Celebrating
AN EXCEPTIONAL HUSBAND FATHER
Grandfather
Friend
VISIONARY ARTIST
And
MAN OF GOD Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:13-17 (NKJV)
Celebration of Life and Ministry Saturday, October 31, 2015 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM – The Viewing 11:00 AM – The Celebration Service
Rose of Sharon Community Church 825 West Seventh Street, Plainfield, New Jersey 07063 Bishop M. LaVerne Lattimore Ball, Senior Pastor
Officiant: Dr. Jessica E. Walker - New Vision Ministries, Inc., Plainfield, NJ Eulogist: Dr. Forrest L. Walker - Senior Pastor, New Vision Ministries, Inc., Plainfield, NJ
Order of Service
Officiant: Dr. Jessica E. Walker New Vision Ministries, Inc., Plainfield, NJ Musical Prelude..................................................................................................................................................... Walter Sorey Processional................................................................................................................................................. Clergy and Family Hymn of Consolation...................................................................................................................................“Amazing Grace” Prayer of Comfort.......................................................................... Reverend Najiyah Brooks, Madison, New Jersey The Holy Scripture Readings...................................................................................................................................................... Old Testament, Isaiah 40:29-31 Reverend Shon Adkins, Sr. – Pastor, Antioch Baptist Church, New York City New Testament, II Corinthians 5:1-10 Elder Tawanna Stanley, New Vision Ministries, Inc. Favorite Worship Songs.......................................................................“I Will Bless The Lord” & “You’re All I Need” New Vision Ministries, Inc. Praise & Worship Team Acknowledgements/Resolutions.................................................... Elder K. Wallace, New Vision Ministries, Inc. Obituary Reading..................................................................................................................Elder Irving Bryant (Cousin) Tribute in Song.................................................................................................................................... “To God Be The Glory” Psalmist Alton McClain Scarborough Tributes From The Clergy....................................................................................................... Two minutes limit, please. Bishop Gregory Gittens - Higher Ground Ministry, Irvington, NJ Reverend Velma Black-Smith (Sister-in-law) – The Apostolic House of God, Fort Myers, FL Dr. Eversol Griffith – Mount Carmel Holy Church, Montclair, NJ (Represented by Marvin Dunn) Tributes From Family & Friends.......................................................................................... Two minutes limit, please. Deacon Eugene Williams Tri-State Representative New Vision Men’s Ministry New Vision Women’s Ministry MTA Office of The Chaplain Representative From The Hollis Family Musical Tribute....................................................................................................................................................... Walter Sorey Introduction of Eulogist................................................................................................................................................................. Tribute – Ministry in Dance.......................................................................................................... Elder Sha’nelle Defosse The Eulogy........................................................Dr. Forrest L. Walker - Senior Pastor, New Vision Ministries, Inc. Invitation to Discipleship............................................................................................................................................................... Closing Prayer & Benediction...................................................................................................................................................... Recessional.................................................................................................................................. “Let The Church Say Amen” The Family will be receiving guests and friends for a repast by LaVerne’s Creations
The Life Reflection of Elder Benjamin Louis Hollis “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NLT) After a protracted illness, God called Elder Benjamin Hollis home to his heavenly reward at 2:50 am on Thursday, October 22, 2015. He was born Wednesday, November 5, 1941 in East Harlem, New York, to loving parents, Bennie Hollis and Aida Egarton Hollis. His mother died in his formative years; so he grew up with his loving maternal grandmother, “Ms. Bea,” who gave him his first Bible. It is almost in threads now but was treasured by Elder Hollis for the power of its words, and of course, the giver who reared him in the fear of the Lord. He accepted Christ as his personal Savior at an early age. He attended Abyssian Baptist Church in Harlem, NY with his grandmother He rededicated his life to Christ and was baptized at East Harlem Protestant Parish at the age of 15.
The arts were in his blood. Inspired by his late mother, an artist, and grandmother, a Vaudeville actress, he began to paint at the age of nine. His medium was oil on canvas. In 1974, he launched his professional art career. As a self-taught artist, his paintings “expressed his life and experiences.” Benjamin Hollis’ bold style of painting caught the interest of many well-known celebrities, politicians and corporate executives. One of his paintings, entitled “The Spirit of America” was sold to the late President Ronald Reagan during his first term in office. In 1987, after a fairy tale wedding in Stanford, Connecticut, he returned to the corporate world as a sales executive for a fortune five hundred company. However, he never lost his passion for painting or his dream of “becoming one of the greatest artists that has ever been produced in the Western Hemisphere”. In 2008, he retired and returned to his passion. During his grand opening he introduced his website BenjaminHollis. com and also for the first time - museum quality hand-signed Giclee’ prints. He loved people and boy could he dance in the Spirit (I guess you would not expect that from a former Reformed Protestant)! Elder Hollis faithfully served at New Vision Ministries in the office of ruling elder, where he remained unwavering to his calling. God used him with great strength and power. He was a popular and gregarious minister of the gospel. He utilized his spiritual gift of exhortation (Romans 12:8) in every aspect of his life. His wise counsel gave hope to many individuals in every walk of life. His message was simple; “In God, we are valuable and capable of worthy service”. His trademark, “thumbs up” told, as well as showed the world that “I serve a great God who is always doing things that we cannot imagine. I wait in anticipation for His next move.”
Elder Ben lived an exciting and fulfilling life meeting corporate presidents, dignitaries, actors and presidents and special friends. He even had the opportunity to sit in Air-Force One. As he always said, “God always had his hand on me”. He fondly remembered and testified often about God’s favor resting on him from the age of nine. God’s anointing was evident upon his life. His motto throughout his life was, “Let God be your guide; He is the only one that can put the stamp of approval on you.” He was loved as a son by the Wilcox and Black family members and especially by the late Bishop Luke Black, Sr. Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of over 30 years, Rev. Loucille Black Hollis; his daughter Charisse Hollis, granddaughter Keyna Scott and great-grand son Solomon of Princeton Junction; his two brothers, Steve (Shirley) Hollis of West Haven, CT., and Charles (Rebecca) Hollis of Sacramento, CA.; one brother-in-law, Luke Black, Jr. and two sisters in Law, Rev. Velma Black-Smith and Major Lynda A. Forbes; his childhood friend and cousin Elder Irving (Dorothy) Bryant of Phoenix, AZ.; a dear friend Dr. Phillip E. Brown of Cincinnati, OH., a friend of 47 years, along with a host of loving, caring relatives and friends all across America.
An Exceptional Artist
“My paintings express my life and experience.” Benjamin Louis Hollis – The Artist
Benjamin L. Hollis’ paintings are copyright and it may not be reproduced or copied.
Honorary Pallbearers New Vision Men’s Ministry
Deacon Eugene Williams (House of Prayer Deliverance Church, Bronx, NY)
Ushers
New Vision Ministry
Acknowledgement
The family of Elder Benjamin Louis Hollis is extremely grateful for all the prayers and acts of kindness. Words can never express our deep sense of gratitude for your letters, cards, phone calls, words of assurance, and rendering of many kind deeds. Please know that we feel truly blessed to have wonderful caring people like you in our lives. Special thanks to all of the doctors, nurses, social workers and staff at the following facilities, you were all angels for all the love and support you shown us particularly during our most difficult periods. May God bless each and every one of you! February – May 2015 Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital, New York City Melissa Stewart, LCSW, Senior Clinical Social Worker - ICU
May 2015 - October 2015 Genesis Healthcare - Westfield Center, Westfield, New Jersey Social Worker – Juana Arevalo, LSW Director of Social Services Primary Doctor – Dr. Joseph Schulman Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Rahway, New Jersey Social Worker - Carrie Faraone, LCSW
Interment
Lee Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Fort Myers, Florida
Tributes can be submitted at Legacy.com Design & Printing Entrusted To: MLD Communications, “The Very Best In Desktop Publishing” Reverend J-Anthony & Lady Madelin Dargan, Phone: (973) 783-6198, Email:mldcomm@aol.com