2023 Greater Bethel Women's Day Program

HonoringSisterJohnnieLayBurks

HonoringSisterBettyHendersonHolston

The Honorable Verda M. Colvin

Associate Justice - Georgia Supreme Court

Let

ThePrelude

TheDoxology

Order Of Service

The Fifth Sunday Of Lent

Sister Brenda Yelder, Worship Leader

TheCallToWorship(Page4)

Ledby:SisterMabelJones,FirstAMEChurch-Athens,Georgia

TheHymnOfPraise-#450BlessedAssurance,JesusIsMine

Ledby:SisterCherylJones,

GreaterBethelAMEChurch-Athens,Georgia(Page5)

TheInvocation

SisterMaryBritton,FirstAMEChurch-Athens,Georgia

TheChoralResponse:

Refrain:#450BlessedAssurance,JesusIsMine

Solo

SisterTonyaHaygood,GreaterBethelAMEChurch-Athens,Georgia

OldTestamentScripture-Psalms46:2-11

SisterTywandaColbert,ThankfulBaptistChurch-Stephens,Georgia

NewTestamentScripture-Luke1:45-53

SisterDeloresFord,TimothyBaptistChurch-Athens,Georgia

SummaryOfTheDecalogue(Page6)

TheReverendTerriePatterson,

PastorNewLibertyHillAMEChurch-ThomsonGeorgia

WorshipInGiving

TheReverendTerriePatterson,

PastorNewLibertyHillAMEChurch-Thomson,Georgia

CashApp:$bethel140

Givelyfy-GreaterBethelAthens

Mail:PostOfficeBox49773Athens,GA30604

Solo

SisterJackieBrown,EbenezerWestBaptistChurch-Athens,Georgia

The Welcome And Occasion

Sister Katheryn Davis, Greater Bethel AME Church - Athens, Georgia

Women's Day Tribute

Sister Gwen Manzy, Greater Bethel AME Church - Athens, Georgia

Introduction Of The Speaker

Attorney Nicole Hull, Hill First Baptist Church - Athens, Georgia

Solo

Sister Jackie Brown, Ebenezer West Baptist Church - Athens, Georgia

The Message

The Honorable Verda Colvin, Associate Justice of The Georgia Supreme Court

Innovation To Discipleship

The Reverend Terrie Patterson,

Pastor New Liberty Hill AME Church- Thomson, Georgia

Remarks And Presentations

Sister Beverly Copeland

Chair Of The Women's Day Committee

Benediction And Grace

The Reverend Marben Bland, Pastor Greater Bethel AME Church

AWomen’sDayCallToWorship

StaceyColeWilsonWithAdditionsByMarbenBland

Leader:Itiswithholyreverence,thatwecometodaytocelebratewomen ofpurpose,power,andperseverance. WecometohonorSisterJohnnie LayBurksandSisterBettyHendersonHolston.Twoirreplaceablewomen ofGodwhonurturedusandtaughtustoloveyou.

People:MaytheirexampleofChristianfaithhelptransformusintoyour image.

Leader:Wehonorwomenwhofeedthehungry,clothetheunclothed, befriendthelonely,andcomfortthecomfortless.Weblessthemfor unselfishlylovingyourpeopleasyouloveus.

People:Lordmayyoucontinuetomeettheirneedsastheyministerto others.

Leader:Wehonorwomengrievingthelossoflovedones.

People:Mayyou,OGod,continuetocomfortthemwithyourWord, spokenandblessed.Maywelearntoencouragethemastheyhave encouragedus.

Leader:Wehonorwomenpregnantwithyourunbornsonsanddaughters aswehonortherightforawomantochoosenottobepregnant.

People:MayyouLordshelterthemandthechildrentheybearunderthe shadowofyouralmightypresenceasyoushelterthewomenwhohave chosennottohavechildren.

Leader:WehonoryourdaughterVerdaM.Colvin,electedtothehighest courtinourstateasshespeakstoustoday.

People:Mayyoumeetallherneeds,accordingtoyourrichesinglory.

Leader:Wehonorallthewomenwhohavegonebeforeus,namedand unnamed.Weblessthosewhoweptforus,rejoicedwithus,laughedwith us.andprayedforus.

People:Forletusnotbecomewearyindoinggood,foratthepropertime wewillreapaharvestifwedonotgiveup.

#450 Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine

Fanny J. Crosby/Phoebe P. Knapp

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His spirit, washed in His blood. Refrain This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.

2. Perfect submission, perfectly delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my savior am happy and blest, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

TheCongregation, RiseandSings:

“From all that dwell below the skies, let the Creator’s praise arise; let the Redeemer’s name be sung, through every land by every tongue.”

TheMinisterSays:

Hear what Christ our Saviour saith, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all my mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

TheCongregation, RiseandSings:

THEGLORIAPATRI

“GlorybetotheFather, andtotheSon, andtotheHoly Ghost; Asitwasinthebeginning, isnow, andevershallbe, worldwithoutend. Amen. ”

Attorney Nicole Hull

Introduction of The Speaker

Attorney Nicole Hull has a wide range of experience representing and litigating on behalf of families in domestic, special education, probate, and child abuse and neglect cases. Ms. Hull graduated cum laude from Mercer University with a dual degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice. And she also is a graduate of Mercer's Walter F. George School of Law. Prior to opening The Hull Firm LLC in 2014, Ms. Hull garnered a broad range of child and family advocacy experience while clerking for the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government where her research and policy analysis reports were later used in the revisions for the Georgia Juvenile Code.

In addition to her litigation and mediation practice, Ms. Hull serves on the Clarke County School District's Board of Education, and is an Adjunct Professor for the Walter F. George School of Law and Brenau University.

Justice Verda M. Colvin

Speaker

Justice Verda M. Colvin was appointed to the Supreme Court on July 20, 2021, by Gov. Brian Kemp. She is the first African-American female appointed by a Republican governor to the state’s high court.

Previously, she served on the Court of Appeals, having been appointed by Gov. Kemp in April 2020. Her time as judge also includes nearly six years as a Superior Court judge in the Macon Judicial Circuit, during which she served on the Council of Accountability Court Judges.

Justice Colvin has served as an adjunct professor at Mercer School of Law and she is a member of First Baptist Church where she serves as a children’s Sunday school teacher and on the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team. She is the proud mother of two children, Weston and Taylor, and the wife of Nathaniel Walker with whom she shares two other adult children, Nathan and Nathalie.

Sister Bettye Henderson Holston

Honoree

Sister Bettye Henderson Holston is a trailblazing retired educator working with distinction in Barrow and Clarke Counties. The daughter of the late Mr. Joe & Mrs. Annie Henderson, she is a 1958 graduate of the then Fort Valley College. Sister Holston was married for 59 years to the late Brother James Holston, a union that produced two sons Jonathan and Bernard. She is the proud grandmother of 8 and the great grandmother of 14. An active member of the Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia. Sister Holston has served as the Director of Christian Education, Vacation Bible School, Coordinator of Church Programs, and a Sunday School Teacher. On the AME connectional level, she has served as Treasurer of The Sarah Allen Missionary Society of the Augusta Conference. Today, she is a valuable member of the Pastor’s Aid Ministry and a Godly mentor to all.

Recognizing Sister Bettye Henderson Holston epic contributions to education and the community, The Athens-Clarke County School Board recently announced that the current Alps Road Elementary School will be renamed in her honor.

Sister Johnnie Lay Burks

Honoree

SisterJohnnieLayBurksisanamazingeducatorwithanexpansiveandimpressivecareer spanningawiderangeofpositionsfrombeingaWorkforceInvestmentCounselorat AthensTechnicalCollege,DirectorofGuidanceforClarkeMiddleSchool,andan ElementarySchoolTeacher.

SheisthedaughterofthelateGraceMoonLayandDeaconJamesLayandthewifeof thelateArthurBurks.Fromthatuniontheyhaveonechild,adaughterPetula.

SisterBurksisagraduateofClarkAtlantaUniversityandtheUniversityofGeorgiaandis aGoldenLifeMemberofDeltaSigmaThetaSorority,Incorporated.SheisaCharter MemberofAthensAreaChapterofJack&JillofAmericaandtheBonBonSocialClubof Athens,Georgia.

AmemberofEbenezerBaptistChurchWestinAthens,Georgia,SisterBurksservesher communitydeliveringmealstothesick,counselingstudentsandassistingfamilieswith rent,utilities,andotherservicepayments.

Sister Burks’s lifetime of service has been recognized and honored with the renaming of the current Chase Street Elementary School in her honor.

Patrons

Celebrating Women Of Purpose, Power And Perseverance

Rosalyn Bassett

Nobel Benefield

Valerie Buford

Beverly Copeland

Barbara Covington

Darrin Covington

Katheryn Davis

Kirsten J. R. Davis

John H. Davis

Christine Whitehead Dixon

Nathel DuBose

Frank Eberhart

Delores Ford

Martha Gilree

Harriet B. Green

Glenda Gunn

James Harper

Evette Harrison

Bettye Holston

Diedtress Jackson

Izora Jackson

Carlos Jones

Cheryl Whitehead Jones

Patrons

Celebrating Women Of Purpose, Power And Perseverance

Mabel Jones

Gloria Little

Aaron Manzy

Bryson Manzy

Gwen Manzy

Winifred C. Maye

Prinnies Moore

Angela Nelson

Lea Nelson

Mya Nelson

Other Friends

Dorothy Parks

Toya Pass

Nathaniel Pierce

Carolyn Robinson

James Robinson

Rev. Lamar Sandoval

Larry Smalls

Tiffany Smith

Shurletta Stevens

Deidra Stewart

Candace Jones Terrell

Marian Walker

Patrons

Celebrating Women Of Purpose, Power And Perseverance

Harold Water, Jr.

Harold Water, III

Karalyn D. Waters

Lauryn E. Waters

Dexter Weaver

Betty Whitehead

Christopher Whitehead

Darryl Whitehead

Tanya Whitehead

Wanda Whitehead

Verlene Wise

Janice Whitehead Witcher

Evelyn Wright

Brenda Yelder

Isaac Yelder

The Reverend Terrie Patterson, Pastor

BLESSINGS ON YOUR WOMEN'S DAY CELEBRATION

First AME

Athens, Georgia

Reverend B.A. Hart, Senior Pastor

The

Worship Fellowship

Rev.Dr.MariaGordon, Pastor

Women's Day 20 Committee

Sister Beverly Copeland, Chairperson

Judge Patricia Barron

Sister Katheryn Davis

Sister Cheryl Jones

Sister Gwendolyn Manzy

Women's Day Support Committee

Sister Annie Ingram

Brother Aaron Manzy

Brother Bryson Manzy

Sister Angela Nelson

Brother Darrion Willoughby

The Men Of Greater Bethel AME Church Thanks to All!