The LIU – March 2022 by zhbcatl

Mar 2022

A newsletter of Zion Hill Baptist Church

THE LIU (pronounced LEE-UU)

Still Loving and Serving After 28 Years

everend Dr. Aaron L. Parker and Sister Shelia Parker were installed as Pastor and First Lady of Zion Hill Baptist Church in March 1994, twenty-eight years ago. They have consistently guided us to live up to our motto of “Living to Love and Loving to Serve.” Twelve years later, in an Emory Magazine article in 2006, Pastor Parker was asked, “What are your most important roles as a minister?” Pastor Parker answered, “I define ministry with two basic concepts: Love and Service. Love is at the very heart of the Christian gospel—I try to show love, to explain love as best I can, to affirm the love of God, and to inspire people to love one another. This doesn’t

mean just sentimental love. Sometimes love is tender, sometimes it’s tough. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “A tough mind and a tender heart.” I’m also a servant of the church, of the people, of God. I don’t see these as dichotomies—in my mind, they are all the same thing. I try to inspire others to become servants of truth, justice, peace, and most importantly, love.” In excerpts from a 2010 message entitled, “To My Sisters in Christ,” Pastor Parker wrote, “If the truth be told, this congregation, like so many others, would be comparatively impoverished without the preaching, teaching, singing, ushering, organizing, nurturing, and enduring skills of you, our sisters who serve, and have

served, in this segment of God's kingdom. Thank you for the gift of your gifts, and may God Almighty, our Mother and Father, continue to set your hearts aflame for the Kingdom's cause.” Now twenty-eight years later, we can all attest that Pastor and Mrs. Parker practice what they preach. They show love to all members, the seniors, the children, the officers, the men, and the women. Because March is National Women’s Month, let’s focus on the love they show all the females, regardless of age, for their presence and their service. An article in U.S. News article, dated December 9, 2021, reports, “Most major (coninued on page 3)

The Still Serving Event

REAP ROLL CALL

ion Hill Family and friends, it is almost here – the first of several wonderful and exciting events planned this year in celebration of our 150th Church

Anniversary: “Still Serving,” Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, 2022.

This church-wide, drive-through outreach effort and virtual worship service includes

New Members | February 2022

sharing our personal blessings with four outstanding community organizations that help

Sister Monica Partlow Brother Henry Williams Sister Berlinda Williams

some of our sisters and brothers live better lives (Sheltering Arms, the nsoro Foundation,

CHURCH FAMILY

Atlanta, Georgia.

Acknowledgments | February 2022 Morehouse School of Religion (MRS) expresses our deep gratitude for your financial support. Your gift has been extremely helpful in moving MRS forward. — Dr. Clarence Moore, Chairman, Kenneth L. Alexander, Treasurer Thank you for your kind expressions of sympathy. Love and blessing. —The Caldwell Family Thank you so much for the part you did to console our hearts. —The Family of Dwain Ingram Thank you for your continued support and efforts to improve students agency and learning outcomes for our scholars at Sandtown Middle School. —LaToya Miley, Principal

Solomon’s Temple, Inc., youthSpark, Inc.) and worshipping (virtually) with our guest preacher, the Reverend Anthony Motley, pastor of Lindsey Street Baptist Church, Many of you have already made pledges to the outreach endeavor by filling out the commitment form that you can access online (check email or website) or by calling the church office (404-844-4260). However, we need many more to do so and to follow through on those pledges by first signing up according to the first letter of your last name and then bringing your selected items to the Church on Saturday, 3/12 (10:00 am to 4:00 pm) and Sunday, 3/13 (12:00 noon to 4:00 pm). More specific directions on how you can take part in this potentially life-transforming experience can be found on the commitment form. Remember, in this action we follow our leader, Jesus, who consistently gave of himself and his resources to lift humanity. Realize that this is an activity in which nearly all of us can participate – men, women, youth, and children. If for some reason you cannot get out to obtain and deliver any of the specified items, you can go to your

Clark Atlanta University is grateful for your generous support and investment in the future of our students. — Richard L. Lucas, Jr., Ph.D., Vice President of Institutional Advancement

favorite online store, purchase the items you choose from the appropriate list, and have

Thank you to my Zion Hill Church Family for the overwhelming support during our most difficult time. We are truly blessed. —The Ellis Family

to the Church or send a monetary donation through one of the several means that we

Thoughtfulness is a blessing. Sincere thanks, —Rhonda Smith and Jamal McCarthy

them delivered to the Church. Make sure you sign up first, however, as we are keeping track of the number of items pledged. If that does not suit you, then you can simply bring give at Zion Hill, just designate the gift as “Still Serving.” I look forward to seeing most of you in our drive-through outreach effort on Saturday and Sunday, and make sure you tune in online to the Worship Service on Sunday at 9:30 am. In Love and Service and Still Serving —Pastor Parker

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Still Loving and Serving... (continued from page 1) Black Christian denominations in the U.S. have no doctrinal bar to ordained women leaders in the way that Catholicism and some other denominations do, and women have preached and been ordained in historically Black churches since at least the 19th century. Yet denominational leadership remained all-male until the 21st

century, and women are still the exception in the top rungs.” Here, at Zion Hill, we are happy to report that we are the exception. Pastor Parker has named and ordained the first three female deacons, now totaling thirteen. He has ordained and/or licensed at least 35 women to actively serve as

ministers of the gospel. All of us he has so honored are truly grateful. To our Loving and Serving Pastor and First Lady, Zion Hill thanks you for your love and service and hope to live up to your expectations in love and service to God and Zion Hill. n —Deacon Marjorie H. Young

Join us as we honor and celebrate God’s Blessing of Servant Leadership. Show your expressions of love and appreciation in the manner the Lord lays upon your heart.

ZHBC@zionhill.org |

Surviving Pollen Season

any allergy sufferers have mixed emotions about the Spring because the blooming of beautiful flowers is often followed by unpleasant symptoms due to pollen. Although Spring usually does not officially start until late March, a number of trees and flowers start blooming weeks ahead of this so the pollen count may start rising as early as mid-February. Below are some tips for getting through pollen season. n Start your allergy regimen a few weeks in advance of the Spring. This gives the medications the chance to start adjusting your allergy response before the triggers arrive, thus you will be ahead of the game instead of playing catch-up after symptoms start. There are many overthe-counter allergy medicines; however, you should consult your healthcare provider before starting any allergy medication to ensure that your issue is allergy related and that you use medications that will not interact with other medications you take or cause issues based on your personal health status.

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C onsider doing saline nasal rinses. This not only helps to relieve congestion but also helps to eliminate allergens present in the nasal passage which could serve as triggers. There are several over-thecounter products which can be used to do saline nasal rinses. You should choose a product that you feel comfortable using and that you are likely to use regularly. A good regimen involves doing saline nasal rinses two to three times daily. Keep track of the pollen count. Most local cities publish/post/broadcast information about the pollen count. You can check your local newspaper, listen to news reports or go online to get information about the pollen count in your area. You can then use this information as a guide to identify days with extremely high pollen levels so you can stay in-doors or limit out-door exposure. If you do have to go outside on a day when the pollen count is high, then consider wearing a mask L imit the amount of pollen entering your home or car by keeping windows closed and only opening doors briefly. Pollen

in the home can also be reduced by removing shoes in the garage or entry way rather than tracking pollen through the house. On returning from outdoors, it is recommended that you eliminate pollen particles from your skin by taking a shower right after getting home. To reduce the transfer of pollen from your clothes to your home environment, either place clothes directly in a laundry bag with a drawstring or wash clothing right away. n Use an allergy grade air-filter in your home HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system to better remove pollen/allergens from the air. Vacuum more frequently during pollen season. When dusting, use products that trap dust and avoid dusting cloths that allow dust particles to become airborne. Consider washing curtains more frequently and if laundering heavy drapes poses a challenge, consider using a handheld vacuum or an extension arm on a regular vacuum to clean heavy drapes. n — Marshaleen N. Henriques King, MD, MSc, FACP, FCCP; Zion Hill Health Ministry

Marriage/Relationships |

his message on Love and Respect comes from His (God’s) heart in Ephesians 5:33 RSV. Question: What do you Respect about your him, and What do you Love about your her? Love and Respect are Primary Needs. I often wondered why I felt unloved, and my husband felt he was not being respected. You react without feeling loved and he responds without feeling respected. This is known as the “Crazy Cycle,” according to the author of the book Love and Respect, The Love She Most Desires, The Respect He Desperately Needs, Rev Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. The “Crazy Cycle” --around and around it goes like a merry-goround. Marital craziness has thousands of couples in its grip. It comes in all shapes and sizes. What is your response to the Crazy Cycle? Does it seem to apply to your marriage—at

Why Love Alone is Not Enough

least some of the time? I can honestly admit it does mine, at times. a)

My spouse appears unreasonable

I appear unreasonable

My spouse doesn’t make sense

I don’t make sense

My spouse is harsh and critical

I am harsh and critical

My spouse is inconsiderate

I am inconsiderate

i) We argue about sex, money, in-laws or___________________ j)

My spouse won’t talk

I won’t talk

My spouse talks too much

m) I talk too much

In 1 Corinthians 7:28, the apostle Paul writes: “Those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this” (NIV). Did you ever stop to think that all married couples will have trouble? In other words, all mar-

ried couples take a spin on the Crazy Cycle from time to time. For excellent advice on how to deal with trouble in your marriage, look at Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 4:26: “Be angry, and yet do not sin.” If the wife’s anger is based on a misunderstanding, the husband needs to be patient and clarify the issue. Does the husband want to go through all this trouble? No. But is this the kind of problem God told him would come? Yes. The husband does not rejoice in the problem they may be having, but he continually rejoices in the hope that God will make a way when there seems to be no way. The author tells us that communication is the beginning and end of everything. Life happens daily. The main idea to take away from this is that you both recognize how either of you could start the Crazy Cycle. —Prayerfully Submitted by Sis. Gwen Daniel

ZHBC@zionhill.org |

“Words have power, so SPEAK LIFE!”

Virtual SOLLAS (School of Love, Learning and Service) BLAST — A New Learning Experience

raise the Lord for Min. Jonathan Stubbs and his teaching on “The Mindset of A Believer”--It was a very good session. He shared how our circumstances can sometimes dictate the closeness of our relationship with God. He provoked us to consider our mindset regarding the consistency of our relationship with God. Do we draw closer to God when things are going well? For example, when our finances are good, all the bills are paid, health is in tip-top shape, and children doing well, do we find ourselves getting closer to God or a little more distant from God? He personally confessed that his relationship with God is different when all is well than it is when trouble breaks loose in his life. It's when trouble breaks loose in his life that he finds himself drawing closer to God--praying more fervently and seeking God more. This can be true for many believers; I know I can relate. Nevertheless, we were challenged to be more consistent in our relationship with God no matter what state we find ourselves in--Just like trouble draws us closer to God, we should also be drawn closer to God when all is well. He shared how our service and praising God should not begin and end in Sunday Worship, as a matter of fact. We should serve and praise God wherever we are and wherever we go whether it's in a grocery store, Walmart, or the Mall. Min. Stubbs also reminded us that we have access to the promises of God through Jesus Christ. He used the analogy of a Will and how a person can write a Will now but the beneficiaries of that Will do not have access to the contents in the Will until that person dies. And so it is with Jesus, when he hung, bled and died for our sins, we became beneficiaries of the promises of God, therefore we have access to that peace that surpasses all understanding, we have access to that unspeakable joy, we have access to life and life more abundantly, we have access to the mindset of Christ. He closed out with the Scripture found in Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” The spirit of fear does not come from God but as believers, God has given us access to power, love and a sound mind. I was truly blessed in this SOLLAS class. —Submitted by Minister Zelda Wright

***

n Sunday, February 20th, Mrs. Bell gave a wonderful lesson about respect to our Teen S.O.L.L.A.S. class. In class we started with watching a video of Pastor Parker welcoming the students. He ended the video with prayer. Before we started the lesson we were led in prayer by one of the students, Jaden Hudson. In class, we learned about respect and the importance of respecting your-

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self, others, and everything around us. We really dove deep into the topic of respect. We were urged to take a pause and to think before we post negative or disrespectful information that could hurt, harm or offend another. We were encouraged to honor the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Mrs. Bell asked for volunteers to give feedback and for their opinions on what was being talked about at the time. The students were asked questions like, “What is respect to you?,” “What is self respect?,” “How can you respect yourself?,” etc. We also watched an eye-opening video, of high school students performing a skit about respect. In the video, the high school students gave good examples of why it is so important to respect yourself and others. Lastly, we had a discussion about the video, where we were asked to give our opinion on the skit. —Submitted by Jaala Hudson Age 16, sophomore Drew Charter School

***

is. Ramona Benson continued her dialogue on “How Do I Handle My Anger” by sharing this information with the 10-12 Youth. In this culture and season of distress and frustration for many including our youth and children, Sis. Benson has desired to assure that we engage them in conversation about self-control. In her interactions in different capacities with youth and children of all ages, it has concerned her that some of them choose to act upon their anger by fighting and with loose tongues. She shared videos, scriptures, personal examples and conversation on dealing positively with anger. The children brought their own perspective on anger management, which made for an interactive and learning virtual session. Thank you Sis. Ramona for addressing this critical and important issue with our future leaders; forgiveness, anger management and learning to set boundaries is a lesson that will stay with them in life. —Submitted by Minister Galetha Thompson

***

e had a great experience in the 4-9 year old class learning about the most powerful muscle in the human body. Initially, none of the children guessed correctly that it was the tongue, but by the end of the lesson they knew why the tongue was the most powerful. We used Proverbs 18:21 as our anchor text; “life and death are in the power of the tongue.” They learned that words have power and it is only by the help of the Holy Spirit

that we can tame the tongue (James 3:8). After understanding the power of their words, they wrote daily affirmations and then spoke life to each other before closing. Remember, "words have power, so SPEAK LIFE!" —Submitted by Sister Kelley Byrdsong

***

n February 19, 2022, I was blessed to attend a class virtually for our SOLLAS BLAST. It was entitled “Blessed Are They That Mourn... Where Is The Comfort” and facilitated by Minister Galetha Thompson. I attended because I have had numerous experiences with death and always felt that I did not cope with death “well.” As I have gotten older, I have come to realize that we grieve over more experiences than just physical death. The loss of one’s health, finances, career, opportunities, hopes and dreams are some of the other things we grieve but are not often acknowledged or addressed. Minister Galetha’s slide that listed many things that cause us to mourn assured me that I had selected the right class to attend. The class was very interactive and it was great to hear others’ experiences and revelations. Many times, we feel that we are the only ones who feel or think certain ways or that no one will understand our feelings. This class and those attending quickly put this notion to rest. We were a group of people who have experienced mourning in different ways and for various reasons but we understood and could empathize with one another. Minister Galetha guided the discussion and presented infor-

mation and principles that helped me much. Some of the most important concepts to me were: (1) own your feelings/emotions; (2) you can’t put a timetable on your grief; (3) God is with you even when you do not believe He is; (4) sometimes the best way to support and comfort someone mourning is to just sit with them in silence; and (5) mourning/grieving is a process and in order to heal/be comforted, you must go through the process. Like grief, comfort comes in many different forms. We must be cognizant of and intentional in where we seek comfort. Prayer, music, scripture, and meditation can provide relief from grief. Also, talking to others, writing/journaling, and redirecting your thoughts can bring comfort. I’ve found, and others have validated, that adjusting our focus helps also. Instead of focusing on the void left by the loss, reflect on the memories that made that person, job, ability, etc., so special in your life and thank God for the experience. Do not beat yourself up for mourning or feel like it shows a lack of faith or trust. God already knew that we would be subject to grief and said in His Word that those that mourn shall be comforted. God did not say might but said that they will be comforted. Since God is not able to lie and God’s Word does not return void, comfort is available to all who experience loss. My takeaway from the class was to allow myself to mourn while anticipating the comfort of the Lord. Admit to yourself and God all of the emotions you feel. Do not try to pattern your mourning based on others. You will hurt but God assures that you will also be comforted. n —Submitted by Sis. Cheryl King-Green

Tentative 2022 Church Calendar MARCH (Women's History Month) 1

Tuesday | COVID-19 Vaccinations/Boosters, CORE, Gymnasium,

10:00 am—4:00 pm

Tuesday |Athletics, Recreation and Wellness, Virtual Praise Pump,

Thursday | COVID-19 Drive-through Testing Program,

Tuesday | COVID-19 Vaccinations/Boosters, CORE, Gymnasium,

Thursday | COVID-19 Drive-through Testing Program,

Saturday | 150th Church Anniversary ~ STILL Serving ~ An Extra Outreach Effort

9:30 am

Sunday | 150th Church Anniversary ~ STILL Serving ~ An Extra Outreach Event

9:30 am

Sunday | Virtual New Discipleship Orientation Session (every 2nd Sunday, unless otherwise noted)

Tuesday | COVID-19 Vaccinations/Boosters, CORE, Gymnasium

10:00 am—4:00 pm

Thursday | COVID-19 Drive-through Testing Program

10:00 am—3:00 pm

Saturday |Virtual Adults School of Love Learning and Service (SOLLAS), (every Saturday before the third Sunday of the month, unless otherwise noted)

Sunday | Virtual SOLLAS Youth & Children, (every 3rd Sunday)

Tuesday | COVID-19 Vaccinations/Boosters, CORE, Gymnasium

10:00 am—4:00 pm

Thursday | COVID-19 Drive-through Testing Program

10:00 am—3:00 pm

Tuesday | COVID-19 Vaccinations/Boosters, CORE, Gymnasium

10:00 am—4:00 pm

Thursday | COVID-19 Drive-through Testing Program

10:00 am—3:00 pm

7:30 pm 9:00 am—2:00 pm 10:00 am—4:00 pm 9:00 am—2:00 pm

Noon

10:00 am

11:00 am – 12:00pm

SEND MAIL TO: Zion Hill Baptist Church P.O. Box 44643 Atlanta, GA30336-5643

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Thursdays, March 10, 17, 24, & 31

ZHBC@zionhill.org |

Lenten Calendar | March 2022

In Lent, we reflect on Christ’s ministry, death, and resurrection. We slow down, and examine our internal spiritual lives as well as the way we live out our Christian faith in the world. Our faith teaches us that humans were put on this earth with the responsibility to be stewards. We also know our individual as well as collective U.S. lifestyles have led to serious harm to God’s good creation. This Lenten reflection and action guide will help individuals take time to learn, reflect, repent, ask God for forgiveness, and take concrete steps to change course.**

**Calendar inspired and partially reproduced from Creation Justice Ministries website – www.creationjustice.org

—Submitted by Sis. Sandra Baylis Planet Preservers’ Ministry

We want YOU to contribute! If your ministry has a virtual activity or news that you want mentioned, you can send an email to zhbc@zionhill.org. We welcome all ministry contributions: writing, story ideas, suggestions, digital photographs, artwork, letters, responses to our columns, reviews, etc. and look forward to hearing from you. All material is subject to approval and editing. ALL contributions must be submitted by the second Wednesday of each month. The LIU will be distributed once a month. If you do not see your contribution in the current issue, it will appear in upcoming issues.

BIBLE for LIFE Join Pastor Parker on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm streaming live on Facebook, YouTube, and at https://boxcast.tv/channel/glwvkeoykzdo7l8oqmae

Series Title:

“STILL (Standing Tall in Lasting Love)”

CORRECTIONS We attempt to be accurate and balanced. We apologize for any errors that occur and when notified we will print appropriate corrections. The LIU is a publication of

Available after streaming as recordings. 2022 Theme: “STILL”

6175 Campbellton Road, South Fulton/Atlanta, GA 30331 Rev. Aaron L. Parker, PhD, Pastor 404-691-8025 • www.zionhill.org • email: zhbc@zionhill.org

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2022 Theme Scripture: “The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap, showing that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” —(Psalm 92:12-15, NRSV)