Goler Metropolitan Senior Pastor Johnny L. Ruff, far right, is joined by Mayor
Allen Joines, middle; the Rev. Dr. Paul Lowe, a state senator, second row left;
and County Commissioner Fleming El-Amin, second row right.
The congregation was full of people old and young for the Wreath Laying
Ceremony commemorating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s histone visit in
1964.
MLK
from pageB5
who were present the night Dr. King spoke in 1964.
“To have the honor of hearing Dr. King speak and then
be able to celebrate that during our anniversary is phe
nomenal,” said Frances Steward, who was present the
night King spoke. “Dr. King was a great man and my phi
losophy has always been you cannot reap a harvest of
love where the seeds of hate are sewn.”
There were several elected officials present for the
celebration, such as Mayor Allen Joines, County
Commissioner Fleming El-Amin and the Rev. Dr. Paul
Lowe, a state senator.
Anniversary Committee Chairwoman Annette M.
Wilson was very happy with the turnout of the Saturday
afternoon event. She says it was a great collaborative
effort to put everything together and she thanks all that
were involved.
“We are elated, and when you think about the tone of
things happening in our country, it's more important for us
to come together,” she said. “The NAACP used to meet
at Goler Metropolitan, and I remember that as a child, so
for us to come full circle and know we have to be
involved to help make things better is just uplifting.”
Toward the end of the service, the church played an
excerpt from King's speech at Goler Metropolitan in 64.
The Rev. Johnny L. Ruff, senior pastor of Goler
Metropolitan, says it's important for us, especially the
younger generation, to remeiftber the legacy of Dr. King
because of what he stood for.
“As we see the political arena changing, attitudes and
perceptions of what is correct change, but the reality is
that where we came from is a battle we are still meeting
and fighting,” said Ruff. “It's important to remind our
selves from time to time that we still have some work to
do.”
Goodbye
from page E5
Metropolitan. He says he
is ready for the transition to
Metropolitan,” Rivers said.
“Reverend Hammond's
desire has always been to
retire and not stay longer
than he needs to stay. The
church is much larger than
Rev. Rivers
Union Baptist.
He says he did not seek
out this new position at
Union Baptist. He says
Hammond did not want to
stay too long at the church
and wanted to have a suc
cession plan once he decid
ed to step down as senior
pastor. After Hammond
suggested Rivers' name to
the congregation, a nomi
nation process began and
he was asked to consider it.
After several months of
prayer and discussion, he
decided to accept the offer.
“Part of what made the
choice difficult on my side
was how much I love the
people here at United
when he came and he felt
that the best way to provide
stability, continuity and
leadership was for them to
do a succession plan.”
There were well over
100 people in attendance at
the going away celebration
for Rivers. Everyone had
the chance to speak with
Rivers and say their final
goodbyes to the Rivers
family. The Rev. Yvette
Lovett Martin says she
understands following
God's guidance to move to
a new assignment, as that
was what brought her to
the city of Winston-Salem
herself.
“I understand what
ministry entails in that God
Those in attendance were treated to delicious food and snacks for Rev. Rivers’ going away celebration.
can send us to different
places,” Lovett Martin
said. “He [Rivers] was
faithful in service here for
11'A years and we feel like
this is God's doing. We are
certainly happy for him but
sad to see him go because
once you build relation
ships and are connected
with someone, you're not
so quick to let go. We are
grateful for the time he had
here.”
Amid the food and
drinks, there was a mixture
of happy feelings for the
new opportunity for Rivers
as well as sad feelings that
he is leaving after almost
12 years as senior pastor.
Elwillie Jarrett, a
United Metropolitan
church member, asaid, “He
has meant a lot to this
church and he will be
missed. He is a lot like my
son and he is very funny.
He is an all-around kind of
guy and he will be missed
so much but we are happy
for this opportunity for
him.”
Rivers said the transi
tion to the city of Durham
will take some adjusting
forhis children, Prince
Corbitt and Julienne, who
at the age of 12 and 7 have
only lived in the city of
Winston-Salem. He says
one good thing about the
move is his wife, Monica
Corbitt Rivers, has a sister
in Raleigh, so their chil
dren will have first cousins
in close proximity to play
with.
He says he will miss
the city of Winston-Salem
and the people of his
church community. He
says he plans to return
because there are many
family and friends to visit.
Photos by Timothy Ramsey
People from
different faiths
and denomina
tions gathered
at United
Metropolitan
Missionary
Baptist Church
for the Faith
Build Kickoff
Breakfast last
week.
Kickoff
from page B5
together to build homes,
community and hope,” he
said. “Whether they are
Jewish, Muslim or
Christian, the point is for
us to all pull together to
show support in Winston
Salem of solidarity,
strength and being united.
It gives us the chance to
change the lives of those in
the community that are in
need.”
Campbell believes that
the Faith Builds allow the
HFH to reach out to many
congregations around the
Forsyth County area, along
with expanding their foot
print and reach to help
more in need.
In attendance at the
Faith Build was Timothy
D. Rhodes, a former HFH
home recipient. He says he
was actually denied twice
before finally being
approved for the HFH
home. He has even trav
f
eled to Nicaragua to assist
in building homes there
after his home was com
pleted.
“When I found out I
was going to receive a
home, I was overwhelmed
and it was a great feeling,”
Rhodes said. “God opened
the door for me, so it was
time for me to stand up and
once I got into the
gram, I just went 100
cent. I tell everyon
Habitat for Humanity
because it's the best thing
going for potential home
owners.”
United Metropolitan
had a number of represen
tatives from its congrega
tion at the breakfast. The
Rev. Yvette Lovett Martin
says United Metropolitan
is involved in a number of
efforts throughout the com
munity. She said they love
hosting the breakfast at
their church.
“Our pastor, Prince
Rivers, has been instru
mental in getting out into
the community and serving
and getting the congrega
tion involved,” she said.
“The Faith Builds are a
great way to give back to
the community and teaches
the young people of the
church about community
service and giving back.
Also with the meetings, we
are able to learn so much
about different faith com
munities.”
There are currently 32
families that are in line
waiting for HFH homes to
begin construction.
Any person or church
interested in volunteering
for a Faith Build or with
HFH, contact Mike
Campbell at 336-306-8253
or visit habitatforsyth.org.
Lesson
from page !}5
was their only solution. He
said, “Take me up, and cast
me forth into the sea”
(verse 12). Because of
their regard for human life,
the men attempted an alter
native to sacrifice and tried
work “the men rowed
hard.” God however, was
unimpressed with their
rowing and continued to
make the sea violent
against them (verse 13).
Now desperate, the sailors
prayed to Jonah’s God,
who they now knew con
trolled the sea. They didn’t
want to be held responsible
for Jonahs death, but were
willing to do as God
required as long as it was
Him and not them that was
responsible for the out
come. With no resistance
from Jonah, and to save
everyone else, they tossed
him into the sea (verse 15).
God immediately calmed
the sea and the totally
impressed sailors made
sacrifice to God for His
awesome power. God cov
ering all bases, saved the
crew and passengers, chas
tised and redirected Jonah.
God made provision of a
fish large enough to swal
low Jonah, house him for
three days and deliver him
to his appointed destina
tion. The fish was God’s
tool... not Jonah’s punish
ment.
For Your Consideration:
Jonah was inside the fish
for three days. Compare
his three days to that of
Jesus and Paul ... how are
they alike?
Life’s Application:
Obedience is better than
sacrifice ... we have to be
obedient to God’s com
mands even when we don’t
like the task He has for us.
Our disobedience could
hurt not only us, but those
around us. It’s also neces
sary for us to repent and
pray knowing that God
will hear us and have com
passion (UMI Annual
Commentary 2016-2017).
Rel. Cal.
from page B5
4th Tuesday
Providing hope
through teaching
Join Calvary Hill
Church of Greater
Deliverance Inc., from
7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the
fourth Tuesday of each
month at the Bethesda
Center, 930 North
Patterson Ave., where we
provide hope through
teaching and preaching
presented by Calvary Hill’s
ministerial staff. For more
information contact the
church at 336-744-3012.
Saturdays
Join the H.O.P.E.
Project at Mt Olive Baptist
Church on Saturdays at
12:30 p.m. to enjoy free
lunches for kids. Parents
will receive vegetables. All
kids in the East Winston
area are welcome. Be a
part of a movement mak
ing sure that fewer children
are hungry in our commu
nity. Mt. Olive is at 1301
CE. Gray, Winston-Salem.
Call 336-721-1959 for any
question or concerns. Also
visit hopews.org to learn
more about the H.O.P.E
Project. The pastor is Dr.
Charles E. Gray.
Food program
First Baptist Church
Children’s Center, 501
West Fifth St., is participat
ing in the U.S. Department
of Agriculture funded
Child and Adult Care Food
Program. Meals will be
available at no separate
charge to enrolled partici
pants. Children who are
TANF recipients or who
are members of SNAP or
FDPIR households or are
<3
Head Start participants are
automatically eligible to
receive free meal benefits.
Adult participants who are
members of food stamp or
FDPIR households or who
are SSI or Medicaid partic
ipants are automatically
eligible to receive free
meal benefits. For more
information, call 336-723
7071.
2nd Saturday
Food, clothes avail
able
Every second Saturday
of each month from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m., Calvary Hill
Church of Greater
Deliverance Inc. invites
anyone who is in need of
food and clothes. The food
pantry and clothes closet is
at 4951 Manning St. Direct
all questions to Missionary
Tammy Orr at 336-744
3012.
Tj