria thought of two people God had placed in her path, Nancy Gibbs and Bobbie Evans. The two ladies met Simmons through the news paper, Gibbs as a contributing columnist and Evans when her husband Chuck Evans ran for county commissioner in the 2012 elections. They chose Byron Municipal Complex as a neutral place so people of all faiths or people who are not members of a church, would feel comfortable attending. Gibbs is a motivational speaker, and author. She has thousands of published works, including being published in Chicken Soup for the Soul (Angels Among Us) “The An gel in Red,” and Guideposts. She has served as a keynote speaker in front of as many as a thousand plus and as few as ten. She and husband Roy are part of Gibbs Family Gibbs Evans Ministries and Roy is pas tor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Cordele. “God called me to write 15 years ago. A couple of years after I began my writing ministry, I was being called to speak,” Gibbs said. “It is my desire the ladies who attend my events will not leave the same as they were when they arrived. I pray they will walk a little closer to Him as they laugh and cry through my stories.” The third to come to the group, Bobbie Evans, had met Simmons through buying ad vertisement for her husband’s campaign for county commis sioner in 2012. Though Evans’ husband did not win his bid for county commissioner, Bobbie found another friend in faith and when Simmons asked her to be a part of the conference Evans invited the other two women to her home, “The Refuge,” in Culloden, for prayer and to seek God’s guidance. Evans believes fully in the power of joyful living. She is the Director of JoyFULL Laughter and a certified Laughter Yoga instructor. She is a “ball of lovable energy and brings light into every room she enters,” states the Robinson Klima bio on Evans. Evans experi enced the healing ability of laughter yoga first hand when she suffered a mild stroke, leading to depression and anxiety. “We need to embrace life every moment and spread joy even in the midst of sorrow,” Bobbie explains. “Laughter is one way of sustaining us. God created laughter in us, it’s time to bring back that child like innocence!” Together they are the Joy- Full three. Joy because of their joy in the Lord and FULL for each lady being full of God’s goodness, grace and mercy. Each lady has their own ministry and bring something different but together they plan to bring light into the hearts of all those who attend the conference. Other speak ers will appear at the Light in the Darkness conference including Heavenly Queens of Comedy, Jill Elliot and Chef Audrey, Mandy Robinson, singer Tammie Klima and a performance by Byron’s own Paul Carreker. Musical selec tions will also be provided by Roy Gibbs and Papa’s Pride - Donna Stripling and Chris Sercer. This conference is not just for the ladies so bring along your husbands and boy- Carreker Papa’s Pride friends to this day of fun, Faith and Fellowship! Chef Audrey and Jill Elliot are Christian Comedians and formed Heavenly Queens of Comedy in 2012. Chef is best known as the Executive Cherf and Owner of Chef Audrey’s Bistro and for cooking seg ments on 13 WMAZ TV. At her Bistro, which has since closed, she would entertain customers with her quick wit and singing. Jill Elliott is an attorney and has also been in real estate. Mandy Robinson, a free lance graphic artist, who was in a coma for three weeks fol lowing a car wreck, will share her testimony. Mandy says she has faced many obstacles but through them all she recog nizes God is her Guidance Counselor, her Hope and she seeks to maintain a relation ship with Him daily. Carreker has a wonderful voice and has sung at many functions. He is an officer with the Byron Police, in the probation department. He will open and close the conference with song. Klima says she she has always been a singer but never felt the pull to sing gospel music until God got a hold of her, some 11 years ago. She Elliott Chef dedicates herself to her music ministry and has a special place in her heart for those incarcerated at A1 Burress and Central State Facilities. Donna Stripling and Chris Sercer are singing sisters who come from a musical family and have enjoyed making music together for many years. They have sung in numerous venues in vari ous states. In the past, Sercer opened for Alabama. Papa’s Pride has opened for Sy- liva and T. G. Sheppard and showcased at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee. Stripling speaks and shares Jesus at churches and civic organizations. Sercer sings and the two of them minister together in whatever way God leads. A Light in the Darkness conference will be Saturday, April 6th from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Byron Munici pal Building. Registration is at 8:30. Tickets are $25 and include a light breakfast and lunch. To purchase your tickets go by the office of The Georgia Post, 58 S. Dugger in Roberta, GA or call 478- 542-4187, 229-938-1760 or 770-846-0088. You can also get tickets from Evans and Gibbs.