Kids bring Easter to
life at historic church
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
From the mouth of
babes, congregants at
Bethania A.M.E. Zion
Church witnessed the true
meaning of Easter.
The youngsters in the
church's Sunday School
program headlined a spe
cial holiday production
Sunday. Though the small,
intimate sanctuary has no
stage, allowing only the
space between its pews
and the pulpit for the per
formance, it didn't deter
the children from staging
a grand show.
The entire story of the
crucifixion and resurrec
tion was performed, with
children playing the roles
of Jesus, Roman soldiers
and other Biblical charac
ters. The story was also
interpreted through litur
gical dance by the girls of
the Little Angels of Zion.
The young dancers also
performed with women of
the Anointed Daughters of
Zion.
The performances
drew spirited applause
from the dozens of con
gregants, and Bethania's
pastor. Rev. Louis Hunter
Jr., freely admitted to his
congregation that the pro
gram had brought him to
tears.
"I realize the signifi
cance of this day," said
Hunter. "Thank God for
our children for helping us
to remember this story. A
lot of us know the story,
but are we living the
story?"
In the skit, Dakyah
Hughes, 9, is schooled
about the true meaning of
Easter after she accepts a
job playing the Easter
Bunny. In real-life,
Hughes said she has
always known that the
holiday is not about egg
hunts and chocolate bun
nies.
"Easter means a good
thing to me: that Jesus
rose from the dead on the
third day," she said.
David Killian, 9, who
piayea a soiaier, saia ne
loves Easter.
"It's my favorite holi
day," he said. "It's all
about Jesus."
Brenda -- Killian,
David's mother and the
church's Sunday School
superintendent, said the
kids worked very hard
during their six rehearsals
in order to expertly convey
the meaning of Easter.
"Christmas is a good
holiday too. but this is the
day He died for all of us,"
Killian said. "There's
. . ? _ _ _ ' ?. i _ .
noining you can i ao inai
you can't ask for forgive
ness."
Bethania began its
Easter celebration a week
earlier with its immensely
popular Palm
Sunday Vesper
Service, which
featured an
Easter cantata
performed by the
church's Senior
Choir. Last
Friday, Hunter
was one of many
pastors who took
part in Goler
Memorial
A.M.E. Zion
Church's "Seven Last
Words" service. Also that
day, local A.M.E. Zion ,
churches held an easter
egg hunt at Bethlehem
A.M.E. Zion Church.
Events on Easter Sunday
began at 6 a.m. with a
joint sunrise service at
Bethania with guests from
Steward's Chapel, Center
Grove and Benbow
Chapel A.M.E. Zion
churches. A breakfast
cooked by the men of the
church followed. The chil
aren s program
was held at 9
a.m., followed
by a special
early worship
service at 10
a.m.
It was a
rainy, damp
morning, but it
didn't stop the
faithful from
filling the
pews to hear
Hunter s baster message.
"A Cross with Benefits."
"Easter, Mother's Day
and Christmas are the
biggest time in the African
American church," said
Hunter. "A lot of people
come home. They come
home to visit their fami
lies and to be a part of the
home church."
Brenda K ilium
Bethania is a little
church with a lot of histo
ry. It officially started in
1875, but its roots go back
to a black Moravian con
gregation that was found
ed in 1846. The actual
church building was con
structed in 1893 and
rebuilt in 1926 after it was
damaged in a storm. The
old church still forms part
of the current building,
which added its current
sanctuary in 1971. Beside
the church is a historic
African American grave
yard that dates back to
1875. The church is in
Bethania, which has a
long history of its own as
the first planned Moravian
settlement in North
Carolina.
Bethania AME. Zion
Church is located at 2120
Bethania-Rural Road and
regularly holds its wor
ship service at 11 a.m.
Photos by Todd Luck
Dajohn Hughes portrays the risen savior at the end
of the liturgical dance performance.
Jamya Byrd, Dawan Sheff and Zarion Hughes hold
signs that together declare "He is Risen."
Rev. Lduis Hunter Jr. delivers his Easter message.
The Anointed Daughters of Zion perform.
Sunday School program participants.
M
Submitted Photo
Participants (from left, front row) Jason Williamson, Alexander Holt, Diana
Chew, Anna-Carolina Pelaes, Phyllis Elliott, Caroline Phan (back row, from left)
Zachary Skillings, Tristan McGuire, Monet Beatty and David Hill.
Student orators shine
in Optimist competition
da'yona mclean
for The chronicle
The Optimist Club of
Winston-Salem held its
annual oratorical contest
on Monday, March 18 at
Ardmore Church of
Christ.
The 10 contestants all
attend Paisley IB Magnet
School and are in
Marshall Marvelli's
English 1 class. The
English curriculum at
Paisley includes a public
speaking component, so
the oratorical program
was a perfect fit.
Marvelli, who has made
the Optimist competition
a part of his curriculum,
had his 9th grade students
write and present their
essays in class. He then
choose the best to partici
pate in the contest.
The contest is held
annually by the Winston
Salem club in coordina
tion with Optimist
International's contest of
the same name. Phyllis
Elliott, Diana Chew,
Anna Carolina Pelaes,
Monet Beatty, Caroline
Phon, Tristan McGuire,
Jayson Williamson,
Alexander Holt, David
Hill Jr. and Zach
Skillings were selected
for the competition.
The annual local com
petition is held in con
junction with Optimist
International, which
selects a theme for the
contest each year. "Why
My Voice is Important"
was chosen this year. In
constructing their essays
and presentations, stu
dents were charged with
examining their own self
worth and how they can
make a difference.
They were judged by
Wake Forest University
Professor Allen Lowden,
Winston-Salem State
University Professor
Soncerey Montgomery
and Bob McHone, a
broadcaster and motiva
tional speaker.
McGuire and Elliott
won the competition.
They each tbok home
gold medals. Silver
medals went to Chew and
Williamson, while Pelaes
and Holt took home
bronze medals. McGuire
and Elliott will now
advance to the zone level
competition in
Thomasville on Tuesday,
April 9. If they advance
there, they move on to the
District round, where
they could win scholar
ship money from
Optimist International.
The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Ernest
H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published
every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing
Co. Inc., 617 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, N.C.
27101. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, N.C.
Annual subscription price is $30.72.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636
IH eliminating racism I
empowering women I
| ywca I
.. / ^ v