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FLORIDA/GEORGIA
REGIONAL SERVICE & SEMINARS HELD…

Our
Region Five (5) service began on Friday night, September 5th with the
Youth service. The Youth from all over the district participated in the service
from the opening song, through the prayer, reading of the scripture and with
selections from the youth groups from Atlanta & Hinesville, Georgia, and St.
Petersburg and Tallahassee, Florida. Youth were also present from Gainesville,
Florida and visiting youth and saints from Columbia, Killian, Lugoff, and
perhaps other churches in South Carolina. The youth were enthusiastic in their
testimonies and songs of praise from as young as the 4-5 year old Atlanta
pre-school Sunday school class through middle school, high school, college
students and young adults. The Lord came in and truly blessed the praise and
worship segment of the service.
Elder Elect Tarryl McIntyre, of the Atlanta
assembly gave the sermon for the evening. His scripture focus was First John
2:15-17, and St. Luke 15:11-32 from which his discourse centered on the devices
of satan. The enemy gets to us through such devices as various internet sites,
music, and peer pressure. The enemy also challenges us through the lust of the
eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Min. McIntyre challenged the
youth not to follow everything they see and to be careful of the music they
listen to. He exhorted that while many of these things may not be wrong within
themselves, they can lead us in the wrong direction and get our minds off Christ
Jesus, the church and our purpose. He encouraged the young people to stay in
the church!
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On Saturday morning the day
began with seminars at the Atlanta church. The seminars included a combined
women seminar, The Sons of Samuel, and brotherhood seminar. The Florida/Georgia
pastors held their quarterly meeting to discuss goals and issues of importance
to their region. This meeting was conducted by our District Bishop, Paul C.
Johnson. The women’s seminar was conducted by Sis. Callie Gavin, National
Women’s Auxiliary President and the Florida/Georgia representative; the lesson
was taught by Sis. Liller Hamilton, National Women’s Auxiliary Vice President.
The Sons of Samuel Seminar was taught by Min. Sean Johnson, Florida/Georgia
Youth Representative, and the Brotherhood seminar was taught by Dec. Solomon
Amusan, Florida/Georgia Brotherhood representative.
Following the seminars,
everyone traveled one block to the First African Methodist Episcopal Church,
Pastor David Bishop, for the 12:00 noon Florida/Georgia Women’s Auxiliary
Service. The Lord’s presence had truly been with us the entire weekend, and
continued with an outpouring of his spirit in this service. The Florida/Georgia
Women’s Choir rendered songs of praise and worship under the direction of Elder
Brian Dykes of Gainesville, Florida. Sis. Janis Deas, Atlanta Women’s Auxiliary
President solicited a representative from each assembly in the region to take
part in the service by leading the opening song, jubilee selection, welcome,
presentation of the program, and reading the announcements. The program
consisted of songs by the Florida/Georgia Women’s Choir and a reading by Sis.
Deas, “Can You Sleep While the Wind Blows?” Sis. Callie Gavin also gave remarks
and words of encouragement,
The sermon for this service
was brought forth through Elder Wender Gavin, pastor of the Tallahassee church.
Elder Gavin gave a moving testimony of how the Lord had blessed him to attend
the Convocation and had since brought him through back surgery. He was so
thankful for the prayers of all of the saints because he feels this is what took
him through and is enabling him to recover. Elder Gavin used as his scripture
texts passages from St. Mark 12:41-44; St. Luke 21:1-4, and 12:34. He used as a
topic, “The Widow’s Mite” and sub-topic “In Search of Hearts.” The thrust of
the message was that God wants people he can use and that our hearts must be
prepared to be used of God.
Attending Friday night and
Saturday services were National Women Auxiliary officers, Bishop Joseph D.
Williams and Bishop Theodore Jenkins, along with other elders and saints from
all over the Progressive Church body. Everyone was blessed and inspired through
all of the seminars and services held.
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