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ZION INFORMER - August 2010
801 Washington Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201-3115
Message From the Pastor
As I thought about it, I began to think about “Life After” accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I begin to wonder what would most Christians say about their Life After Christ if they could. Are you living in the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10 when he said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”? Is your life any better because you were saved? In spite of what the “name it and claim it” crowd says, the Christian life is not all cakewalks and blessings. No, Jesus said that “in this life you will have some tribulations.” The Good News is that even in spite of my trials and tribulations, I still have joy. I didn’t have that before Jesus, but I’m glad I have it now. Another thing I wonder about is do people see you any differently? The Word says that when we accept Christ we become, “…a new creature; old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” What is more dominant in your life? Does the old you continue to rear its ugly head in certain situations? Too many times we play things off as being, “that’s just the way that I am.” Maybe that’s the way you USED to be, but since you got saved you need to let that go. I believe the reason so many Christians struggle in their lives, even as Christians, is because they have not fully accepted Christ as the Lord of their lives. It’s easy to say I want Christ to be in control, but can you actually make it happen. Yes, we will always have to deal with some things, but I have learned that when you give your life completely over to Christ, He has a way of handling stuff that makes us wonder like the Disciples, “what manner of man is this?” The last thing I thought about as I considered Life After accepting Christ is a question I heard them ask Al Reynolds on the show. They asked him, “If you could do it all over again would you?” How would you answer that question when it comes to Christ being in your life? If you could do it all over again, would you? I can answer that for myself and say that without a doubt, accepting Jesus was the greatest decision I have ever made in my life. I’ve had some ups and downs, some good days and some bad days, some friends and some enemies; but through it all I have trusted in Jesus. My life is a testimony that if you continue to trust in Him and believe in Him, even when you don’t understand what or why you’re going through what you’re going through, that accepting Christ is without a doubt the best decision you have ever made. Because He Lives, Pastor Kevin E. Donalson, Sr. Spotlight on Artless D. Williams
Mrs. Williams attended Howard Elem. and graduated from Booker T. Washington High and Benedict College. She did additional studies at USC and SC State College. Her educational background led to a successful tenure as an educator at Rosewood Elem. School until her retirement. Mrs. Williams was married to the late Louis Nelson Williams and they are the parents of a daughter, the late Wylaine Felicia Williams Augustus. She finds much joy and happiness in the company of her grandchildren, Steve and Stephanie, and her great-grands, E’lanna and Stephon. Mrs. Williams has been honored as Zion’s “Woman of the Year.” Additionally, she has served as a deaconess and chair of several program committees. Her most cherished moments were as the teacher of Zion’s Beginner Sunday School class. Mrs. Williams remains a pillar for her family with her endearing smile, pleasant disposition, and kind words. Her life is a testament to all who know her. It is also reflected in the words of her favorite scripture, Psalm 27:1, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" August Birthdays 01 Mitchell Jones 02 James A. Moore 03 Dolores B. Scott 06 Doretha Thompson 08 Joy Flemming 08 Annette Hill 10 Hazella Baylor 10 Joan McDuffie 10 Elnora D. Robinson 10 Frances Tillmon 13 Rheda Simmons 14 William Gunn, Jr. 15 John Bookhart 15 Frances Fields 16 Jarrod Johnson 16 Ryan Means 17 Eartha L. Elliott 17 Cynthia Walters 18 David Barnhill 19 Hattie Zimmerman 21 Richard Pearson 24 Daisy Amaker 24 Pandora Cuffee 24 Cynthia Gist 25 Michael Alston 28 Melvin Pearson August Anniversaries 13 Melvin & Ernestine Duncan 16 Malcolm & Ethel Walters, Sr. 19 Michael & Deloris Walters 23 William & Charlie Mae Gunn, Jr. 24 Herbert & Rebecca Barnette 28 Hillard & Beatrice Bossard 28 Melvin & Juanita Pearson Scripture of the Month "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 (KJV) Upcoming Events August 1 — Friendship Day August 6 — Tom Joyner Back to School Event, SC State Fairgrounds, Americraft-Cantey Building, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. August 12 — Civil Rights Day August 15 — Missionary Jubilee, Zion Baptist Church, 11 a.m. August 21 — Senior Citizens Day August 21 — Annual Church Picnic, Lexington YMCA Park, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. August 21 — Gethsemane YWA Retreat, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., USC Community Wellness Conference Center August 22 — Gethsemane Association Day August 26 — Women’s Equality Day August 28 — Gethsemane Congress of Christian Education Session August 29 — Gethsemane Youth Crusade, Greater St. Luke Baptist Church, 7820 Farrow Rd, 4 p.m. Good News Keya Jackson is spending her summer conducting research at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship, being held June 14 to August 22, involves observing the reburrowing competence for the mud shrimp, Upogebia pugettensis, associated with their carapace length. Research involvement in this area varies from collecting and observing shrimp in mudflats, to looking under the microscope to observe the shrimps’ developmental condition. Keya is the daughter of Vanetta Jackson.. McKayla Moore recently participated in the “Miss Benedict College Language Arts Summer Camp Program.” She received an honorable mention trophy for her praise dance talent performance and for her sports and evening wear. Great job !! McKayla is the daughter of Frankie and Sherry Moore. The Zion Baptist Church Picnic will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on August 21 at the YMCA Park in Lexington, SC. Plans are currently being made for swimming, canoeing, fishing, basketball and volleyball. Please come and enjoy the fun, games, food, etc. Don’t miss it !!! SC Baptist Congress of Christian Education The 104th Annual Session of the South Carolina Baptist Congress of Christian Education was held July 11-16, 2010 in Spartanburg, SC. This year’s theme, “Evangelism: The Passion for Sharing the Gospel,” was carried out through sermons, innovative classes/workshops, and songs of praise. Our own Pastor Donalson electrified the Congress on the opening night with a thought-provoking message, “Why Am I Here?” The Mass Choir and many other members accompanied him. Outgoing president Dr. James Cokley, a product of Zion, completed his five year tenure with a climatic, spirit-filled message. Adults attending during the week were Sisters Maxine Pearson, Mary Alice Graham, Alicia Graham, Margaret Tucker, Gladys Goforth, Rene Martin, Hattie Zimmerman, Brenda Clark, Chinue Scott, Rev. Fletcher Tucker, Minister Israel Gist and Deacon Hillard Bossard. The youth, under the direction of Sister Chinue Scott, were Briana Abraham, Amber Abraham, Nidiyah McDuffie, David McRae, Danielle Conyers, Kevin Donalson, Jr., Kyndall Donalson, Jermaine Jenkins, Kiyana Brice, John Steadman and Tenia Pittard. Youth highlights for the week are expressed as follows: “In my Hip-Hop class we learned ways to incorporate hip-hop into gospel music and we created our own Christian raps.” — Briana Abraham “While I was in Spartanburg for the Congress, I learned why we do what we do as Baptists and how to praise God through dance.” — Nidiyah McDuffie “In my puppetry class, I learned a new term: Pew Potato. A pew potato is a person who hears but doesn't listen in church.” — Amber Abraham “I learned songs of praise in my music class and in my puppetry class I learned to praise God with puppets.” — David McRae “My week at the Congress was awesome. I love to sing and was in a music class for the morning and afternoon with Mr. Anderson. I enjoyed performing in the choir at the Youth Extravaganza.” — John Steadman “In my class, I learned that peer pressure could be traced back to biblical times. I also learned another name for praise dance is liturgical dance, and it is a way of expressing how you feel towards God.” — Tenia Pittard “I took a class focusing on peer pressure. I understand because I am a child of God I will be tempted with peer pressure. Through this class I learned by praying and talking to God I can handle any peer pressure I may encounter. I enjoyed being a part of the Congress and look forward to next year.” — Danielle Conyers “My two classes were about church etiquette and puppetry. I got to be a puppet in the puppet show on the night we performed. It was a great experience for me to attend the State Congress.” – Kyndall Donalson “My first class was music. My second class was puppetry. We also went to a bunch of church services. I sang in the choir on the night of the performance. I had a great time at the Congress.” – Kevin Donalson, Jr. All of the attendees express gratitude to Zion for the privilege of representing our church family.
Spotlight on Our Youth - Armon Williams
At Zion Baptist Church, Armon is a member of the Beginners Sunday School Class and is very much in love with his teacher, Ms. Rhudine Boyd. He sings on the Children’s Choir, participates in Children Church, Youth Bible Study and attends Vacation Bible School yearly. Armon is a member of the Angels T-Ball Team at Greenview City Park and recently received a trophy and MVP award for his sportsmanship. This summer he is taking swimming lessons and can finally put his head under water without being afraid. For “fun”, Armon likes to watch television, play with his toys, make shadow puppets on the wall, go to the beach, or help his “grandpa” in the yard while he and his uncle Jarryd equally aggravate each other. When Armon grows up, he would like to be an action figure hero or a fireman.
7 Things To Tell The Teacher
1. Health Conditions: If your child is a diabetic, uses an inhaler, is allergic to peanuts, or has a serious health condition, the teacher should know. It’s also helpful to let the teacher know whether your child has been diagnosed with conditions like ADHD, which may affect behavior and concentration. 2. Family Issues: Inform the teacher if your family is going through a major change that could affect your child, such as a divorce, a death in the family, or a move. Even if your child seems to have adjusted well, alert teachers so they can watch for behavioral changes. 3. Personality traits or behavior issues: Maybe your son is painfully shy and is worried about making friends at a new school. Or perhaps your kindergartner has been having tantrums at home and you’re concerned she’ll do the same at school. It’s best to make teachers aware of these issues before they become a problem at school. 4. Strengths and weaknesses: Your daughter is a star student in math but is embarrassed to read aloud. Your son loves language arts but struggles with science. If you tell teachers these things up front, they’ll have more time to help your children improve in the areas they need it most. 5. Learning style: If your child learns better through hands-on activities than through listening to explanations, mention that to his teacher. 6. Study habits: Tell teachers about your children’s study habits and any issues they face in completing their work. 7. Special interests: Knowing more about your child’s hobbies or interests can help the teacher forge connections in the classroom. Let the teacher know that your young son loves a particular comic book superhero and that your middle school daughter is a gifted painter. Schoolfamily.com
Sunday School Lessons August 01 - “Sharing God’s Grace” - Philippians 1:18b–29 August 08 - “Giving of Oneself" - Philippians 2:1–13 August 15 - “Living into the Future” - Philippians 3:7–16 August 22 - “Growing in Joy and Peace” - Philippians 4:2–14 August 29 - “Upheld by God” - Acts 28:16–25a, 28–31 Health (Let’s Move) First Lady Michelle Obama announced an ambitious national goal of solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. She unveiled a nationwide campaign — Let’s Move — to help achieve it. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. One third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives; many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. A recent study put the health care costs of obesity-related diseases at $147 billion per year. This epidemic also impacts the nations security, as obesity is now one of the most common disqualifiers for military service. The Let’s Move campaign will combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources. Let’s Move will engage every sector impacting the health of children to achieve the national goal, and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy. The Partnership for a Healthier America will accelerate existing efforts addressing childhood obesity and facilitate new commitments towards the national goal of solving childhood obesity within a generation. “The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake,” said Mrs. Obama. “This isn’t the kind of problem that can be solved overnight, but with everyone working together, it can be solved. So, let’s move.” Back to School
Plan Ahead Big ticket items such as computers can be marked down hundreds of dollars just so they will be eligible for the sales tax holiday. These deals sell out fast. Plan ahead to beat other shoppers to the savings. You want to be one of the first people at the store to get the best selection. Map out the order of the stores you need to visit. Having a game plan means you're not running all over town missing out on the hottest deals. Know the Conditions Items already in layaway may be tax free if you pay them off during your state's sales tax holiday. Items you put in layaway within the tax free dates may not be taxable regardless of when you pay them off. The rules on layaways, rain checks and special orders vary state by state. Know the conditions beforehand to save the most money. Study Sales Papers Stores usually offer sales just for the tax free holiday. Hunt for bargains in the sales papers before you shop. Look for deep discounts on the more expensive items but don't forget about the little costs. With all of the back-to-school supplies you need, 50 cents here and there on paper, pens, notebooks and art supplies can add up quickly if you're not shopping at the store with the best sales.
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10
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Zion Baptist Church
Recently, I watched a TV show called, “Life After” which deals with how stars deal with life after a major event happens in their lives. The episode I watched dealt with Al Reynolds after he married Star Jones. It was interesting to look at the positives and negatives of these people’s lives after such a major accomplishment.
Mrs. Artless Daniels Williams, an only child, was born to Marion and Lorraine Daniels and reared in the Arsenal Hill community. Being baptized at the age of 12, Mrs. Williams has been a long-time member of Zion. Her longevity and faithfulness have continued the traditions established by her fore-parents.
Armon Nickolas Williams, five years old, is the son of Rena Walters and Benjamin Williams. Armon is the grandson of Otis “Skip” and Minister Cynthia Walters. Armon has completed the four year old class at V.V. Reid Nursery and Kindergarten. He received honor grades each nine weeks and tested in the 79th percentile on the Terra Nova Battery of Tests. He is anxiously looking forward to attending kindergarten at V.V. Reid during the 2010-2011 school year.
What can you tell teachers that will help them do their job better? You might be surprised.! While your child’s teacher is the expert in education, no one knows more about your child than you do. Students do best when parents and teachers work together as partners. The start of a new school year is a great time to open a dialogue with your child’s teacher. Not sure where to start? Here are seven things teachers wish you would tell them.
Shopping for school clothes and supplies is a major event during this time of year. South Carolina Department of Revenue has designated August 6-8, 2010, as tax free weekend for clothing, accessories, footwear, school supplies, computers and computer equipment. Local stores currently have such great buys on school supplies unless you're purchasing high ticket items, now is a better time to shop. School supplies lists are available on district websites and in local stores such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Office Depot and Target. School year calendars, registration information and lots of other helpful details can also be obtained on the school's website or by calling the district's main office.