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ZION INFORMER - September 2010
801 Washington Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201-3115
Message From the Pastor
The Bible says in Romans 12:1, “… (To) present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” What the Roman writer was trying to say was that when we consider what the Lord has done for us by dying on the Cross, then it is the least we can do to serve Him. Not so that we can please the Pastor, the membership or anybody else. No, you should serve in a ministry so that you can please God. Zion, I believe God has great things in store for this church. If Zion is going to get where God wants it to be as a church, we must maximize our potential. That means everyone is going to have to do their very best in serving Him. It is my prayer that every member of Zion gets involved in at least one ministry. There are members who show up every Sunday, yet are not involved in any ministry. We are grateful to you for coming to church, but we need you to do more. God sent you to Zion for a reason. He has given you a gift for a reason. That reason is for “the edification of the body of Christ.” In the words of the military, “WE NEED YOU,” and we need you now. To the different ministry leaders: this is your chance. Do your very best to show what you are doing. Get phone numbers and email addresses from members and follow-up with them. Zion has some great un-used talent. Now is your opportunity to build up your membership. I don’t know about you, but I am excited about what God is doing here at Zion. Let’s go to the top! Because He Lives, Pastor Kevin E. Donalson, Sr. Spotlight on Oliver Washington, Jr.
Upon graduation from USC he was employed by Richland School District One as a teacher, crisis counselor, project director and various other positions at six different middle and high schools. He is presently Vice President of Special Projects at SC Black Media Group (Black News). Oliver has been an active member of Zion since joining at 12 years old. He is a member of the brotherhood and was selected Man of the Year in 1999. Oliver is active in the community and has organized many community organizations; one of which “The Family” in 1974 is very active today and as a result 12 members have joined Zion since January, 2010. His favorite scripture is Matthew 25:40….“For whatsoever we do to the least of these you have done unto me.” September Birthdays 03 Briana Abraham 04 Chinue Scott 05 Corey Moody 07 Herbert Barnette 07 Gloria Edmond 07 Thurman Zimmerman, Sr. 08 Louise Dawson 08 John Dixon 08 Malcolm Walters, Sr. 10 Frankie Moore 12 Bryant Dreher, Jr. 13 Avril Richardson 15 Brenda A. Clark 15 Annie Helper 17 Michael Walters 20 Christopher Arnold 21 Katrayll M. Brice 21 Ronnesha Hallman 26 William Hope 26 Beverly Springs 27 Teresa Canzater 29 Gordon McRae September Anniversaries 07 Julius & Rosa Trapp 14 Terrence & Delphine Sellers 18 Homer & Annette Hill Memoriam Dea. William Davenport Mrs. Mary B. Watford Scripture of the Month "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28 (KJV) Upcoming Events September 06 — Labor Day September 11 — Patriot Day September 12 — Grandparents Day September 12 — Zion’s Ministry Fair, Zion Baptist Church, 1:00 p.m. September 12 — Annual Church Revival, Zion Baptist Church, 6:00 p.m. September 13-16 — Annual Church Revival, Zion Baptist Church, 7:00 p.m. September 17 — Citizenship Day September 19 — College Day, Zion Baptist Church, 11:00 a.m. September 21 — Church Revival, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Lyon St, 7 p.m., Speaker—Rev. Kevin E. Donalson, Sr. September 22 — First Day of Autumn September 25 — Women at Heart Health Forum, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 8:00 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Good News On July 29, 2010, Sister Mary Tucker celebrated her 94th birthday. Congratulations !!! On August 6, 2010, Sister Cynthia Dantzler and her daughter Naomi participated in the “Tom Joyner 3rd Annual Back to School Event” at the SC State Fairgrounds. School supplies and information were given to students and their parents. After participating in one of the sweepstakes, Sister Cynthia Dantzler was selected as one of the persons to receive a brand new laptop computer. Congratulations !!! Alive at 25 On March 4, 2010, Richland Two Superintendent Dr. Steve Hefner, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, The Reconnecting Communities Coalition, and Mr. Fred Kotoske of Taco Bell of the Midlands, announced the kick off of the “Alive at 25” program in district high schools. This early intervention program was designed to help prevent traffic violations, collisions and fatalities among teen drivers. Any student who plans to purchase a parking permit for the 2010-2011 school year must successfully complete this course before he or she will be allowed to purchase the permit. This intervention program focuses on drivers between the ages of 15 and 24, the group most likely to be involved in fatal collisions. It was developed by the National Safety Council and is sponsored by the South Carolina National Safety Council. It is taught by off-duty deputy sheriffs and municipal police officers. It is a one time, four-hour course and costs $35.00. To register, go to the South Carolina Alive at 25 website or call 800.733.6185 or 803.732.6778. Financial assistance is available. Richland2.org Revival….Psalm 85:4-9 Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations? Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. I will listen to what our God the Lord will say; He promises peace to His people, His saints, but let them not return to folly. Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land. We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love, For Jesus who died and is now gone above... Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, A-men! Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Revive us again.... Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love; May each soul be rekindled with fire from above.....Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, A-men! Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Revive us again....... William P. Mackay
Spotlight on Our Youth - Sierra Holmes
Sierra became a member of Zion Baptist Church on January 17, 2010 and was baptized on March 7, 2010. She participates in various youth activities here at Zion. Her hobbies are watching television, talking on the phone, reading, writing and hanging out with “special friends.” Sierra has six sisters and two brothers. Her favorite scripture is Luke 6:37 … “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”
To Ensure Successful Learning For Your Child at School
2. Take time to meet your child's teacher/principal; join the PTO. 3. Read the school's handbook on procedures and expectations. 4. Go over these items with your child, along with your expectations. 5. Talk positively about the teacher/school....join an extra curricular activity. 6. Schedule unplanned visits to the school/to the classroom. 7. Be involved with the learning; student should complete homework assignments. 8. Buy #2 pencils for school use; time is wasted using mechanical pencils (replacing lead, popping lead, etc.) as learning and note-taking do not wait in the classroom. 9. Look through your child's book bag...check for grades, organization, doodling. 10. Know your child's friends and listen to your child; check for understanding concepts. 11. A grade of "A" is not a must, but your best effort is required and expected. 12. Always include your love and Bible teachings; this will bring joy and comfort to your child. Parent involvement is the key to a child's learning....Have a Great School Year!
Labor Day Observance We, along with the rest of the country, will celebrate Labor Day tomorrow. Labor Day is celebrated every first Monday in September. The holiday came about as a way to dedicate the social and economic achievements of American workers-- to pay tribute to the working men and women. It represents an annual national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well being of our country. This holiday connects us to many things; it reminds us that school is back in session and that the football season is underway, whether it is high school, college or the NFL. The holiday symbolizes the change in the weather, for cooler days are ahead and summer is officially over. We often celebrate this event with cookouts, parades and special gatherings. However, we also recognize this day as a “day of rest.” Although this is a holiday to take a break from our “daily grind” of work, we must remember those many persons who, ironically, will celebrate this day “looking for a job.” As of July 2010, the latest report shows that the national unemployment rate is 9.5%, and South Carolina’s unemployment rate is 10.7%. The country is experiencing tough times right now. Even with these grim statistics, we must remain hopeful, as “this too shall pass.” Many of the unemployed are Christians and should take advantage of the situation by listening and focusing on God even more. There may be something in this period of time that God needs for them to see or do. Christ is Lord over all of our lives; the good and the not so good. The rest of us should remember to say a special prayer for all those persons who are unemployed as a result of the economy. Let’s ask God to use them in a special way during this time of difficulty. Remember, the will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you, and the will of God will never take you where the spirit of God cannot work through you.
Sunday School Lessons September 05 - “God’s Revelation to Moses” - Exodus 3:1–6, 13–15 September 12 - “God’s Law as a Covenantal Agreement" - Exodus 20:1–11 September 19 - “God versus gods” - Exodus 32:1–10 September 26 - “God Promises an Awesome Thing” - Exodus 34:1, 4–10 Sickle Cell Disease Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin*S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. At times, these red blood cells become sickle-shaped (crescent shaped) and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels. Tissue that does not receive a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the complications of sickle cell disease. It is an international health problem and one that has no universal cure. Research in gene therapy, the ultimate universal cure, is currently underway. Hemoglobin genes are inherited in two sets...one from each parent. If one parent has Sickle Cell Anemia and the other is Normal, all of the children will have sickle cell trait. If one parent has Sickle Cell Anemia and the other has Sickle Cell Trait, there is a 50% chance (or 1 out of 2) of having a baby with either sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait. When both parents have Sickle Cell Trait, they have a 25% chance (1 out of 4) of having a baby with sickle cell disease. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year in America. In the United States alone it is estimated over 70,000 people have sickle cell disease. However, the use of Hydroxyurea (Droxia) has shown promising results on some adult patients. It reduces the frequency of severe pain, acute chest syndrome and the need for blood transfusions. Studies are presently being conducted to determine the proper dosage for children. Droxia was approved by the FDA in 1998. sicklecelldisease.org Protecting Your Nest Egg
A growing form of identity theft affects assets contained in employer contribution retirement plans, such as 401(k)’s. 401k asset theft has increased dramatically in the last decade. While it may not seem like a possible scenario, the fact is, it happens more often than most people would like to believe. According to the Wall Street Journal, incidences of retirement plan asset theft increased dramatically from only 34 cases in 1995 to 1,269 cases in the fiscal year 2004. In Atlanta, a woman was indicted for allegedly stealing over $5.4 million in 401(k) contributions. This increase in theft can be largely attributed to the growing number of workers who make contributions to 401(k) plans. The ever-growing number of accounts, combined with record contributions to them, means more chance for dishonesty and fraud. The only way to combat 401(k) theft is to be prepared. You can do this by taking a few simple steps: (1)Work with a financial professional to keep a watchful eye on your 401(k) statements – Careful observation can usually help you catch abnormalities right away. Make sure the right amount of money is making it into your account. You should also check your account online as much as possible, or request to receive account summaries more often to review with a financial professional. (2) Keep an eye on your employer and your plan administrator – most 401(k) theft takes place when companies are in poor financial shape. Watch for drops in your account total, especially ones not related to the stock market’s performance. (3) Consider rolling over your 401(k) into an IRA as soon as you retire – In several cases of 401(k) theft, employees of companies that had been stealing, had their accounts frozen even though their assets had been un-touched. Now the retirees are stuck without their hard earned savings until the legal system sorts everything out and the insurance company makes a decision on the affected accounts (which could take months or even years). 401(k) theft can reach the lives of even the most un-suspecting account holder, but there are steps you can take to shield yourself from financial disaster and in the process, attempt to lessen the loss, or catch it immediately. A watchful eye is by far the best defense to help you protect your nest egg. www.themoneyalert.com
"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
As you know, the 2nd Sunday of September we will have our first Annual Ministry Fair. The Ministry Fair will give each Ministry of the church an opportunity to showcase to the membership what they are doing as a ministry. It will also give the membership an opportunity to see what ministry they want to be involved with. Too often in the church all of the work is being done by a small portion of the membership.
Oliver Washington, Jr. is the youngest of five children to the late Oliver and Elizabeth Washington, Sr. His brothers, Jeremiah and Dea. Isaac Washington are active members of Zion. His brother Eddie and sister Ethel La Morris Collins reside in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s a graduate of Dreher HS and the University of South Carolina with a degree in sociology and psychology. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor’s Degree from Central Christian University of South Carolina in 2008.
Sierra Holmes was born on July 4, 1991 to Nakia Wilder and Anthony Holmes in Columbia, South Carolina. She is a graduate of C. A. Johnson High School and attended I.T.T Technical College. She will be attending Midlands Technical College in the spring of 2011 majoring in social work.
1. Make learning a top priority at home.....this attitude will carry over into school.
Spurred by more electronic record keeping, and a greater illegal demand for personal information, identity theft is a crime that is sweeping the nation.