FREE VOLUME 25 NUMBER 3
APRIL 19, 2019 Stay connected
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Rep. Hank Johnson teams up with rapper “21 Savage” for financial literacy
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ongressman Hank Johnson, who represents Georgia’s Fourth District, and Grammy-nominated hip hop artist “21 Savage” recently teamed up to educate students on the importance of financial literacy and following their dreams. Savage and Johnson made two stops in Georgia’s Fourth District to connect with more than 100 students and introduce them to the rapper’s financial literacy programs. “Learning the invaluable lessons of financial literacy at an early age is critical to helping our young people grow and thrive as adults, and close the wealth gap with their peers,” said Johnson. “Last year, I had the privilege of participating in one of 21 Savage’s philanthropic enterprises. His events draw thousands of young
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Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is pictured with his brother, the Rev. James Lary, where he preached on Palm Sunday at Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia.
Congressman Hank Johnson and rapper 21 Savage wrap up their one-day tour in Georgia’s Fourth District, educating students about the importance of financial literacy. Photos by Joshua Smith
WALKING IN FAITH Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary supports older brother who had a stroke By Valerie J. Morgan
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Cherisse Atwater leads warm-up exercises at Voices of Faith’s Stone Mountain campus.
JESUS SAVES WALK
VOF Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr. and his wife, First Lady Pamela Hawkins Photos by Glenn L. Morgan/ocgnews.com
Voices of Faith Ministries kicked off its “Jesus Saves” 5K walk on April 13 at its Stone Mountain campus with nearly 300 registrants. Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr., founder of Voices of Faith, said the church launched the inaugural walk ahead of Resurrection Sunday to evangelize and reach the unchurched in a way that it had never done before. “We have participated in other walks but never had a walk of our own. With so many people celebrating Easter, we wanted to show our love for Jesus Christ by being visible in the community as one body,” said Bishop Hawkins. Many who participated in the walk wore “Jesus Saves” T-shirts. Congregation members provided water, fruit and breakfast bars for the event. Moves 2 Inspire Fitness Owner Cherisse Atwater, whose studio is located in Rockdale County, led the warm-up exercises before the walk. Voices of Faith Ministries offers worship services on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Stone Mountain campus located at 2500 Rockbridge Road S.W. The worship service is held at 9:30 a.m. at the Conyers campus, which is located at 1290 Sigman Road.
tonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is getting a firsthand education on stroke since his 58-year-old brother, the Rev. James Lary, had a stroke on April 15. Their family, he said, is keeping vigil as their loved one recovers. The mayor said his brother moved from the Intensive Care Unit to a regular hospital bed on April 18. He has a tube inserted into his esophagus because the stroke impacted his ability to swallow, Lary said. Lary said his brother had come from Macon, Georgia to preach the Palm Sunday worship service at Union Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, where the mayor serves as a deacon. “It was a great worship service. I had the opportunity to introduce him. Growing up, he was literally my big brother. I was scrawny and he was a big guy who could lift the back of a Chevrolet. He was my protector. On Sunday, he preached about how you can’t stop the unstoppable and accepting God’s will. The next day, he had a stroke,” said Lary, who said he and his brother are only one year apart. Rev. James Lary is the eldest, followed by Jason Lary and four
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