V ?* ? '
'% Longtime pastor of Mount Calvary to co-pastor with wife
'Highwayman' finally gives up traveling
BY JER1 YOUNG
THE_CHRONICLE
; New Year's Eve will be bitter
? sweet for Bishop Harold Ivory
t Williams.
As hundreds gather at Mount
f j Calvary Holy Church to mark
? ? the end of the millennium with a
1 I spirited Watch Night service,
S J Williams will mark the end of a
J ? major portion of a ministry
? that's spanned more than 50
?? years and thousands of miles.
jw For 27, years, Williams has
5* presided over the large flock at
Mount Calvary Holy Church -
?? commuting first from Baltimore
J*7 to lead services at the East Win
| ston church and later from the
J"* home he shares in Durham with
> his wife, acclaimed gospel singer
r and evangelist Shirley Caesar.
Dec. 31, Williams will attend
j his final service at Mount Cal
,* vary before heading off to to the
Triangle permanently. There he
will share a pulpit as well as a
"home with his wife. The couple
will serve as co-pastors of the
rapidly expanding Mount Cal
. vary Word of Faith Center.
But before he leaves for
i- Raleigh, he somehow has to
make it through Dec. 31.
Williams admits that last ser
vice will be hard.
"Try as one may, there is a
part of us that tends to hold on
and not let go," he said. "If you
take what these people here have
meant to me, then I wouldn't be
a whole person. Words cannot
express my indebtedness to the
members of this church."
During an emotional service
at the church two weeks ago,
hundreds of church members
and denomination officials paid
tribute to Williams.
For nearly four hours,
Williams' pastorship was lauded
with emotional and spirit-filled
singing and tokens of thanks
that ranged from elaborate
paintings to plaques thanking
him for his years of service.
One of the most touching
tributes came from church mem
ber Mark Jones. For two years,
Jones would bang out tunes on
the piano and Williams, a piano
technician and tuner, would cor
rect him.
"I'd play a note and I hear
him yell from his office, 'That's
not it,"' Jones said with a chuck
le. "That's how I learned what
notes went where."
It was stories like these that
caused Williams' eyes to well up
during the ceremony.
One by one, pastors he had
trained as well as members
whose weddings he'd presided
over came forward to say thank
you.
"He's the only pastor I've
ever known," said one member.
"I don't know what I'm going to
do without him."
Williams began his long
career in the ministry in Balti
more, Md. He graduated from
Coppin State College, earned a
master's degree and doctorate at
Howard University and began
pastoring in 1951.
After 20 years of pastoring in
Maryland and Washington,
D.C., Williams was eventually
named presiding bishop of the
Mount Calvary Holy Churches
of America.
With that title came the pas
torship of the local chprch.
"The founder who I succeed
ed as founder of the church,
built this church," Williams said.
"I had to take it. I had no one
else to take it."
In 1972, Williams says he
became " roving pastor." Each
weekend, he would fly into Win
ston-Salem to lead church ser
vices and return home on Sun
day night or Monday morning.
"I was still working full time
at the that time," he said. "At
first, I flew all the time, then I
tried riding the bus. Then I start
ed driving, but that didn't work
out that well."
Williams said the long com
mute made it hard to lead the
church.
"That commuting pastor is
not easy," he said. "You're not
here during the week. Members
can't reach you. You can't get
your hands on everything."
See Pastor on All
? ? ? * JMHH
Bishop Harold I. Williams shares a laugh with Pastor Daniel Russell. After 27 years of leading the ton
gregation at Mount Calvary Holy Church, Williams is leaving to co-pastor a Raleigh church with his wife
gospel singer Shirley Caesar.
Millennium watch night service
i ~ SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Winston-Salem District
? of the Western North Carolina
! Conference of the African Epis
J copal Zion Churches will observe
J Watch Night on Friday, Dec. 31,
i, beginning at 8:30 p.m.
J This will be the first time that
J the district has held a joint ser
? vice. In previous years each
? church in the district did its own
I individual service.
The Evangelism Ministry of
? the district sponsors the event.
! Rev. Dr. George Erwin is the
J chairman of that board. Mem
? bers include Rev. Conita A. Hunt,
? associate at Goler Memorial; Rev.
I Frank Cornelius, pastor of Union
[ Chapel; Rev. Marcus Farmer,
' associate at Bethlehem; Rev. Dairl
j Scop, pastor of Hickory Grove;
Rev. Louis Hunter Jr., pastor of
Benbow Chapel; and Rev. Beverly
W. McMillian, pastor of Steward
Chapel.
Proceeds from this service will
be earmarked for a charitable
organization such as Crisis Con
trol, AIDS Ministry or the flood
victims of Princeville. It is a way
to give back to the community.
The theme for this occasion is
"Charged to serve this present
age."
The event will be held at Goler
Memorial AME Zion Church,
630 North Patterson, and the pas
tor, Rev. Dr. Seth O. Lartey, will
deliver the message for the
evening. Various choirs from the
district will present the music.
This promises to be an august
celebration. Everyone is invited to
attend. Breakfast will be served
immediately following the service.
Rev. Dr. Horace C. Walser is
the presiding elder of the Win
ston-Salem District. The district
is made up of 21 churches in Win
ston-Salem, Lexington, Tobac
coville, East Bend and Wilkes
boro.
Come join us as we bring in
this new millennium with the
Lord. In a time where there are so
many uncertainties, one thing
remains constant: God is in con
trol and He has all power. "If we
acknowledge Him in all our ways
He will direct our path." So we
don't have to fear the new millen
nium; only give it all to God and
let Him work out all the details.
For more information you
may contact: Rev. Hunt, 760
3514; or Goler Memorial, 724
9411, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Grace United
from page A2
on Friday, Dec. 31, beginning
at 10 p.m. The service this year
will be held at Spencer Memor
ial Christian Church, 1410
Douglas Street.
These churches come
together throughout the year
for various worship fellowships
and the final worship service
culminates with the Watch
Night service. This year's ser
vice will be slightly different
and will include millennium
games, refreshments and horn
blowers and streamers at the
stroke of midnight. The fellow
ship will certainly be one that
can be enjoyed by both young
and the young at heart.
The Watch Night sermon
will be delivered by the Rev.
Joseph B. Parks, pastor of
Grace United Community
Church. Other pastors of the
participating churches are: Rev.
Sandy Witherspoon, Spencer
Memorial; Rev. Leonard Lewis,
St. John; and Rev. William
Purvis, Greater St. Matthew.
Grace United Church Choirs
along with the choirs from the
participating churches will
come together to form a Mil
lennium Choir under the direc
tion of the music ministers of
each church.
Everyone is invited to come
and be a part of this special
event. For transportation or
additional information, contact
the church office at 722-2500.
Remember, Grace United is
Y2K ready! We are Yielding to
the King!
I Far the Children
i
?
? ?r ?
One Nation Under God
! - a New Year's Eve celebration
?
> SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
!? 1
i J The Statue of Liberty once i
| ? stood proud and tall proclaiming, i
] I "Give me your tired, your poor (
? 'and your huddled masses yearning ;
I Mo breathe free. The wretched i
| refuse of your teeming shores. '
? Send these the homeless, the <
? tempted, tossed to me. I lift my ]
! lamp beside the golden door." Her
J 'words were penned by Emma
I?Lazarus because of her trust in a
ijnation that promised "one nation i
J* under God with liberty and justice
J jfor all." i
?; Liberty does not stand so
!? proud anymore as the millennium
j saw the demise of this nation's
I.stand with hatred and racial injus
tices. Somewhere we lost the vision. ,
But Y2K will see the rebirth of
| a nation, "One Nation Under
God"! The King of kings and Lord
I?of lords is on His way back and He
I*is coming baqk to gather one
[Ination under God.
f
Come join us in a place where
the nations will come together to
usher in the new millennium and
the rebirth of "One Nation Under
God." Join our grand celebration
it St. Peters World Outreach Cen
ter, 3683 Old Lexington Road in
Winston-Salem. The celebration
will begin at 9 p.m. on New Year's
Eve.
Featured guests will be: Alian
za Cristiana Praise Singers, The
M many was from East Africa, con
temporary Christian recording
artist Exalt, the St. Peter's World
Outreach Center Music Ministry,
Southern gospel recording artists
Sisters in Christ, and Tribe of
Praise Community Choir.
There will be something for
everyone. Come and be a part of
"One Nation Under God" New
Year's Eve Celebration.
Dr. James C. and Sister Joyce
Hash pastor St. Peter's World Out
reach Center. For 'more informa
tion call 650-0200.
i| I ?? .... BbM T? hi Ifl. Mf... B> I.ji ?
mayor rro torn v nrton ounce
was one of the guests of honor at an
outdoor Christmas pcety hold by o
loffd business owner for thdtlron in
the Patterson Avenue area? The
event took plate last week of A?Z
Patterson Grocery, a stiue owned by ,
Axzai "Aly" Amer.
Such partms have become regu
LM |L%si AmAii UJVM IMUJ
tar cVciiiJ tot ai 1181/ Who fvos nefa
simitar pantos or grocery snores no
has owiwd In tfw past many of
i i il? ? i l> I. ... .. 1? m a? ??* 1- -I * B? ? ? i ?
wnicn novo ooon anonooa oy ounce
and odior cify loodors* Amor bas
svsn received a resolution ham the
afy for hit work with JiUdbii.
Kids and patents ultmtded the
party n droves, braving constant
duKy winds. They were Heated to
made and soft drinks by Coca-Cola
and healthy snacks Bee applet and
bananas? Each chid wot alto pto
tented with a Coca-Cola T-shirt.
Amer, a native of Cgypt, worked the
crowd at wei, hugging chidren and
engaging in phyhd tutting with
mom. ne hikj cnuoren are angeis on
iarlh and that hot continue to do
whatever he can to help them.
Explore "VbuR Potential
I
Being involved for many yean in my own business,
my time was dominated by the development and
expansion of my company As the business began to
grow and prosper, I was allowed the time and financial
freedom to continue my education. At Salem College,
the professon and students welcomed me with open
arms. The small classes created an intimate atmosphere
where forming friendships was almost automatic. I
have taken a broad range of classes and studied in
Spain, Mexico and France. At Salem, I have expanded
my educational background and formed friendships
that will last a lifetime.
- Shirley Shouse
President, Winston Personnel Group
SALEM
COLLEGE
Adult Degree Program
Wednesday, January 5 from 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Thursday, January 6 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Reception Room, Main Hall
? Flexible scheduling ? Affordable ? S.A.T. not required
* Financial aid available ? For men and women 23 and older
? Course credit for work experience ? Take your Erst
undergraduate course free when registering for two
For more information
or to schedule an appointment,
call the Office of Continuing Studies
336-721-2669
THANK YOU THANK YOU
r/otue contt ttto'o/hs
enabfet/ me to
become
Winston -Salem State
Miss Alumni
1999-2000
i
jpsC
(Jose (J&e/ton -?&/hxo/t