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February 7, 2018
Church Calendar
Email church calendar news to Diane Glidewell at
news@mymcr.net by Monday at 12 noon
Church information is published free of charge as space permits.
Feb. 7,18
Union Hill Missionary
Baptist has 111th
Anniversary
Union Hill Missionary
Baptist Church, 299
Union Hill Dr., Forsyth
is celebrating its 111th
Anniversary. The kickoff
will be on Wednesday,
Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. with Rev.
Charles Dumas and the
St. LukeA.M.E. Church
as special guests. The
anniversary celebration
will climax on Sunday,
Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m.
with Rev. Jarvis Barron
Sr. and the Brown Chapel
Baptist Church as special
guests and at 2:30 p.m.
with Rev. Eddie Collier
and the Towaliga County
Line Baptist Church
will be special guests.
Everyone is invited.
Feb. 7,10
Heart Health at Coliseum
Medical Centers
Coliseum Heart
Institute at Coliseum
Medical Centers encour
ages Middle Georgians
to learn more about
their heart health at
one of these upcom
ing events in honor
of Heart Month. On
Thursday, Feb. 8 at 6
p.m. at Coliseum Medical
Centers in Building C,
Suite 120, a seminar
called ‘Live a Heart
Healthy Life!’ will identify
steps to improve heart
health. Participants will
receive a perfect portion
dinner plate. A free heart
screening on Saturday,
Feb. 10 from 7-10 a.m. in
Building C will include
a full lipid panel, glu
cose and blood pressure
screenings, BMI, and hip
to waist ratio. Register for
by calling (478) 746-4646
or visiting the “Classes
and Events” section of the
Coliseum Health System
website, www.coliseum-
healthsystem.com.
Feb. 11
St. James Baptist has
Annual Men's Day
The St. James Baptist
Church, 110 James St.,
Forsyth and Pastor
Antonio D. Proctor Sr.
will celebrate Annual
Men’s Day on Sunday,
Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. The
theme will be “A Place
of Progress.” The mes
senger will be Dr. John
Herring, associate pastor
of Friendship Baptist
Church, College Park. All
are invited.
Feb. 14
Community Ash
Wednesday service
Monroe County
Ministerial
Association will spon
sor a Community Ash
Wednesday Service on
Feb. 14 at Rocky Creek
Baptist Church, 225
Rocky Creek Rd., Forsyth
with a meal at 6 p.m.
and service at 7 p.m. A
suggested donation is
$5 for adults and $2 for
children. Please let the
church know if you plan
to join them for dinner.
478-994-2509.
Feb. 14-16
Powerhouse Apostolic
Church of Promise holds
revival
Powerhouse Apostolic
Church of Promise, 3659
Brownlee Road, Forsyth
invites everyone to its 4
Weeks of 3 Night Revival.
Week 4 of the revival will
begin on Wednesday, Feb.
14 and end on Friday,
Feb. 16. The revival
ist for Week 4 is the
Pastor, Bishop Robert H.
Jackson. Services will
start each night at 7:30
p.m. Bishop Robert H.
Jackson is the pastor.
For more information,
call Regina at 478-994-
6744.
Feb. 16-17
New Providence Baptist
presents Marriage
Conference
New Providence Baptist
Church, 2560 Hwy. 41
South, Smarr invites all
couples in the community
to be part of a Marriage
Conference on Friday
and Saturday, Feb. 16-17.
Keith and Nichole Boggs
will lead the Conference
with four different ses
sions. Sign up before
Feb. 1 for the early-bird
price, $35 per couple. All
couples who desire to
improve their marriage,
visit http://www.npbcs-
marr.org/marriage-confer-
ence for more information
or to register.
Feb. 17
8th Annual Chili Cook-off
& Dessert Contest
First Baptist Church
of High Falls, 4408 High
Falls Road, will hold its
8th Annual Chili Cook
off & Dessert Contest on
Saturday, Feb. 17. All
chili and dessert entries
need to be at the church
by 5 p.m., judging will
begin at 6 p.m. Everyone
gets to judge the chili
and cast a vote for their
favorite; it’s sure to be
a tough choice. Lots of
great food and a fun time
in fellowship. Everyone
is invited to join in the
fun, fellowship and lots of
great food.
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PASTOR'S CORNER by Rev. Susan Hatcher
Hie vine and its branches must nourish each other
W hat do you know about
grape vines? I am still
learning. I know that,
the vine feeds the branch, that,
the vine receives no nutrients
or water without, the life giving
sap from the vine. There has to
be that. flow. I also know that,
vinedressers graft, new
branches into estab
lished vines to help
establish new growth,
to bring healing to the
vine or even to add or
create new flavor in the
fruit.. All are wonderful
reasons to graft, new
vines onto old.
Yet. the branch has
responsibilities to
the vine as well. The
branch must, reach its
leaves out. the sun for the creation
of chlorophyll for its own nutrition
and the feeding of the rest, of the
branches. The branch must, pro
duce fruit.; if it. does not. then the
vinedresser will eventually cut. it.
off. If a branch becomes sick and
nothing revives it., the vinedresser
will also cut. it. off to preserve the
life of the rest, of the branches.
Jesus talks about, this in the gos
pel of John, Chapter 15.
Paul also talks about, the depen
dent. responsibility in his letter to
the Philippians. Paul says it. this
way, “Therefore, my dear friends,
as you have always obeyed,—not
only in my presence, but now
much more in my absence—con
tinue to work out your salvation
with fear and, trembling, for it is
God who works in you to will and
to act in order to fulfill his good
purpose. ”
Paul always was a worker, a
“tent.-maker” by trade (Acts 18).
We know that, many people,
including a woman named Lydia
supported his ministry. But. Paul
also worked his own trade. He
had a strong work ethic. We see
it. in his continual travel to plant,
and establish new communities of
Rev. Susan Hatcher
believers (churches). We can see
it. in his responsibility reflected in
all the writing he did along that,
way that, still feeds us today.
Paul also knew he had respon
sibilities and that, is what, we
hear in much of his writing, but.
especially in this text.. In it. he not.
only speaks of our obe
dience in our work — all
kinds of work, but. he
assures us that. God is
working in us to fulfill
God’s purposes in and
through us. This isn’t.
God just telling us “Go
here”, “Do this”, for
God’s purposes to oth
ers and the world, but.
also God working out
our individual purpose.
I am not. speaking
here of our purpose for our lives,
but. God’s purpose for our lives
(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the
plans I have for you, "declares the
LORD, “plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.” Yes! God has
plans for us, for you and for me
whether we understand that, or
not.. Good plans! And yet., we have
responsibilities too
Even growing up at. home with
our parents and others, we learn
that, we have responsibilities to
the household. We used to call
them chores. On Saturday, we
all had to help with cleaning
the house. We all at. least, had to
bring our laundry to the laundry
room. We had to keep our rooms
clean and as we grew older and
matured, mom and dad required
more from each of us.
We really don’t, know how
blessed we are in all that, until we
have to move out. on our own and
pay bills, deal with the landlord or
mortgage company, buy diapers,
feed babies and all the rest. that,
goes with being an adult.. And so
it. is in our faith life too, and those
responsibilities don’t, end at. retire
ment. — just ask a retired person...
Still, Paul and John remind us
that, we do not. work alone. God
is with us. In fact., the psalmist
tells us that, we do our best, work
when we work with God. “Unless
the LORD builds the house, the
builders labor in vain” (Psalm
127:1). In Luke 14, Jesus talks
about, not. only the work, but. con
sidering that. cost, before we start
so that, we do not. start something
without, having all the resources
to complete the job so that, we
do not. labor in vain. That’s very
important.. I think of a house that.
I drive past, fairly regularly that,
was started and never finished.
I don’t, know its story, but. it. still
stands to remind me to always
count, the cost, and to lean on the
master builder.
Someone once shared this say
ing with me; I believe it. has
Puritan origins: “Work as if it. all
depends on you, yet. pray that. it.
all depends on God.”
Paul spoke about his work and
God’s purposes for that work in
this way, “To this end, I strenu
ously contend with all the energy
Christ so powerfully works in me. ”
As we go about, our lives here,
let. us all strive for our best., not.
just for ourselves, that, would bear
very limited, short-lived fruit, for
no branch lives only for itself. Let.
us live lives that, feed into the
whole that, gives life to all.
Peace and Grace,
[All Bible quotations used are
from the New International
Version (NIV).]
Rev. Susan Hatcher is pastor at
Christ United, Methodist Church,
417 N. Frontage Rd., Forsyth. The
Pastor’s Corner is sponsored by
the Monroe County Ministerial
Association, which meets on the
third, Thursday of each month at 8
a.m. at Pickled Okra, at the corner
of Jackson and Johnston Streets
on the Square.
Powell to share experience with unions,
historic blast at Blue Bridge meeting
William “Billy” Powell, a
beloved resident, of Monroe
County, will speak to the Blue
Bridge Society meeting on
Monday, Feb. 12. Billy
will discuss and enter
tain questions regarding
the role of labor unions
and his experience wit
nessing the explosion
of the first, hydrogen
bomb.
Billy served in the U.
S. Navy from 1952-1955.
He served two tours in
Korea. His specialty was salvage
and demolition and he served on
the USS Mendor in the South
Pacific. There he laid the instru
ments for hydrogen testing and
witnessed the blast, at. Bikini
Island Atol in March 1954. Thus,
Billy joined the elite class of veter
ans called the “Atomic Veterans.”
Billy then served on an ammu
nition ship during the Formosa
crisis.
After the Navy, Billy went, to
work for BellSouth and
became active with the
Communication Workers
of America and served
many positions with
that. Union, to include
President, of C-WA Local
3204 from 1972-81. He
served as VP of AFL/CIO
from 1972-79.
He was inducted into the
Labor Hall of Fame in 1994. Billy
served as Governor Zell Miller’s
Senate Doorkeeper from 1981-83.
Billy served on the Board of the
Labor Management. Conference
for four years and is still an active
participant.. To honor Billy for
his role, the Labor Management.
Conference named an annual
golf tournament, on Jekyll Island,
‘The W. R. ‘Billy’ Powell Golf
Tournament.”
Billy has long been involved in
many civic and charity endeavors.
In 1985 Billy helped organize the
Georgia Special Olympics; he has
hosted many charity golf tourna
ments throughout. Georgia.
Billy retired to High Falls in
1984 and has made many contri
butions to this community, includ
ing his tireless clean-up efforts
after the Great. Flood of 1994.
With Billy’s leadership, members
of the High Falls community built,
the American Legion Post. 303,
which has since been donated to
Monroe County for a community
center.
The meeting, held at. the
Presbyterian Church Parish
House, will start at. 7 p.m. The
public is invited to attend.
Billy Powell
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Jerry Pennamon remembers Culloden history makers
In recognition of Black
History Month, Jerry C-.
Pennamon provided some
notable accomplishments by
black citizens of Culloden.
Melvin James was the first,
black mayor of Culloden. He
was elected on May 24, 2016
and took office the next, day
to serve out. the term of Steve
Eller, who died in office. James
was elected to Culloden city
council on Nov. 5, 2015 and
took office in January. He and
Ozzie Pennamon tied as the
top vote getters in that, elec
tion.
David Pennamon Jr. (now
deceased) was the first, black
city councilman of Culloden.
He was also the first, black
member of Monroe County
Board of Education and the
first, black citizen to own a
convenience store in Culloden.
He served as a deacon at.
St.. Phillip A.M. E. Church in
Culloden for 62 years.
Ozzie Pennamon, the son of
David Pennamon Jr., was the
second black councilman in
Culloden; he held the office for
35 years, until Dec. 31, 2016.
Osie Lee Pennamon, brother
of David Pennamon Jr., was
Melvin James
a deacon at. Orange Grove
Baptist Church in Culloden
for 57 years and never missed
a Sunday. He also served as
chairman of deacons.
Jerry Pennamon is the son
of Osie Lee Pennamon and
his wife of 66 years, Rosa Bell.
He is the first, blind gospel
artist to write and record a
CD at. Orange Grove Baptist.
He sings and plays keyboard
and is proud of the history of
Culloden and the parts black
citizens have played in it..
Jerry Pennamon