* Page B6-The Chronicle, Thursday, May 31, N Focus On Religion Rev. Lester By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS Chronicle Staff Writer Last winter, a lot of people gave up on the , Rev. Anna Carter Lester's chances of surviving pneumonia, including her own doctor. Depsite a grim outlook, the 74-year-old ^founder of the Wayside Christian the City of God Pentecostal Church of Deliverance and the Citadel of Hope Bible Academy, both on 23rd Street -- is back in service and as good as ever. "I didn't think I was going to die," she says in her calm voice. "I had been in the hospital ' for two davs before I reali7#?H oihprp I i c i n uo * But no, my number wasn't called, so 11 survived." At 12, the Bracey, Va., native moved to Pro-1 vidence, R.I., after her mother's death to live! with a sister 22 years her senior. The daughter of an Episcopalian Bible I minister, Lester earned a degree in Christian! .education from the Manhattan Bible Institute! in New York and finally settled in Montclair,! N.J., where she was a teacher and registrar at I the renowned Rev. Auturo Skinner's Newark! Deliverance Institute in Newark, N.J. In 1951, by invitation of a cousin, she moved I to Winston-Salem for 10 months and began thel Ifl^The Soul Saving Club will meet at noon at mttniofi Holy Church at 123 Graham Ave. Eld 1 ^ Let s Tsik* i I Yh R J i th I ij* w^?vy:-r? >>^- ' ' ajffeff " +m, n-3E ^ BfWro ^ 31st AnfiiVCTil]^^ T H _ w I s I )" 4 1984 i Church Calendar, F had faith when < formation of a Bible mission on 16th Street. Lester and two elderly people ran the mission on 16th Street, but participation was low. That's when she says she took it upon herself to go $oor to door and ask parents to let their children attend her Sunday School. "The first Sunday I had six children," says L'4an4jheP.iL.iuuU ami fug iO . F*\wr fceit -urfttrtfiSse children. until T received notice to go to Africa." "For people who don *t have a ministry and don't have anywhere to preach, they can come to the City of God. " ? The Rev. Anna Carter Lester Before she left in 1952. I?tpr cave IS children had become eager and ready members of her Fisherman's Club, which rewarded each child for bringing additional students to Sunday School with them. As a missionary sent by the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to the West African country of Liberia, where she spent two years, Lester continued her work as a teacher of the Bible and home economics to teen-age Liberian girls. "I kept putting it off," says Lester, "but I ?was^afraid not tcTgo to Africa because I had a a I Church Notes Services honoi Appreciation services will be held for Evangelist Sarah C. Rowdy, the assistant pastor of J.A. Coleman 9 Memorial Chapel at 614 9 9 Patterson Ave. on June 6-8. 9 9 Rowdy has been the assis- 9 Jtant pastor for the past five 9 Through the she has worked closely with the pastor of the church, Spl Evangelist Essie C. Mc- KLgyfl Cullough, to organize the 9 church and promote the 9 gospel. She has been a valuable organizer in many of the church's auxiliaries. 99HH Rowdy is a counselor for Family Planning at the Reynolds Health Center. "j* She is a mother of six and J 1 grandmother of four. She urc ( was ordained to preach by /^Ullf.r BishoD T.R. Rice and hac V*/I111IA fegM been preaching for 17 years. Her personal motto is Fellow: "God has a due season for ^ The guest speaker June 6 22C 23rd 13| will be Elder Joseph On the Lowery, pastor of St. Mat- prayer se thews Apostolic Church. Hunter, On June 7, the Rev. Ricky and Bro Hickman, associate Hines wi I minister 01 center urove vices. A.M.E. Zion Church, will Evang* be the speaker, and on June the Rev. Fuinerqfs - ." May field Han Mr. May field Harris Mr. Mayfield Harris, age 101 of 1 Ctr., Thomasville, died May 23 at the Is a extended period of illness. He was a native of Randolph Count> entire life in the Thomasville Comm faithful member of Central United Mt Surviving relatives are one son, M Midway; one sister, Mrs. Kattie Roger Im teen granacniiaren, iweniy-irrree gr twenty-five great great-grandchildren H great-great-grandchildren, many niec Funeral services were held Sunday a tral United Methodist Church with I Johnson officiating. Interment f Thomasville City Cemetery. Forsyth Funeral Directors. Mrs. Sarah Roberts Mrs. Sarah Roberts, of 3711 Leigh died Sunday Evening at her home. SI Rockingham Co., a faithful member Bapt. Church, member of Rose Mc. Order of Eastern Star no. 608 and Shrine Masonic Credit Union. Surviving relatives are her husbani I Roberts of the home; three sisters, Mr V leligion ocus On Religion, Church Note; )thers didn't definite call." Her excuses for staying in America were hei two sisters who were ill, she says, but they both soon died ~ six days apart. Then her husband became her reason for remaining in the states until he died the following year. Soon after, she received an itinerary from her church, $5,000, ' turd sin ma uffr'tu fejifrwiw ??~ "1 went oft then*.'' she~say&^_ There were no more excuses." After leaving Africa, Lester returned to New Jersey to continue her missionary work, and it wasn't until 10 years later that she would once A02) in ma Vt? Tvwin Pitu Via*. VIa... ?0? ?MI%V MIV A Will V1IJ IIW1 IIUIU^* 11UW | JVJ years later, she still speaks fondly of Africa and the City of God Pentecostal Church of Deliverance's role in helping her to aid those plagued by famine on another continent. It was Lester's affiliation with the Methodist Church, which came about as the result of her marrying a Methodist who, she says, gave her much encouragement in the founding of Wayside. The City of God was also founded to let those who have been called to preach have a place to carry out their ministry, says Lester. However, her efforts have just begun to get underway, she says, due to her untimely illness that postoned the grand opening originally Please see page B9 ing Sarah Rowdy, assi < IHB 1 Iftl w Sarah C. Rowdy /. Claude Thomas, Church, will render sernister of St. Peters vices. Services will begin Df God Apostolic nightly at 7:30. :h sponsors services ship services will the Rev. Charlie Clemons day night, June 1, will be the guest speakers .m. at the City of Saturday, June 2. yer Fellowship at On Sunday, the Rev. St. Larry Butler will be the : opening night of speaker at the 11 a.m. worrvice, Elder Lewis ship service, and on Sunday Sister Rona Burns night, the speakers will be ther Anthony L. Evangelists Annie Wince, 11 conduct the ser- Lee Faye Mack and Annette Thompson. ;list Mary Home, The Rev. Annie Carter 1 Larry Gordon and Lester is the pastor. is, 101, faithful membe this city, Mrs. Gertrude Toe Davidson Nursing Mrs_ Li|lie Smith 0f Madis Jursing home after prank pinville of Lobata V nephews and other relative / but had spent his complete at this time, unity and was a Arrangements entrusted tc ;thodist Church. ducted by Gilmore Funeral L r. Fred Harris of s of this city; thir- \frs /\gness Chisholm eat-grandchildren, Mrs. Agness Chisholm, of i and one great- jn t^at cjty Friday. Fu es, nephews and complete at this time. The be this city Wednesday, t 2:00 pm at Cen- Surviving relatives are one Rev. Harvey L. Qf thjs cjty. onc daughtei ollowed in the Chisholm of this city; four grandchildren and other relai Local arrangements entrui conducted by your loving fru t St., Walkertown Rurney Lee Thomas re was a native of Funeral services for Mr. of Hayfes Chapel Atlanta, Ga., were condu< Cloud Chapter of Righteous Church of God ir a member of the wjth interment in the far Cemetery. d Mr. Marchrow f^e body remained at Gilm s. Grace Clark of funcral services. > s* >, Obituaries T^^BirBPHft n v j*4S\P?S% Hs*L ^ fl WE^t-:-..Iuu^u-^ **^- WH| % * ^RUhMS^K : < t ' vSk . ^4 v dH J* ? | tML, ~ Ja I^jRv -v^,# A desire to give other ministers a place drove the Rev. Anna Carter Lester to est ?(photo by James Parker). Istant pastor, to be helcj Missionary circle presents musi The Susie Hawkins Mis- Shondus Parker, Pat sionary Circle No. 5 of Inez Byrd, James Fur Hames Memorial CME Richard Radar, A Church at 819 Highland Swygert, Wandalee S Ave. will present "Sound Ann Webb, Aqwill Spectrum," an evening of Hairston, The Rev. G entertainment, June 3 at 5 Bell Jr., Preston Stark p.m. Piccola Morrow. The program will consist of music, drama, poetry The Rev. Anzo and songs. tgomery is the cl Program participants will pastor and Mrs. include Alderman Larry Miller is the chairmi Womble, Kamara and the missionary circle. Wentz spring Sunday School cl< Climaxing spring quarter pastor and Mrs. of the Sunday School at Allen is the Sunday 5 Wentz Memorial United superintendent. Church of Church on Sunday morning were presenta- Training Uni< tions given by the five ? classes. The Dublic is invit The primary class gave a attend and participate presentation titled "Praise unusual panel audien the Lord;" the intermediate teraction discussion class presented "Ruth's "What's On Your Mi Loyalty;" the youth class Let's Talk", presented "A Basket Full of This discussion is Love;" the, young adults two of the Baptist Tri presented "A Choral Union starting at 4:45 Reading of Psalms 95," on Sunday, June and the adult class Shiloh Missionary E presented "Do All The CHurch at 916 E. 12t Good You Can." Panelists are Isaiah Dr. Marion R. Blair is the Jr., Amice Wall, , r of Central Methodist Id of Lobato W. Va., and Arrangements entri on, NC; one brother Mr. ducted by your loving V. Va.; a host of nieces, :s. Funeral plans are in- Mrs. Alice Davis Cut I Funeral services for ) and services will be con- of 113 Arcadia Street directors. from the Goodwill Be ficiating and intermen Cemetery. 11 Warren St., Dover, NJ The body remained neral arrangements are in- time it was be taken to >dy is expected to arrived in and was not viewed aft friends at Gilmore's fi son Mr. William Chisholm Arrangements entru r-in-law Mrs. Almeta A. ducted by your loving - grandchildren, one great tives and friends. Mr. Eugene Haney, J ;ted to and services will be Funeral services 1 ends, Gilmore's. Philadelphia, Pa were Union Mission Holy < officiating. Interme Burney Lee Thomas, of Cemetery. :ted at 2 p.m from the r Surviving relatives l the Midway Ccromunjty^ of the home; his fai nily plot of the Orurch Eugene Haney Sr. of Haney and Mr. Emm ore's until 3:00 pm until the tha^Haney and Mrs. Pleai / I ^b-9HI Hp* H JmffiW. v-; V*? Fw' mZ&* ?r* ?/ JM H 3KW* ***? yn Kpj^^. \?.v- ? ' tesS^4 ? ? f? y' , .. to preach was the force that tablish Wayside CME Church League holds | prayer breakfast ICdl The Laymen's League of ; Shiloh Bpatist Church Reid, Prayer Breakfast is being iches, held quarterly during the drian 1984 year on the second tarks, Sundays in June, a Y. September and December, ieorge The third Prayer Breakfast > ;s and for 1984 will be on Sunday, June 10, at 8 a.m. Mon- Mr. Richard Glover, exturch ecutive director of the Pat Ester terson Avenue YMCA, will an of be the guest speaker. All men of Shiloh Baptist CHurch are laymen. Every )Sed man is asked to attend this breakfast and please bring a Bessie ma^e relative or friend, ichool F?r additional informa- : tion, call 724-9263. on hosts discussion ed to Davis Jr., Bernese Sullivan, in an Chris Astrop, Barbara ce in- Shankle and Louise Archie, titled Consultants are Ms. nd? -- Boby Stewart, the Rev. Otis Donaldson and Dr. J. Kay part Butler, lining > p.m. G. Henderson Webb Sr. 3, at is the Baptist Training iaptist Union director, Ms. Bobby h St. Stewart is the program Todd director and Dr. Butler is James the church pastor. 4 Church, passes isted to and services will be confriends, Gilmore's. 7 re 11 Mrs. Alice Davis Cuthrell, age 100 were conducted Monday at 2 pm iptist Church with R.O. Allen of t in the family plot of the Church at Gilmore's until 1 pm at which the Church until the funeral hour, er the Eulogy. The family received rom 7 until 8 pm. \ isted to and services will be confriends, Gil more's. rr. ; for Mr. Eugene Haney, Jr. of : conducted May 21st at 2:00 at the Church, with Elder Joseph Lowery nt followed in the Evergreen are his wife, Mrs. Burnetta Haney, : :her and step-mother Mr. & Mrs. this city; two brothers Mr. Ronald lanuel Haney; two sisters, Ms. BerMaxine Simon; mother-in-law and se see page B7