WS Chronicle

Many churches have separate days to celebrate the men and women of the congregation each year.  For St. James Missionary Baptist Church, it was the congregation’s first time celebrating Men’s and Women’s Day, which was held in separate services on the same day, Sunday, Aug. 13, highlighting each gender.

For the women’s service, the ladies of the church served as ushers and sat in the pulpit along with singing in the choir.  First Lady Mazarene R. McConnel delivered a thought-provoking parable about tithing using apples as an example.  First Lady McConnel was very pleased with the way the service turned out.

“I think the day turned out great because ever since we announced we were going to have a Men’s and Women’s Day, the ladies have been praying and coming together in unity,” she said.

Cynthia Van Eaton of St. James gave the message for the women’s service.  Her message of being a woman after God’s own heart touched on the importance of being saved.  She also spoke about letting God lead your life and not try to take control because you are not God.  She spoke to both men and women when she said everyone is to seek God out each day.

“The women’s theme was ‘women after God’s own heart’ and I sat down and talked to God about it and he immediately started giving me words to speak,” said Van Eaton.  “This was one of the quickest sermons I have ever written because He was ready to give this particular message to His people.  He inspired it; it all came from God.”

Deaconess Gwendolyn Stout was the chairperson for the women’s day service.  She felt the service was “marvelous” in so many ways.  She said it was good to see the women of the church get together to show “God is real.”

“We are honoring Him and are just passing on the knowledge. We have to get more people to understand that God is there for you and Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior,” Stout said.  “It makes me feel good and lets me know that you have to come out of you comfort zone to show the love that God has for us as his children.”

The men took center stage in the afternoon.  Mirroring the women’s service, the men took on the roles performed by the ladies in their service.  The service was led by Minister Levi Bryant.  The message was delivered by Minister William Robinson.

Robinson’s message centered on men being men.  He used Jeremiah as an example of someone being a man of God.  He says many men have forgotten what it means to be a man of God. He wanted the men of the congregation to understand what it takes to be a man and to be looked upon as being a man by others.

“You don’t understand what it takes to be a man if you don’t see it,” said Robinson.  “If you don’t see it then where are you going to get it from?  The only place you can get it from now is the Word of God. I look at men and how we cower from responsibility and let women lead us because we have left the master plan.  We have to be courageous and stand up in the face of adversity because that is what being a man is.”

Minister Stuart D. Eaton was the coordinator for the men’s day service.  He says the day was “awesome” because they allowed the Lord to lead and guide.  He says he was happy with the unity shown by the women and men during their respective services.  He thought Robinson’s message fit right along with the mantra of the men of the church, which is “Act like men, be watchful standing strong in your faith.”

Senior pastor of St. James, Mack H.L. McConnel, says he really enjoyed the service.  He says for their first time out, both the men and the women did a phenomenal job in coordinating and executing the event.

“I enjoyed it because God did some things that we really needed to be done to draw us closer together,” said Pastor McConnel.  “I am thankful for God for putting me in this position so I can be the leader of this congregation.”