Give love at Christmas!

Greetings from The Springs. As we enjoy this Christmas season it is so important for us to have grateful hearts as we remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
There is great news to share with you. USBC has four candidates to be ordained as deacons. They are John Clements Jr., Leonard Goss, James Green and Patrick Meadows. The Ordination Service will be Sunday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. Our annual Christmas dinner will be served following the morning service that same day.
At the Nursing Home Ministry Saturday we had a great time getting the residents ready for Christmas singing Christmas songs they could remember. How amazing it was to see so many singing. Praise the Lord!
Sister Sherry Terrell always goes shopping for USBA getting the gifts ready for each one of the residents to be given out after our ministry. We appreciate you Sherry for taking time out of your very busy schedule to do this for us. We have several members who came out to help on Saturday along with Dea. Carl Sims.
Evangelist Stokes brought the word from Psalm 121 text, “God is our Keeper.” Job well done Evangelist Stokes. Thanks to all who was out with us Saturday. Merry Christmas to all and a bless New Year. How trust is that Word He is our keeper and will forever be around when we are in need of Him. He is never too busy to help us out in the time of trouble. Begin to look for Jesus when things begin to arise in your life.
Saturday, Dec. 15, USBC hosted the Give Love at Christmas 2012 Pageant. Now this was not your typical beauty pageant, however the girls had a chance to reveal their inward and outward loveliness. The event was organized by Dr. Kathy Hubbard and showcased many of the talented young ladies in the community.
The contestants were judged on appearance, technique, performance skills and biography and question session. This was the first opportunity for many of the girls to participate in an event such as this and they shined. The best aspect of the evening is that all of the contestants competed knowing that they were not receiving prizes for themselves. The winners in the three divisions were as follows: Sarai Brown first place, Junior Youth Division; Aris Hubbard first place, Youth Division; Kenya Worrell first place, Young Ladies Division; Gabby Wyatt first runner-up, Young Ladies Division; and Litrieda Taylor second runner-up, Young Ladies Division. Proceeds raised went to help three families during the Christmas season.
Minister Marneze Walker left Friday, Dec. 14 headed to Annotto Bay, Jamaica to complete his Service Leadership Project towards his degree at Kennesaw State University. Along with his classmates he will be studying the region’s economics, social structures, culture and educational systems.
The group will tutor students, work with school administrators, build a house, help with routine maintenance, work in the soup kitchen and host a Christmas party. Now that is work to be completed. Look for me to share more details with you when Marneze gets back home.
Quintavious Stevens, who is serving in the Air Force, will be deployed to Afghanistan shortly after Christmas. This tour of duty may last approximately six months and we will be eagerly awaiting his safe return.
Prophet Frederick Collins delivered the message to us Sunday, where he told us to “Roll with it,” but we need to wait on God for guidance. His text came from Ephesians 4: 1-13 and he focused on verse 11 which reads, “And He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelist; and some pastors and teachers.”
Prophet Collins stated that when you get gifts from the Lord, He will equip you to use them. We have to be led by the Holy Spirit at all times and we must remember to use the gifts to help others. If we are selfish with these gifts then we are not using them as God intended. Once God has given you a gift to use in the ministry, wait for His lead and then roll with it. Glory Be To God!

Printed in the December 20, 2012 edition