Volume 14; Issue 10 Rev. Dr. Atu O. White, Pastor March 2013

DATE CHANGE FOR THE

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING SESSION

Last month's Leadership Development Training Session

was postponed due to a major snow storm. (See arti-

cle below.)

The new date for the Leadership Development Session

is Saturday, March 23, 2013, from 9:00 a.m. to

2:30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Kirk Byron Jones will be the in-

structor, and the session is opened to all members.

Please mark your calendars and

plan to attend.

MARCH IS..."MINISTRY MONTH"

Ministering at Mt. Zion Baptist Church is about discovering your

purpose and becoming a part of what God is doing here. Whatever

your background, skills, abilities, or availability...there is a place

for you at Mt. Zion.

March is "Ministry Month." Each Sunday during this month, Min-

istry leaders will have an opportunity to tell the congregation

about their specific ministry and invite you to join. After service,

Ministry representatives will be in the lower auditorium, where

you can get more information and/or sign-up to become a member.

Here is the schedule:

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Youth Ministry

Children's Ministry

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Get Connected Ministry

Marketing, Ministry

Missionary Ministry

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Music, Ministry

Ushers Ministry

Nurses Ministry

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Soup kitchen

Audio Ministry

Visual Ministry

Broadcast Ministry

CHURCH SERVICE CANCELLED

The snow started slowly on Friday morning,

February 8, 2013, but by Saturday afternoon,

February 9, over 18 inches of the white stuff

had fallen in the Springfield area. This

Nor'easter, dubbed "Nemo," wreaked so much

havoc throughout the state of Massachusetts

(and most of New England), that Massachu-

setts Governor Duval Patrick closed the roads

during the peak of the storm, requiring all resi-

dents (except for emergency personnel) to stay

off the streets until late Saturday afternoon.

Messy roads, coupled with the inability of

many members to shovel themselves out of

their driveways and walkways, resulted in the

Pastor postponing the Leadership Develop-

ment Class on Saturday (see article above),

and canceling Sunday morning worship ser-

vice on February 10, 2013.

Happy EASTER.

He Is Risen!

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

March 2...................Sis. Sydney Clarke

March 5..............Sis. Lillian Dickerson

March 5........Deaconess Deborah Jones

March 5.............Bro. Kamari Williams

March 6...........Sis. Essence Eddington

March 6.....................Bro. Ricky James

March 6...................Sis. Diamond Kitt

March 8..................Sis. Tiffany Hogan

March 8.............Bro. James McGowan

March 9...................Bro. Rodney Jones

March 10.............Sis. Cassandra Miller

March 10...............Sis. Brandi Johnson

March 11...........Sis. Brianna Woodard

March 15....................Sis. Rene Garner

March 16............Bro. Shawn Asiamah

March 16...........Sis. Takahryana Chase

March 16..................Sis. Keisha Lewis

March 17...................Sis. Zula Wright

March 18...................Sis. Heidi Oakley

March 18............Bro. Charles Winston

March 19............Bro. Bud L. Williams

March 23....................Sis. Izana Grant

March 25.....Sis. Carsandra Hill-James

March 26.............Sis. Kamara Jackson

March 27.................Rev. Viola McCoy

March 27.....................Sis. Lori Garner

March 27.................Bro. Jerome Irving

March 27............Sis. Laverne Mickens

March 28...............Sis. Theresa Bryant

March 28.............Bro. Michael Housey

March 29..................Sis. Nicole Fraser

March 29...Sis. Jacqueline Brown-Hazard .

MARCH ANNIVERSARIES

March 16..................Sis. Mable Kenny & Bro. Jasper Kenny

March 31..............Bro. Winnon Carter & Sis. Gloria Carter

HOW TO FIND

HAPPINESS Author Unknown

Happiness is something

You create in your mind.

Not something you search for,

But can't seem to find;

Not something that's purchased,

With silver or gold,

Not something that force

Can capture and hold.

It's just waking up

And beginning each day

By counting your blessings

And kneeling to pray.

It's giving up thoughts

That breathes discontent,

And accepting what comes

As a gift heaven-sent.

It's giving up wishing

For things you have not,

And making the best

Of whatever you've got

It's knowing that life

Is determined and planned,

And God holds the world

In the palm of his hand.

And it's by completing

What God gives you to do

That you find contentment

And happiness too.

Submitted by Sis. Johnsie Gibson

DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE

YOUR CLOCKS… Just a reminder...

Clocks should be

set ahead one-

hour on Sunday,

March 10, 2013 as

this is the first

day of Daylight Saving Time. Re-

member the adage, “Spring ahead; Fall back.”

No More Sunday School on

Sunday Mornings

Starting this month, Sunday School as we know it--Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m.--is no more. Rather, Sun-day School has been combined with Wednesday Night Bible Study, creating our new Wednes-day Night Bible School. Between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. each Wednesday night, there are Bible study sessions for Youth (students in middle school through high school) and Adults.

Later this year, Children's Church (for pre-schoolers and children up through elementary school), will begin on Sunday mornings to teach and train this age group.

Everyone is encouraged to get in a Bible study class.

PASTOR'S PREACHING

ENGAGEMENTS IN MARCH

This month, our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Atu White, will be preaching at the following services:

ALDEN BAPTIST CHURCH 649 State Street, Springfield

Sunday, March 10, 2013 3:30 p.m.

Choir's Anniversary

THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH 149 Walnut Street, Springfield

Sunday, March 17, 2013 4:00 p.m.

Ushers' Anniversary

PASTOR'S COUNCIL'S LENTEN SERVICE

Alden Baptist Church 649 State Street, Springfield

Friday, March 29, 2013 7:00 p.m.

"The Last Seven Words"

If you can join the Pastor at any

of these services, please do so!.

NEW M EMBERS

Joining Mt. Zion in February were:

BRO. JAMES WALDON Date Joined: February 3, 2013

Method: Christian Experience

SIS. DEJA L. WARE Date Joined: February 3, 2013

Method: Christian Experience

Welcome Bro. Waldon & Sis. Ware!

SCHEDULE YOUR

MINISTRY MEETINGS To prevent/eliminate room con-

flicts when several ministries are

meeting here at the church, please

notify Administrative Assistant

Marcia Borders of the dates and

times of your Ministry meetings.

Areas where meetings can be held

are 1) the conference room, 2) the

sanctuary, 3) the room outside the

Pastor's office, or 4) the down-

stairs fellowship hall.

To All Baptism Candidates

A meeting of all candidates for bap-

tism will be held here at the Church

on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at

6:00 p.m. with Pastor White. If you

are a baptism candidate, you must

attend this meeting.

Baptism This

Month

Baptism Service

will take place on

the fourth Sunday

of this month, Sunday, March 24,

2013, at 10:20 a.m. Please be present

to welcome our new converts and

witness this wonderful service.

Baptized Last Month

Three (3) members, Bro. Rayshad

Bradley, Bro. Kyle May, and Sis. Va-

lencia McLean, were baptized on

Sunday, February 17, 2013.

Congratulations to all Three!

UBC CONGRESS

OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SESSION

The United Baptist Convention of

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and

New Hampshire will hold its an-

nual Congress of Christian Educa-

tion session on Saturday, March

16, 2013. This year's Congress will

take place at Worcester State Col-

lege in Worcester, MA. Approxi-

mately ten (10) Mt. Zion members

have signed-up to attend.

Both our Pastor, Rev. Atu White,

and Dea Steve Powell, who serves

as the Congress' Registrar, will be

teaching one of the UBC classes.

BLACK HISTORY TRIVIA

CONTEST WINNERS Throughout the month of Febru-

ary, the Get Connected Ministry

placed information regarding Black

History in the weekly bulletin. On

Sunday, February 24, 2013, mem-

bers had an opportunity to see

how much of this information they

retained.

Although there were very few

participating in the final Trivia

Contest (held during the after-

service baptism/birthday recep-

tion), one youth answered 7 out of

the 10 bulletin questions correctly,

while another youth answered 8 of

the 10 questions correctly.

Congratulations to Sis. Kamara Jackson and Bro. Cameron Scott, who both received a prize of two

passes each to Interskate Rolling

Rink for winning the contest.

GIVING STATEMENTS

REMINDER

The 2012 Giving/Tax Statements

are still available. If you have

NOT received yours, see Church

Financial Secretary, Sis. Lois

Bass-Peterson or Church Treas-

urer, Sis. Mary Moore.

36th Church Anniversary

The celebration of our 36th Church Anni-versary is right around the corner. Here is some preliminary information:

Anniversary Committee Chairman: Sis. Kimberly Rennis

Anniversary Committee Co-Chairman: Sis. Theresa Bryant

Theme: Ignite My Passion to Love, Serve & Grow

Sacrificial Offering: $236 per Adult member

$10 per Youth/Child member

Capital Project: A portion of the money raised will be

used to refresh the restrooms. * * * * * * * * *

Anniversary Activities Include:

March is "Ministry Month" (See article on front page.)

Leadership Development Seminar Saturday, March 23, 2013 (See article on front page.)

April is "I Love My Church Month" Each Sunday in April, members are asked to bring guests to church. The person with the most guests (as counted by the visitor cards) will receive a prize at the Anniversary Brunch. Also during this month, various members will share their testimony on why they love this church.

"Ignite" Revival Wednesday-Friday, April 24-26, 2013

Rev. Dr. William H. Curtis, Senior Pastor of Mount Ararat Baptist Church of Pitts-burgh, Pennsylvania, will be the Revival-ist. There will also be musical guests.

Anniversary Brunch Saturday, May 18, 2013

Castle of Knights Banquet Hall

Anniversary Service Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 10:45 a.m.

Guest Preacher To Be Announced

More information regarding each of these

events will be shared in upcoming weeks.

YOUTH

MINISTRY

NEWS

The 1st First Friday Event Written by Sis. Stacia Brown

The Youth Ministry participated in

their 1st First Friday Fellowship

event on Friday, February 1, 2013,

which was roller-skating at Inter-

skate Roller Rink in Springfield.

There were 13 youth and 6 adults in

attendance for this three hour ac-

tivity. Most youth were transported

on the Mt Zion Church van.

There was fun, fellowship, and posi-

tive interactions among the youth

and the adult Youth Ministry leaders.

The youth and the adults fellow-

shipped with food and the partici-

pated in a group photo. There were

also pictures taken of the youth as

they roller-skated, laughed, and had

good fun. There was a brief discus-

sion about involving more middle to

high school youth in the Youth Minis-

try and thoughts for next month's

First Friday event. This event was

enjoyed by all.

The next First Friday Fellowship

event will be held here at the Church

on Friday, March 1, 2013.

All youth in middle and high school

interested in joining the Youth Min-

istry should see Sis. Stacia Brown.

REMINDER: Youth Bible School is

held on Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m.

until 8:00 p.m. Please join us! We

are looking for this Ministry to grow

strong!!

THE CELEBRATION OF EASTER

This year, Easter will be cele-brated on Sun-day, March 30, 2013. Easter is one of the holiest of holy days for Christians, as it

commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By His dying for our sins, and rising again on the third day, Jesus brought reconciliation between God and man. This Easter, let us not worry about having a new dress or suit or fash-ionable new Easter bonnet, but let us reflect on Jesus’ suffering, dy-ing, and resurrection—let us reflect on those things that are important.

We will have two (2) worship

services on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013:

6:45 A.M. SUNRISE SERVICE

10:45 A.M. REGULAR SERVICE

Please join us at either service as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

REQUEST FOR EASTER LILIES

As in years past, each Mt. Zion family is asked to

bring in an Easter Lily on Easter Sunday morning--March 31-- to adorn the altar.

UBC's Valentine Tea

Written by Sis. Beth Irving

Mt. Zion Missionaries attended the

United Baptist Convention's Women's

Auxiliary St. Valentine's Tea on Satur-

day, February 16, 2013, hosted by

Alden Baptist Church. This year's

theme was "God's Word is His Love

Letter to Us," with the subtopic,

"Sweet Talk," based on scripture

Psalms 119:103: "How sweet your

words taste to me; they are sweeter

than honey." (NLT)

Sis. Andrea Dixon sang a solo, "He's

Sweet I Know," and Sis. Beth Irving

gave a 5-minute speech entitled, "A

Love Letter From God."

There were five (5) members from

Mt. Zion in attendance: Sis. Char-

lotte Caldwell, Sis. Andrea Dixon, Sis.

Christine Hartsfield, Sis. Shevie Jarvis,

and Sis. Beth Irving.

Grandparents' Corner Written by Sis. Andrea P. Dixon

Sis. Andrea Dixon would like to announce that

granddaughter Kamara Jackson received another trophy for a great year of cheer-

leading. She is a cheerleader for the Spring-field Longhorns football team, which her

brother Kevin plays with. The cheerleaders luncheon was held at the Chicopee AMF

Lanes. It was a lot of fun. There was lots of food and laughs.

Kamara won the first game with the score of

128, and came in second for the next game. She had five (5) strikes between the two

games.

Kamara enjoys so many things! Stay that

way, girl--enjoy life. Love ya,

Nana

CALLING ALL GRANDPARENTS!! Come on grandparents! Give us, "The Messenger," some news. I KNOW your grands are doing great things. Share their journeys. They would love to read their names in the paper. Let's make the "Grandparents Corner" a wonderful section in "The Messenger."

The Pastors' Council of Greater Springfield

2013 Lenten Season Schedule

Program Committee Members: Rev. Angelo S. Dawson, Rev. Dr. Atu White, Rev. Shawn Devorce

Date Preacher Church

Wednesday, February 13 Rev. David Hunter

Zion Community Baptist Church

1130 Roosevelt Avenue

Wednesday, February 20 Rev. Glen Snowden

Christ Church Cathedral

35 Chestnut Street

Wednesday, February 27 Rev. Paul Starnes Overflowing Love Church of the Living God

22 King Street

Wednesday, March 6 Rev. Stephen G. Williams

Progressive Community Baptist Church

599 State Street

Wednesday, March 13 Rev. Shawn Devorce

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

368 Bay Street

Wednesday, March 20 Rev. Dr. W.C. Watson, Jr.

Wesley United Methodist Church

741 State Street

Holy Week

Monday, March 25

Rev. Timothy Bouknight

New Life Calvary Baptist Church

981 Wilbraham Road

Tuesday, March 26

Presiding Elder Herbert L. Eddy

Mount Calvary Baptist Church

17 John Street

Wednesday, March 27

Rev. Gail Hill

Bethel A.M.E. Church

27 Pendleton Avenue

Maundy Thursday,

March 28

Holy Communion

Rev. Jesse Williams, Sr.

Spring of Hope C.O.G.I.C

35 Alden Street

The Seven Last Words of Christ

Alden Baptist Church, 649 State Street

Good Friday, March 29, 2013

1st

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34

Rev. Maxine Moore

2nd

"Today, shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43

Rev. Catherine Presil

3rd

"Woman, behold your son." John 19:26

Rev. Dr. Atu O. White

4th

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark 15:34

Rev. Miles T. Crawford, Jr.

5th

"I thirst." John 19:28

Bishop Naomi Barber

6th

"It is finished." John 19:30

Rev. John P. Morgan, Jr.

7th

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Luke 23:46

Rev. Dr. Calvin J. McFadden, Sr.

ON THE SCENE AT STCC Written by Sis. Andrea P. Dixon

Once again, I've had the opportunity to be in the presence of greatness! On February 5, 2013, in Scibelli Hall on the

campus of STCC (Springfield Technical Community College), the beautiful Susan L. Taylor made her appearance.

What an awesome appearance. She IS beautiful, inside and out!! She's Great! This is my second time being in her pres-

ence. Along with Sis. Delores Culp and our friend Rev. Joyce Whetstone, we were among the hundreds in attendance.

Ms. Taylor is the recipient of many awards and citations for her community work. In 2006, she became the founder and

CEO of Essence Cares, a mentoring program which has become the National Cares Mentoring Movement Coalition in

the USA.

The Editor-in-chief and the columnist of In The Spirit (Lessons in Living) for 'Essence Magazine' for over 35 plus years,

and the author of several books, Ms. Taylor told us in the audience point blank--LOVE YOURSELF!!! She said the

most revolutionary thing we can do is love ourselves! Connect with yourself; Listen to yourself! See yourself differ-

ent--LOOK AT the mirror! You are more than what you see. You've been given a gift--Life. You're amazing!!! Life is

a lesson. Keep it moving. BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND! For everything you face, there's a solution and everyone

has a story.

Awaken your power to become an agent of/for change and healing of self and others. Open the door (heart)--Where's

your heart? Follow it because what you give out, comes back to you! Build and fill your heart with gratitude. Be

thankful--know and believe you're DIVINE! Note: YOU'RE NOT LIVING, IF YOU'RE NOT LOVING!!!

But don't be a product of overload! Recover yourself from your day! No one walks without pain. Know that suffering

is a different story, it's used for correction. Everyday is a new arrival...Be grateful, be thankful for life is a walk on the

water of faith. Believe that! Where's your faith?

We're born to win. You have the "gift;" Life is on the inside of self. Start thinking, speaking, and acting like a winner.

You bring about new beginnings by leaving behind the things that compromise YOUR wholeness!! The substance of a

person is very important. EVERYONE CAN'T HAVE A FRONT SEAT IN YOUR LIFE!!!

Sit your behind down! Pause for a moment! Think on your ancestors. Love and honor them and yourself. Nurture

yourself. See the beauty in all you see. Live better by creating balance, meaning and joy. Ask yourself, "Are you

happy?"

As the creator of In the Spirit, Ms. Taylor asks, 'What's your call to commitment? Are you full of passion? Do your

relationships know the "Essence" of their importance to you? Basically, do you show your love towards them? Let

them know! Let them see it and feel it! They might just need to know!! Ms. Taylor also let us know that education is

the weapon to be used for the betterment of all--stating that anything that is known is knowable. And we as a people

have to get our bodies healthy (which we have mistreated for too long). A healthy body equals a healthy mind. Re-

member, we must love ourselves. Not abuse ourselves.

In closing, Ms. Taylor, along with the audience, recited (some sang) part of the Black (Negro) National Anthem, Lift

Every Voice and Sing, by James Weldon Johnson:

"Shadow beneath they hand

May we forever stand;

True to our God,

True to our native land."

What a presentation! What a nice way to spend the noontime. Oh yea, did I mention it was FREE??

Ms Taylor wants us to remember that it's all about love--love of God, love of self, and love of others. And don't for-

get...GOD'S GOT YOUR BACK!!!

Some Things To Ponder...

Arthur Unknown

Trials keep you Strong.

Sorrows keep you Human.

Failures keep you Humble.

Success keeps you Glowing.

Happiness Keeps You Sweet.

But only God keeps you Going !

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

368 Bay Street

Springfield, MA 01109