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GRACE NOTES January, 2016

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GRACE NOTES January, 2016 GRACE NOTES January, 2016 GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF ST. ALBANS NEWSLETTER GRACE NOTES ISSUE XII Rev. Alpher Sylvester, Pastor January 2016 2016 Inside this issue: DATES TO REMEMBER Word From Pastor 2 Poem—The List 3 February is Black History Month **************************************************************************** 4 First Annual Gracie Awards *Women’s Day Luncheon* on May 7th at Anton's >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> AN INVITATION TO ASK 5 QUESTIONS OF YOURSELF Women’s Day Sunday Service on May 15th WHEN LIFE BECOMES 6 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< A “CUL DE SAC” Eddy Farm Spiritual Retreat: May 19th—May 21st 8 ****************************************************** GUIDELINES FOR UNDERGRADU- ATE SCHOLARSHIPS The Audio/Visual Team needs committed members to Pat’s Corner 10 work on media equipment, contact Donna Perez GRACE NOTES January, 2016 WORD FROM PASTOR Rev. Alpher Sylvester SUGGESTIONS TO COMBAT CHURCH BULLIES: Fight bullying with the power of prayer. The most common targets of church bullies are the pastor and church staff. I encourage everyone in vocational ministry to ask humbly for people to pray for them daily. In two of the churches where I served as pastor, I had as many as 100 or more people committed to pray for me daily. They typically prayed for me for only two or three minutes each day at noon. Their intercessory prayers for me were brief, but they were powerful! Seek to have an Acts 6 group in the church. I am specifically referring to the manner in which the Jerusalem church dealt with murmuring and complaining. They appointed a group to take care of the widows who were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The seven who were appointed to the task were thus not only to do that ministry, but they were also to preserve the unity of the church. Churches need either informal or formal groups that see their ministry as dealing with conflict, complaints, and dissension so that unity is preserved. Have a high expectation church. I have addressed the issues of high expectation churches and low expectation churches many times on this blog. Higher expectation churches tend to be more unified, more Great Commission focused, more biblically defined, and more servant oriented. Stated simply, high expectation churches don’t offer an environ- ment conducive to bullying. Encourage members to speak and stand up to church bullies. Bullying thrives in a church where the majority remains in silent fear of church bullies. Bullies tend to back down when confronted by strong people in the church. We just need more strong people in the church. Make certain the polity of the church does not become a useful instrument to church bullies. Many churches have ambiguous structures and lines of accountability. Polity is weak and ill-defined. Bullies take advantage of the ambiguity and interpret things ac- cording to their nefarious needs. Be willing to exercise church discipline. Church discipline is a forgotten essential of many churches. Bullies need to know there are consequences for their actions, and church dis- cipline may be one of them. Have a healthy process to put the best-qualified persons in positions of leadership in the church. Bullies often are able to push around less qualified people who have found themselves in positions of leadership. There should be a spiritually and strategically de- signed process to choose and recruit people for key leadership positions. Have a healthy process to hire church staff. For example, an egregious mistake would be the church’s hiring of a senior staff member without the enthusiastic support of the pastor. If the pastor and new staff member do not have good chemistry, a church bully can quickly pit one against the other. A unified church staff is a major roadblock for a church bully. Encourage a celebratory environment in the church. Joyous churches deter bullies. They like somber and divided churches. Church bullying is more widespread than we often like to admit. I hope these nine suggestions can help keep the bullies out of your church. Let me hear from you. 2 GRACE NOTES January, 2016 The List (Sometimes two are easier than one) In January, people make resolutions anew And list the things they need to do. In February, the list is put aside With the intentions of getting to it by and by. In March, the list is in the back of the mind, Because of important papers people have to find. April has come and spring cleaning has to be done, And summer vacations have to be planned for family fun. Now where is that list on the first of May? It can’t be found and it was going to be started that day. June and priorities arrive at the same time, But the list is not forgotten, it’s in the back of the mind. July is here and half of the year has passed. Maybe the list can be started at last. Then something comes up and August is at the door; And so are other things, they are coming in galore. September has come and school has started again; And doing that list requires the help of a friend. October has come and no help is to be found, And the hopes of doing that list are going down. November is the beginning of the holiday cheer; And maybe the list will be done by the end of the year. December brings in celebrations and fancy tasty food, So the list and a new list will be done in January when People are in a good mood. Composed by Kathern Jones-Huggins-8/21/08 (Kathy Huggins) To God be the glory! 3 GRACE NOTES January, 2016 THE FIRST ANNUAL GRACIE AWARDS The First Annual Gracie Awards (formal black-tie affair) was held at Grace UMC from 2pm-5pm, December 19, 2015. The very elegant event commenced in the lower narthex where guests and recipients were engaged in cheerful conversa- tion while sipping non-alcoholic “champagne” and enjoying the extensive array of delicious ‘finger goodies’ served by our very own elegant, smiling youths. Older guests were seated in the library where they too were served. The youths serving so graciously and admirably were: Maya Blagrove, Kaitlyn Davis, Samiira Hamilton, Tamia McRae and Ariel Neysmith. After spending some time in the lower narthex, award recipients and guests walked the red carpet. They were greeted by Patricia Yarber who encouraged each person to speak a few words while they were being videotaped by Mr. James Sims. The red carpet was placed at the foot of the stairs leading to the upper narthex and the sanctuary where the presentations took place. The program began with the opening prayer by Junior Dixon and welcoming by Donna Perez, the Mistress of Ceremony. Reverend and Mrs. Alpher K. Sylvester were seen on video also welcoming guests and recipients. Between presentations of awards we were favored with musical selections by Mark Prentice and our own Brett Payne. Chris Perez was the chief cameraman who pre- videotaped several persons and groups that were displayed on the big screens during the award ceremony. The video displayed individuals and group tributes to Grace Davis, Louise Coates and Dr. Melvin Hall. Most of the honorees learned they were recipients only when their names were called. The big screens showed the astounding surprise on their faces. The following honorees and presenters of the awards were: Honorees Awards Presenters Cynthia Reid Esther Courage Award Loretta Anderson Arnold Parker Honorable Trustee Award Alfred Branch Brenda Bolling Ahitophel Award Joyce Jack Grace Davis Tell it like it is Award Maureen Gill Louise Coates Tell it like it is Award Sarah Sweetwine Cynthia Reid Tell it like it is Award Tyrone Johnson Hazel McIntosh Mariam Service Award Margaret Hall Faith Williams Faithful Award Joan Thompson Antoinette Martin Dorcas Good Works Award Wylinda Byrd Melvin Hall Paul Leadership Award Barbara Payos Tonai Perez Dr. Melvin Hall Extraordinary Youth Award Melvin Hall Aquila & Priscilla Herbert & Norma Watkins Horace & Seneca Lovelace Committee Awards were also presented by Tasha Stout, and the Staff Awards by Darryl Phills. The very handsome young gentleman, who with ginger aplomb, escorted each recipient for their award was Isaiah War- ren. Members that were recognized and thanked for their term of service in various committees were: Margalie Ataby, Victo- ria Bigby, Rosemarie Dunn, Evelyn Gabriel, Margaret Hall, Tyrone Johnson, Jacqueline Lane, Antoinette Martin, Si- mon McSween, Andre Morgan, Shalyn Perez, Tonai Perez, Renee Phills, Barbara Piquant, Dezlin Pitt, Lucille Pitt, Cynthia Reid, Claude Sayi, James Thomas, Sharon-Saunders-Thompson, Joylin Walker, Kevona Walker, Faith Wil- liams and Lorraine Willis. Recipients and guests are still talking about how much they enjoyed the gallant afternoon of good cheer with many sur- prises. For the most part the recipients had no clue that they would be recognized and awarded. Thanks to our Pastor, Rev. Alpher K. Sylvester and the awards committee that planned and executed the elegant, wonder- ful, and extremely enjoyable affair. The committee chaired by Shalyn Perez included the following team persons: Travis Blair, Kamiel Davis, Karen Kelly, Krystal Morris, Christopher Perez, Donna Perez, Claudia Phill, Tasha Stout and Paula Williams. To God be the glory! 4 GRACE NOTES January, 2016 AN INVITATION TO ASK QUESTIONS OF YOURSELF, IF NEVER ASKED BEFORE by Hyacinth E. Bailey To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science. Einstein. There is a variety of philosophies and theories regarding how to face life's challenges, whether financial, social, relational, physical or otherwise, but there are key answers still being sought after each of those ideas and disciplines are scrutinized.
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