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The Monroe County Reporter April 18, 2018
PASTOR'S CORNER by Father Theophan Buck
I"
r' here are multitudes of differ-
Ient types of Christian churches
Ithroughout Monroe County.
Most of our churches have rain-
istries which seek to help our surrounding
society in some way. Some communities
focus on serving, clothing, sheltering Or
feeding the poor.
Other churches minister in prisons or
work with inner city youth. Most commu-
nities equip their congregations to be good
earthly and Heavenly citizens.
In general, Christians have
always been a force for good in
societ.
In noting all of the good
things that Christian churches
do in our area and around the
country; one could generalize
that Christianity itself is about
doing good things. It may be
hard to believe, but the truth is
that the Christian faith is not
about doing good works. It is
true that followers of Christ will
FATHER THEOPHAN
BUCK
do good works as the natural
fruit of the living Christian faith. However,
the goal in following Christ is not about
doing good works.
There is a pressure in modern Christi-
anity to justify our existence by creating
"helpful" ministries. Many well-inten-
tioned ministries are completely founded
on the egos of a few persons or on a few
people who are driven by their incessant
need to feel helpful.
When I have &dined to give certain per-
sons in need charity, I have been accused
of not being a good Christian. A prison
chaplain once told me that many church
group volunteers were motivated to preach
in prison because it improved their webs re
or resume. Read the first part of Matthew 6
and ask yourself, is there charitable action
that my parish is doing secretly?
Jesus is always our example of how the
Christian faith Should be lived. Jesus was
surrounded by a sea of human need. He
healed many, cast out many demons, and
worked on the hearts of the Jewish au-
thorities, In the synagogue, Jesus described
His ministry using Isaiah's words that the
Spirit anointed Him to "preach the gospel
to the poor to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and re-
covery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
those who are oppressed; to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord."
The works and wonders that Jesus did
were the evidence of His Messiahship.
"The same works that I do, bear witness
of Me that the Father hath sent Me" (John
5:36)
However, there were a lot of works and
wonders that Jesus did not do. He did not
heal everyone, he did not raise all the dead,
he did not cure world poverty,
he did not liberate the Israelites
from Roman dominance, and
he did not cast out all demons.
Our Lord could have cured
these besetting problems quick-
ly and easily, but He didn't.
What was Jesus's motiva-
tion for helping some and not
others? In John 5:19 He tells
us, "Most assuredly, I say to
you, the Son can do nothing
of Himself, but what He sees
the Father do; for whatever He
does, the Son also does in like
manner." In John 12:49 He states, "For I
have not spoken on My own authority; but
the Father who sent Me gave Me a com-
man& what I should say and what I should
speak." Jesus's primary motivation for
healing, teaching, working mirades, and
rebuking the religious authorities of His
time was always obedience to His Heav-
enly Father.
Christians are not called to be indiscrim-
inate do-gooders who make everyone feel
better. We don't imitate Christ when we
indiscriminately work for the betterment
of society. We truly follow Christ when we
prayerfully look to God to guide us in ev-
ery word and deed. The task of a Christian
is to be obedient to the direction of the
Holy Spirit in all of our words and works.
The truth is that without God's blessing,
even our goodness is not truly good.
Rev. Theophan Buck is the rector of St. In-
nocent Orthodox Christian Church, 7301
RivOli Road, Bolingbroke.-The Pastor's
Corner is sponsored by the Monroe County
Ministerial Association, which meets on the
second Thursday of each month at 8 a.m. at
The Pickled Okra, 33 W. Johnston St. on the
Square.
Pictured, left to right: (back) DAR members Phyllis Jackson, Tina Parks, Becky Patton,
Haleigh Herring, Denise Herring, Echo Burrell, Virginia Funderburke, Barbara Howell,
Amanda Garnett, Myrna Findlay, Lynn Stokes: (front) Essay winners Alanna Wood, Emma
Mcleod, Lew Story
0
By Amanda Gamett
The Lt. James Monroe
Chapter of the National
Society Daughters of the
American Revolution
honored the winners of
the DAR Historical Essay
Contest at a patriotic recep-
tion in the Conley Build-
ing on March 27. Monroe
County Middle School
students competed in an
American History essay
contest for fifth through
eighth grade. The winners
of the essay contest are Lew
Story-eighth grade; Emma
Mcleod-seventh grade; and
Manna Wood, sixth grade.
For the DAR Essay
contest, students are invited
to submit essays through
their school or homeschool
program. One student is
selected from each grade
level as the chapter win-
ners.
They are judged on his-
torical accurac originality,
adherence to topic, organi-
zation of material, interest,
spelling, grammar, punc-
tuation and neatness.
The title of the essay this
year was: "World War i:
Remembering the War to
End All Wars". Each win-
ner received a certificate,
a monetary award, and
an Easter goody bag. The
students were presented
with Certificates of Aca-
demic Excellence from the
Ocmulgee Chapter SAR.
The DAR thanks local res-
taurants Jonah's, Minori's,
and Subway for their gener-
ous donations of gift cards
to the students for their
academic achievement.
Email church calendar news to Diane Glidewell at
news@mymcr.net by Monday at lO a.m.
Church information is published free of charge as space permits.
April 19-22
Powerhouse Apestelk
Church has Appreciation
Services
Powerhouse Apostol-
ic Church of Promise, 3659
Brownie Road, Forsyth invites
everyone to the Appreciation
Services for its Pastor, Bishop
Robert H. Jackson, and First
Lady, Josephine Jackson, on,
April 19 at 8 p.m April 20
at 7:30 p.m April 21 at 2:30
p.m. and April 22 at 4 p.m.
April 21
Shiloh Baptist WMU has
Annual Lady Que
Shiloh Baptist Baptist Church
Women's Missionary Union
will have its Annual Lady Que
on Saturday, April 21 .from
9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Forsyth
Train Depot on Adams Street.
It will feature pulled pork,
chips, slaw and pound cake.
Tickets are $8 each. Call
Elizabeth at 478-342-4866
for more information and
tickets!
Rocky Creek Baptist has
yard sale
Rocky Creek Baptist Church
is holding a yard sale at the
Forsyth Depot on Saturday,
April 21 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. All
proceeds will go to the Build-
ing and Grounds Fund for
repairs and improvements.
April 22
invite everyone to its 152nd
Church Anniversary Celebra-
tion on Sunday, April 22 at
2:30 p.m. Pastor Neisha Davis
of St. Mary's A.M.E. Church
will be the guest speaker.
There will be enjoyment,
praise, worship and fellow-
ship.
St. Philllp AJ .E.
celebrates Pastor & First
Lady's 1Oth Anniversary
St. Philhp A.M.E. Church in
Culloden will celebrate the
Pastor and First Lady's lOth
Anniversary on Sunday, April
22 at 11:30 a.m. The speaker
,will be Bishop LaDamiun
Rain s, Pastor of Shekinah
Glory Everlasting Ministries
in Barnesville. All are invited
to celebrate this special day
for our Pastor and First Lady,
Rev. Michael Davis and Sister
Andrea Davis. 478-885-2510
April 22-23
Dames Ferry Baptist
has Sunday lunch, hosts
Kimball Assoc. Brother-
hood
Dames Ferry Baptist Church,
208 Old Dames Ferry Rd,
Juliet're, will have its fourth
Sunday lunch on Sunday,
April 22 after the morning
service. Come worship, then
enjoy fellowship over lunch.
On Monday, April 23 Dames
Ferry Baptist will host the
Kimball Association Brother-
hood Meeting at 7p.m. A
meal will be provided before
the meeting.
April 29
Pine Grove CJ .E.
celebrates Missionary
Anniversary
Pine Grove C.M.E. Church
of Culloden will celebrate its
Missionary Anniversary on
Sunday, April 29 at 11 a.m.
Rev. Jarvis Barron of Brown's
Chapel Baptist Church of
Juhette will be the guest
speaker. Everyone is invited.
St. Paul Missionary
Baptist honors Rev. Reid Rock Springs in Forsytlh
The St. Paul Missionary has Worship & Fellow-
Baptist Church family invites ship Sunday
everyone to celebrate an Rock Springs Church, 1278
appreciation program in Juhette Road, Forsyth will
honor of Assistant Pastor Rev. have Worship, Fellowship &
Barbara Reid for 20 years of Fun on Sunday, April 29. The
service on Sunday, April 22 11 a.m. worship service will
at 2 p.m. The guest speaker be followed by a covered
will be Rev. David Blalock dish luncheon with a time
along with Mr. Pleasant of fellowship and singing
Baptist Church family from afterwards. Bring a covered
Barnesville as special guest, dish (with something in it) and
St. Paul Baptist Church is your best singing voice or
located at 591 Elbert Jackson instrument.
St. James Baptist Road, Forsyth. Rev. Rufus J.
celebrates 152nd Whatley, pastor. May 5
Anniversary Piney Grove Baptist hasMaynard Baptist hosts
St James Baptist Church,Pastor's Anniversary Women's Conference
110 James St Forsyth will The Piney Grove BaptistMaynard Baptist Church,
celebrate its 152nd Church Church family, 98 Joe Cham- 1195 Juhette Rd Forsyth, will
Anniversary on Sunda,/, April bers Rd Forsyth, invites other host a Women's Conference
22. Worship begins at 11 a.m. pastors and church families prayer retreat, "May Day:
The guest speaker will be Dr. Hear and Be Heard," on Sat-
to share in the celebration of
Ankoma Anderson of Welfare Rev. Robert Walker Irs 7th An- urday, May 5 from 9:30 a.m.-
Baptist Church, Belton, S.C. niversary on Sunday, April 22 3 p.m. There is no charge to
Lunch will be provided, at 2:30 p.m. Guests will be attend, and lunch is provided.
Rev. Respress and Welcome Childcare is available upon
Parker's Chapel A.M.E. Grove Baptist Church ofrequest. Come hear how one
celebrates 152nd Anni- Griffin. church has been transformed
versary by the power of intentional
Rev. Clinton Brown and the prayer. Register online at
members of Parker's Cha- MaynardBC.com/events or
pel A.M.E. Church, 5744 call 478-994-2120 by April
Highway 83 South, Culloden, 28.
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.nef
The Annual Hubbard Alumni Cel-
ebration is a highlight of each Spring in
Monroe County, the Hubbard Mumni
Banquet is a high point of the Celebra-
tion and the keynote speaker at the
banquet is always highly anticipated.
The speaker for 2018 is no exception. It
will be Georgia Supreme Court Justice
Robert Benham.
Benham is currently the longest
serving member of the Supreme Court
of Georgia, having been appointed in
December 1989, won statewide election
in July !990 and having been re-elected
every six years since. He became Chief
Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court
in 1995, elected by his peers, and held
that position until 2001. He was the first
Afrcan-Amefican to serve on the Court
in its more than 140-year histo .
Benham is a lifelong resident of
Georgia, born in Cartersville. He earned
a Bachelor's degree in political science
from Tuskegee University in 1967, his Ju-
ris Doctorate from University of Georgia'
in 1970 and his Master of Law from the
University of Virginia in 1989. He was
the second African American graduate
of the UGA school of law. He was in pri-
vate practice for 15 years before entering
the judiciary.
During his tenure as Chief Justice,
the American Bar Association Journal
listed the Supreme Court of Georgia
as one of the most progressive in the
nation. Benham was named one of the
100 Most Influential Georgians for six
years in Georgia Trend Magazine and as
one of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in
America for three years by Ebony Maga-
zine. He has served on numerous social,
civic, professional, fraternal and business
organization boards and has garnered
numerous awards.
Benham was instrumental in creating
Georgia's Indigent Defense Program and
in creating Georgia's first Drug Courts.
The State Bar of Georgia Community
Service Award is named after Benham
as is the first Law Camp for high school
students.
He has served as chairman of the
Coosa Valley Area Planning and Devel-
opment Commission, Barrow County
Development Authority and is the Geor-
gia Supreme Court liaison for the Fulton
County Business Court. Benham is a
Mason, Shriner and Elk. He is a member
of the Deacons Board of the Greater Mr.
Olive Baptist Church. He and his wife,
Nell, have two sons and four grandchil-
dren. He enjoys woodworking, including
making toys and music boxes.
The catered banquet will be at the
Monroe County Conference Center this
See BENHAM Page 7C
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