JESUS SAVES
Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
REVEREND JOHN FOSTER, PH.D., SENIOR PASTOR
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2015
7:45AM & 11:00AM WORSHIP SERVICES
Annual lay day
"“The Evidence of Discipleship"
John 13:34-35
PRELUDE
PROCESSIONAL
WORSHIP LEADERS:
7:45 A.M. MR. RAUSHAN MURRAY 11:00 A.M. DR. STANLEY PRITCHETT
WORSHIP & ARTS MINISTRY
MINISTERS, STEWARDS, CHOIR, ACOLYTES AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
* DOXOLOGY
#647
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW ; PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW ; PRAISE HIM ABOVE YE HEAVENLY
HOST, PRAISE FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST. AMEN.
CALL TO WORSHIP……………………..……………..……MR. RAUSHAN MURRAY/ DR. STANLEY PRITCHETT
Leader:
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Our feet have been
standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
People:
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Leader:
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God: I will seek your good.
People:
They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.
Leader:
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house, and the place where your glory dwells.
People:
But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.
Leader:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer.
People:
O sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things! I will sing of loyalty and of justice, to
You, O Lord, I will sing.
HYMN OF PRAISE…………………………….………………………..….MS. JENNIFER SMITH/ MS. CAROLYN SMITH
1.
AMEC HYMN #582…………... LAYMEN’S SONG
Laymen now have thus assembled, In Thy blessed name, O God. Guide us in our true endeavor,
Light the pathway that we trod; Give us strength to ever labor for Thy cause, Give us strength to
ever labor for Thy cause.
2.
We are banded one in union, to fulfill Thy just command. May we be Thy true disciples, holding to
Thy mighty hand; Give us blessings from the fountain of Thy love, Give us blessings from the
fountain of thy love.
3.
As we walk this Christian journey, let us keep our armor bright. Let our words be pure and holy,
that we stand within Thy sight. Laymen Soldiers, strong in unity and love, Laymen Soldiers,
strong in unity and love.
4.
May we stand before Thine Altar, pledging, Lord, to work for Thee. In the Vineyard, in the
pastures, Let us, Lord, Thy Pilgrims be; Let us lift the Cross forever to the skies, Let us lift the
Cross forever to the skies. Amen.
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BIG BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH
INVOCATION………………………………………………,,..….MRS. MARGUERITE BRYANT/ MR. RAUSHAN MURRAY
CHORAL RESPONSE
WORSHIP THROUGH MUSIC…………………………………………………………………..…THE BETHEL CHORALE
THE RESPONSIVE SCRIPTURE…………………………..………...MS. MARTINIQUE MIX/ MR. EUGENE DONALDSON
JOHN 13:34-35
Leader: 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also
should love one another.
All:
35
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
*THE PREFACE OF THE DECALOGUE
(IN THE TUNE OF #258)
“FROM ALL THAT DWELL BELOW THE SKIES, LET THE CREATOR’S PRAISE ARISE; LET THE
REDEEMER’S NAME BE SUNG, THROUGH EVERY LAND BY EVERY TONGUE.”
*THE SUMMARY OF THE DECALOGUE…………………………………….DR. OPAL KNOWLTON/MS. LISA WILLIAMS
AND JESUS SAID TO HIM. YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOU HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH
ALL YOUR MIND. THIS IS THE GREAT AND FIRST COMMANDMENT. AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR
NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS DEPEND ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.
GLORIA PATRI
#XVII-XVIII
“GLORY BE TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY GHOST; AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, IS NOW, AND EVER
SHALL BE, WORLD WITHOUT END. AMEN.”
WELCOME TO BIG BETHEL……………………………………………....PHILIPPIAN MINISTRY/ MS. CHERYL TAYLOR
THE PASTOR’S WORDS
THE BIG BETHEL MINISTRY MOMENT………………………………………………...….VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS
THE RECOMMITTMENT CEREMONY…………………………………………….….……..MARRIED COUPLES MINISTRY
THE HOLY BAPTISM
THE LAY LITANY ………………………………….……………….………..MR. EARNEST TATE/ MS. SYLVIA MCRAE
LEADER: AS LAY PERSONS WORKING WITH GOD WE CAN CREATE DISCIPLES
PEOPLE: LAYMAN SOLDIERS STRONG IN UNITY AND LOVE
LEADER: AS WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN INCREASE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHURCH
PEOPLE: LAYMAN SOLDIERS STRONG IN UNITY AND LOVE
LEADER: AS LAY PERSONS WE TEACH ABOUT OUR CHURCH TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION
PEOPLE: LAYMAN SOLDIERS STRONG IN UNITY AND LOVE
ALL: AS WE PRAY TOGETHER, PRAISE GOD TOGETHER, LOVE GOD AND ONE ANOTHER, WE CAN ALL BECOME
DISCIPLES OF OUR
CHRIST.
THE PRESENTATIONI OF THE LAY PERSON OF THE YEAR……………….……..………DR. SHIRLEY WATERS-WHITE
THE WORSHIP THROUGH CREATIVE EXPRESSION……………….…………….…..SIGNS OF PRAISE MIME MINISTRY
THE ALTAR CALL………………………………………………………..MR. WILLIAM DAVIS/ MS. TEANER CORBETT
WORSHIP THROUGH GIVING…………………………..……..DR. STANLEY PRITCHETT/ MR. CHRISTOPHER BROOKS
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JESUS SAVES
THE CHORAL RESPONSE………………………………………….…………………………………...AMEC HYMN #644
ALL THINGS COME OF THEE O LORD; AND OF THINE OWN HAVE WE GIVEN THEE. AMEN
INTRODUCTION OF THE SPEAKER………………………….…….DR. SHIRLEY WATERS-WHITE/MS. DONNA WILLIAMS
WORSHIP THROUGH MUSIC…………………………………..…………..………………..……...THE BETHEL CHORALE
THE LAY DAY MESSAGE……………………………….……………………..………..MS. KABRINA BASS
DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT
…………………………………….…………………...MR. CEASAR MITCHELL
PRESIDENT,ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL
INVITATION TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP………………………………………………………....PASTOR JOHN FOSTER
RECESSIONAL
DOXOLOGY
†THE LAY BENEDICTION
MAY GOD BLESS US WITH THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANITY, THAT WE MAY LIVE TOGETHER, NOT AS MAN OVER MAN, BUT AS LAY
PERSONS WORKING WITH GOD. AMEN.
S E R V I N G I N T O D AY ’ S W O R S H I P E X P E R I E N C E
7 : 4 5 A M W ORSHIP E XPERIENCE
Acolytes:
1 1 : 0 0 A M W ORSHIP E XPERIENCE
Acolytes: Chandler Brooks/ Jaylaan Parker
Philippians: Connie Mills/ Victoria White
Philippians: Linda Jolly/ Ruth McKenzie
Music Ministry: The Bethel Chorale
Music Ministry: The Bethel Chorale
Stewardess: Eva B. Watson Stewardess Ministry
Stewardess: Eva B. Watson Stewardess Ministry
Stewards: Chris Parker/ Stan Foster
Stewards: Nancy Cooke/ Rosa Baxter
Trustee: Janie Francis-Asante/ Oliver Hudson
Trustee: Martha Thomas/ Dennis Brazil, Sr.
Ushers: Samuel H. Giles Usher Board
Ushers: Samuel H. Giles Usher Board
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BIG BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH
- Hearing God’s Word during the Service –
Since we forget 90% of what we hear, it has been suggested that note taking will
double the percentage of our take home response. Why not try it and see?
Points/Topics:
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Let us remember our sick and shut-in with our cards & calls.
Sis. Lucille Burch,
(404) 696-8524
Sis. Patricia Coles,
(404) 254-4806
Sis. Jay Evans,
(678) 467-2470
Bro. Horace Ford,
(770) 478-3013
Sis. Daisy Gholston,
(770) 439-9199
Sis. Jacquelyn Green,
(678) 580-1248
Sis. Pearline Irving,
(404) 284-4717
Sis. Ernestine Johnson
Sis. Ruth Lee,
(478) 453-8514
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Rupert Littleton
Rev. Betty Miley,
(770) 323-6841
Sis. Eleanor Miller,
(678) 938-3338
Sis. Mary Miller, Summerset Assisted Living
Community
Sis. Dorothy Moreland,
(404) 691-0099
Sis. Ertha Poitier,
A. G. Rhodes Nursing Home
Sis. Joyce Spearman,
(404) 286-4891
Bro. Thomas Sullivan,
(404) 349-1572
Sis. Mildred Whalen,
(770) 603-8266
JESUS SAVES
KABRINA BASS
Kabrina Bass serves as the Christian Education Director for the Sixth Episcopal District of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church composed of 546 congregations in the state of Georgia. As the Christian Education Director, she
brings creative and innovative vision and takes and "out of the box" approach to ministry. She also served eight
years as the Christian Education Director for the Seventh Episcopal District and she has more than 30 years of
Christian Education experience.
Kabrina was instrumental in coordinating the certification of more than 1,000 teachers, 180 Christian Education
Directors and 186 Church School Superintendents while serving the Seventh Episcopal District. She developed
materials to support orientation sessions for ushers, hospitality, stewards, trustees, class leaders and stewardesses. She has also completed a new disciples guide to explore the Bible, the Church, Salvation, Christian Stewardship and the African
Methodist Episcopal Church's polity, worship and history. She is a regional instructor for the Connectional Christian Education Department
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the Christian Education Certification Administrative team.
She received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion with an Emphasis on Christian Education and a minor in Communication from Columbia College. Her academic preparation for the ministry included a Master of Religion degree with a focus on Christian Education
and Spiritual Formation from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.
Kabrina understands God's call to ministry is diverse and everyone is not called to preach and pastor but diverse gifts make rooms for
excellency in ministry affording people the opportunity to serve in their calling. Her motto, "Vision Is Seeing The Invisible" is based on Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. She encourages everyone to seek God's
vision for their life and ministry.
CEASAR MITCHELL
Ceasar C. Mitchell serves as President of the Atlanta City Council. He presides at all Council meetings
and votes in the case of a tie vote by the 15 council members, makes council committee appointments, and would
exercise all powers as mayor should that office become vacant or the mayor becomes disabled.
Prior to being elected Council President, Mitchell served two terms as a Citywide Post 1 Councilmember from 2001
to 2009. As a public official, Mitchell advocates for safer communities through specific initiatives including police
foot patrols. He has championed key legislation facilitating economic revitalization in underdeveloped areas by
authoring measures to create 4 of the city's 10 Tax Allocation Districts and supporting legislation for community
input in the Beltline Project. In 2004, Mitchell stepped up his efforts to make Atlanta clean, green, safe and thriving
by creating a Parks Advisory Group to provide recommendations for Atlanta to achieve and sustain a world-class parks and recreation system with a governance structure. Additionally, he created a Clean Green Team to provide technical assistance and resources to 22 community groups to improve their neighborhoods. He also led the charge to turn a dangerous unpaved road into the Cahaba Drive Walking Trail,
a safe path for a southwest Atlanta neighborhood. Mitchell is actively committed to the education and enrichment of our city's youth as reflected in Mitchell's annual College Prep Series—a college admissions exam preparation program. More than 5,000 middle and high school
students and their parents have participated since 2006.President Mitchell's past leadership roles include chair of the influential Public
Safety Committee, which oversees more than fifty percent of the City's General Fund budget; the Community Development/Human Resources Committee, which oversees the City's economic development activities; and the City Utilities Committee. He also is a past member
of the City's Budget Commission, which authorizes the City's annual revenue levels. In 2004, Ceasar served as Acting President of the City
Council during a vacancy in the position.
Mitchell is Of Counsel with the global law firm of DLA Piper, LLP, where he practices commercial real estate and finance. A longtime community servant, Mitchell has held board directorships on behalf of civic, legal and community affairs organizations including Chairman of the
Board of Directors for Hands On Atlanta, President of the Gate City Bar Association, Gubernatorial appointee to the Georgia Commission
on Volunteerism and Service, and board member of Outward Bound Atlanta and Hands On Georgia.
Ceasar has been featured in Georgia Trend magazine as one of Georgia's "40 under 40," and Atlanta Magazine as a "Rising Star" in its
Super Lawyers Edition. Recently, Ceasar was named one of Atlanta's 100 most influential people. In 2003, he became the inaugural recipient of Leadership Atlanta's "Rising Star Award," and is a graduate of its 2005 class. He is also an alumnus of Outstanding Atlanta. In recognition of his community service, he has been honored by the Morehouse College Alumni Association and the UGA Black Law Students Association.
Mitchell is a native Atlantan, the son of an Atlanta Police Officer and Atlanta Public Schools Teacher, and a graduate of Benjamin E. Mays
High School. He is an honor graduate of Morehouse College with dual majors in Economics and English. Mitchell earned his law degree
from the University Of Georgia School Of Law where he served on the International Law Journal and won a national moot court championship in constitutional law. Ceasar and his wife, Dr. Tiffany Mitchell are the proud parents to their daughters, Canon and Czarya. They reside
in the Historic West End community and attend Impact United Methodist Church.
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BIG BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH
THE OCCASION
A ‘Layperson” is any member of the local church who has not been ordained a minister. Although each
church or station has an “organized” lay of members who join and pay dues, by definition every member of
a local church except the ministers are part of the laity.
HISTORY
The organized lay movement has had three significant stages of growth and development. First, the early
formative years under the Laymen’s Missionary League organized in 1912; second, the Connectional Lay
College, organized in 1916; finally, in 1946 The Connectional Laymen’s Organization was organized by the
delegates from the Lay College who were meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Lay Organization of the AME Church is one of the newest in our church relative to our total years of existence. The organized Lay operates as a vital force for good because it is free, independent and unmotivated by any desire, motive or purpose other than the general welfare of African Methodism. It is the duty
and privilege of every lay member to participate fully in discussion, debate, and voting in every phase of
church life.
OBJECTIVES
To instill in the membership of the Church a love for and an appreciation of the history, tradition and principles of African Methodism.
To keep forever alive the sacred memory of Richard Allen, the illustrious founder of the AMEC.
To advocate respect and loyalty at all times to constituted authority and leadership.
To encourage the laity to support the total program of the church in the local community and throughout the
Connection.
To foster a systematic and regular study of the Doctrine And Discipline Of The African Methodist Episcopal
Church and parliamentary procedure, to the end that greater knowledge and information may be disseminated among the laity, and with the further purpose of encouraging lay members to participate more largely
in the general functioning and supervision of the AME Church.
To foster, influence, and support all constructive and progressive legislation for the church that promotes
the teachings of Jesus Christ.
To encourage development, recognition, and utilization of the most appropriate operational practices and
modern technology in conducting the activities of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
To promote the spread of personal evangelism through activities designed to prepare lay members for appropriately conveying God’s Word,
To provide training in Christian stewardship, which causes lay members to recognize that the connotation
of stewardship addresses more than giving money,
To increase the circulation of church periodicals,
To provide for the orderly and systematic training of lay persons, especially officers, in order that they
might more effectively perform their service responsibilities. To promote activities that will result in harmonious fellowship for lay persons throughout the connection,
To help in the support of the AME educational institutions.
To give financial assistance to the connectional Lay Economic development Corporation (CLEDC) in support of Connectional programs.
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JESUS SAVES
WE ARE STREAMING LIVE!!!
CHECK US OUT AT:
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YOUTH CHURCH URBAN GARDEN
During the 2014-2015 Annual Conference year Youth
Church will be raising awareness about environmental
responsibility. While there are other facets of learning
that will occur, they will all be centered around the completion of an urban garden which will be housed in the
amphitheater. There is a booklet available that goes into
more detail regarding the urban garden. We are asking
for donations of $10 per book. We would love to see
everyone get involved by filling out a volunteer card and
committing to one of the seven areas of assistance. Any
way that you can help would be much appreciated in addition Youth Church is held on the 2nd and 3rd Sunday
of each month during the 11:00AM Worship service.
Volunteer assistance is needed for chaperones and
teachers during each service. Snacks are being provided
and individual and/or ministry sponsors are requested.
Contact the Church office for additional information.
Quarterly Conference Reports
Quarterly Conference Reports are due to the
Church Office. Please submit your
reports as soon as possible.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEETING
Annual Conference Committee Meeting will take
place Monday at 6:30PM in the Fellowship Hall. All
volunteers and interested persons are asked to attend.
WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR
All female church members are invited to participate in
the Women's Day Choir, mothers and daughters are encouraged to participate! Choir rehearsal will begin on
Tuesday, April 21st at 6:30 PM in fellowship hall. We
look forward to having you join us!
All married couples are asked to register with the Married Couples Ministry. Your registration allows you to
receive information and notices of upcoming activities
and events, gain access to the Married Couples Ministry
Discussion Forum, and facilitates your participation &
recognition in a Re-commitment Ceremony during your
anniversary month. You may register using your computer, your tablet, or your smart phone by pointing your
browser to MarriedCouplesMinistry.com and clicking on
Online Registration. You may also fill out a Registration
Card found in each vestibule.
CHURCH SCHOOL
You are invited to join us each Sunday at 9:45am for
study and fellowship. We have classes for all age levels.
COME and GROW SPIRITUALLY WITH US!
~~Sis. Sylvia McRae, Superintendent~~
CHURCH CLEAN UP
Thanks to everyone that participated in the
church wide clean up yesterday. Your time
and efforts were greatly appreciated.
UNTIL THE
ATLANTA NORTH
GEORGIA ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
ACTIVITIES STARTS
HERE AT BIG BETHEL!
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READINGS
First Reading………….…Acts 3:12-19
Psalm…………………………..…Psalm 4
Second Reading…........1 John 3:1-7
Gospel………...…....…Luke 24:36b-48
MARRIED COUPLES MINISTRY
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BIG BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH